1 Homecoming Novel Study

2 Terms 1.Coming of Age 2. Flashback 3.Inference 4. Metaphor 5.Narrator6.Plot 7.Symbol 8.Theme

3 Novel Study Activities 1. Main Idea*Pick a piece of colored paper *Fold your paper like a hotdog *Read assigned chapter for 10 minutes *Write the main idea of what has been read in section 1 of your hotdog *After 10 more minutes write the main idea for what has been read in section 2 *After 10 more minutes write the main idea of what has been read in section 3 *Now turn your paper over and using the 3 sections write the main idea of the chapter and staple your hotdog into your reference book

4 Activities cont. 2. Graphic Organizers* Use a Venn Diagram or a Comparison Map to compare/contrast one the the following: two characters from the book or compare the book to the movie or another novel.

5 Activities cont. 3. Poetry PossibilitiesChoose One of the following or one of your own: Option #1 Diamante The idea of a diamante is to go from one subject (line 1) to another subject (sometimes opposite of line 1) at the bottom of the poem (line 7) *Line 1 one noun (subject #1) *Line 2 two adjectives describing subject #1 *Line 3 three participles, ending in “ing”, telling about subject #1 *Line 4 four nouns – first two relate to subject #1 -second two relate to subject #2 *Line 5 three participles, telling about subject #2 *Line 6 two adjectives describing subject #2 *Line 7 one noun (subject #2)

6 Activities cont. 3. Poetry Possibilities cont.Option #2 Haiku This form of poetry originated in Japan and is three lines long. It usually has to with something in nature but doesn’t have to be limited to nature. The rule is Haiku is the syllabic count. *Line 1 – has 5 syllables *Line 2- has 7 syllables *Line 3- has 5 syllables

7 Activities cont. Book CommercialThe “Book Commercial” is a form of a book report, but use “propaganda” techniques to “sell” the book to an audience. Make sure not to give away the ending! *Use may make your commercial in keynote or Imovie. Your plan “storyboard” should be done in reference books.

8 Activities cont. News ReportThis is a creative writing activity to use your talents of perception and creativity as you practice skills in making inferences, drawing conclusions, predicting and generalizing. You are to become a reporter on the scene and write a new story about what is happening in the novel. This news report is to be done and shared at the end of book 1. The “News Report” will be shared aloud similar to the “Evening News”.

9 Activities cont. Board GameAt the end of the novel study the class will be broken into teams. Each team will create a board game that will be played in class as a study tool. Must Include – 1. questions created by the group, not mine from the novel study 2. at least 10 TEKS objectives 3. must have at least 20 non yes/no questions 4. Jobs must be equally distributed 5. Name your game 6. directions must be written and clearly stated

10 Chapter 1 Vocabulary 1.diversion 2.jowlsBriefly identify the children in the Tillerman family. Who is Aunt Cilla? List four reason Dicey is worried that her mother may not return to the car? 4. Why is James worried that insanity runs in their family? 5. Why does Dicey think her mother writes Aunt Cilla’s address on the paper bags? 6. Why do the children not contact the police for help?

11 Chapter 2 Vocabulary 1. raucous 1. Describe the Tillerman’s home.2. “The raucous cars roared past, unheeding.” Define raucous as it is used In this quotation. 3. How does Dicey feel about their progress on the first day of walking? 4. What skills does Dicey possess that make her a good leader for the Family? 5. A flashback is a scene that interrupts the on-going action in a story To show an event that has happened earlier. Find flashback in this chapter. Briefly explain why you think the author includes it early in the story.

12 Chapter 3 Vocabulary Joists pummeled tumultuous 1 “On the morning of the third day , the sky was overcast. James awoke with his usual observation, “It’s still true.’” Why does James say the same thing every morning? 2. All the children help each other on this journey. Dicey helps by reading the maps and providing food. Briefly explain how each of the others contributes. 3.What is the implied reason their father is wanted by the law? 4. What does Dicey discover about the change in Sammy? 5. Why does Dicey tell the children that their mother married their father?

13 Chapter 4 Why does Dicey tell Lou and Edie her name is Danny?Vocabulary Innards muted warily Why does Dicey tell Lou and Edie her name is Danny? Why does Louis want to go with the Tillerman’s? Why does Dicey believe James is really hurt? Briefly explain why the park is a good place to rest.

14 Chapter 5 Vocabulary Mud flatWhy does Dicey trust Sammy to stay at the playground? What are your thoughts on the morality of hungry people stealing food? What are Dicey’s thoughts on the morality of stealing food? Why do you suppose her thoughts seem to be more representative of the author’s than that of James or Louis’ thought? 4. Why is it suggested that it is not acceptable to steal a wallet while it may be acceptable for Sammy to steal groceries? 5. List two possible reasons the police car is patrolling the park?

15 Chapter 6 What lesson does Dicey learn from forgetting her Maps?Conspicuous Dinghies Resolutely Stealthily Sodden taut What lesson does Dicey learn from forgetting her Maps? 2. Why does Dicey send Sammy into the bakery? why does she trust him? 3. Why does Dicey like the grandfather? 4. Why is Dicey proud of Sammy and also mad at him? 5. Since James does not believe in ghosts, why does the graveyard make him nervous?

16 Chapter 7 Turgid State a theme for the novel suggested by the inscription on the tombstone and Dicey’s interpretation of its meaning. 2. Explain why “The children did not speak or sing any more, just followed Dicey meekly.” 3. The elderly man at the supermarket is nice to the Tillerman’s, but Dicey does not trust him with the truth Of their situation. Why does Dicey trust the college student? 4. Why does Windy call Dicey a fundamentalist? How does it apply to Dicey in the following passage? “Stewart started, ‘Windy says you’re not lost’ ‘No. I know where we are.’ “ 5. How does Windy get Dicey to tell him their true story?

17 Chapter 8 Dingy Meander Find a quotation in this chapter demonstrating that this Story is written in third-person narrative. 2. When Dicey takes her shower, she thinks, “We’re Going to be all right. It’s all going to be all right.” Using events From the story, point out what the water represents to Dicey. 3. What is the point of Stewart’s comments in Ch 8? 4. Dicey leaves her map behind two times: and in both cases, something Is stolen and she is able to get another map. Some readers see The map as a symbol. What does is symbolize? 5. What does Stewart think James needs to learn about life? 6. Why is Dicey disappointed with Aunt Cilla’s address? 7. Why may Dicey not feel at home on Ocean Drive?

18 Chapter 9 Amnesia Crooning Does Dicey trust Cousin Eunice? Does James?Briefly explain. 2. How does Dicey explain their mother’s disappearance To Maybeth? 3. Why is Dicey sad? 4. How does Dicey feel when the priest asks about her last Name? 5. Why do you suppose Dicey keeps repeating her grandmother’s Address?

19 Chapter 10 Droned Straggly1. Explain how Dicey feels in the following quotation- “But she felt flat, flat and –she admitted to herself-disappointed.” 2. In what ways does the priest try to help? 3. How does the detective feel about the children? Support your answer with a quotation. 4. Explain the apparent contradiction in the following quotation. How can both be true? “Then she added, because she knew it was true even though she didn’t feel that it was true, ‘You are being awfully kind to us.’ “ 5. What are Dicey’s duties in the house?

20 Chapter 11 Conjecture Resilience resolution1. Why does Dicey feel she is losing touch with her family? 2. What does Dicey learn about her grandmother? 3. Why is money important to Dicey? What are her plans? 4. Suggest a theme for this story based on James’ opinion on learning. 5. Do you think Cousin Eunice is a good person to sacrifice her plans to become a nun to give the children a home?

21 Chapter 12 1. How does Dicey’s attitude toward Cousin Eunice change?2. What truth does Sister Berenice help Dicey to see? 3. Why does Sammy not tell the fathers what Johnny says start the fight? 4. How does Dicey feel when she gets the news of her mother? Is she surprised? 5. How does James discover Dicey’s plan?

22 Part Two Chapter 1 1. How does Dicey distinguish between the phrases “home free” and “stay free”? 2. State a theme for this story based on the following quotation: “….and it seemed to her that she almost understood why all of this had happened to them, to the Tillermans, all this sadness and running away……as if the future were a road stretching ahead, twisting and turning. What did it matter where they were going, as long as they were going?” 3. Why do Dicey and the children feel like singing that first night in Annapolis?

23 Chapter 2 1. Why does Dicey like Annapolis?2. Briefly describe Jerry and Tom. 3. Dicey takes her time understanding that James wants to get a ride to the other shore with Tom and Jerry. Why do you suppose she is destracted and slow to follow James’ lead? 4. Explain what James means in the following quotation, “Together, but all alone together.”

24 Chapter 3 1. Why does Dicey tell Sammy the true reason she plans to go to Grandmother alone? 2. What two things, basically unlike, are compared in Ch 3? 3. What does Dicey feel about learning to use the tiller? 4. In literature a popular metaphor is “the sea of life”. Do you think the author is suggesting that Dicey is guiding the Tillerman family through the sea of life?

25 Chapter 4 1. What does James mean by “natural camouflage”?2. Why does Dicey not want to steal corn? 3. Briefly describe Claire and Will. 4. What does Sammy know about his grandmother?

26 Chapter 5 1. How is the dog’s behavior a clue to its master’s character? 2. Why does Dicey use the name Verricker? 3. Why do you suppose Mr. Rudyard ties the dog near the field? 4. Why do the children not eat the biscuits? 5. Why do the children not run when Dicey tells them to? 6. Explain why keeping the dog hungry works against Rudyard?

27 Chapter 6 1. Why do the children run to the circus when they see the green truck? 2. Why is Rudyard surprised that Will is in charge? 3. What do you think of Will standing up to Rudyard?

28 Chapter 7 1. What are good-byes compared to in Chapter 7?2. Why does Will agree to let the children go to their grandmother’s alone? 3. Draw a generalization based on the following quotation: “You’re a little bit of my life now. You can’t get away, and I can’t get rid of you. That’s a fact.” 4. Why can Dicey not call her grandmother? 5. Why is the description of the grandmother’s house, overgrown and neglected in front yet Cared for in the back, a metaphor for her life? 6. Why is the old woman angry? 7. How does the following quote help explain the Grandmother’s angry, rude behavior toward Dicey? “The people in the houses were in just as much danger As the people outside the houses.”

29 Chapter 8 1. In what way are Dicey and her grandmother alike?2. Why does James not wait for Dicey ? Why does Sammy wait? 3. What experiences make James afraid to go down the road to his grandmother’s house? 4. Why does their grandmother not like Maybeth? 5. Find a metaphor regarding the mulberry tree. 6. Why does Dicey decide the farm is the right place for them? 7. What battle do the Tillerman’s win at the dinner table?

30 Chapter 9 1. What is Dicey’s opinion of what people appear to be? Do you agree with her conclusion? 2. How do the children earn more time at the farm? 3. How does his grandfather’s use of books differ form James? 4. Why does Maybeth not tell Dicey about her hurt arm? 5. Why does Dicey believe Sammy should not be punished? 6. In the following quotation, what war is Dicey afraid to lose? “She wondered if she won that battle, would she lose the whole war?”

31 Chapter 10 1. Who is Bullet? How is he connected to Sammy?2. Why does Dicey fight her grandmother about sending Sammy to his room without dinner? 3. Why do you suppose the grandmother tells them they are not expected to stay? 4. How does Dicey feel about losing this final battle?

32 Chapter 11 1. Discuss the reasons the grandmother cannot keep the children. 2. Why did Dicey’s mother not want to get married? 3. Where does Dicey get her strength? 4. Why does Dicey like her grandmother? 5. What does the sailboat symbolize?

33 Chapter 12 1. What ways does James suggest the grandmother earn extra money? 2. What are Maybeth’s two hard times? 3. Why is it significant the grandmother tells Sammy to call her Gram? 4. How does Dicey know Gram is going to let them stay?