KIM



SEEDFOLKS

[pic]

Student Comprehension Packet

Characterization

Theme

Vocabulary

Mood and Tone

Setting

Irony

Summary

Simile/Metaphor

Text Structure- Compare/Contrast, Cause/Effect, Problem Solution

VOCABULARY- define each word using an online source

|COMMUNITY | |

|DAZE | |

|DEFINITE | |

| | |

|FUNNEL | |

|HUMID | |

|PARADISE | |

| | |

|SOLITARY | |

|SPOUT | |

|TROWEL | |

| | |

|VACANT | |

|WILT | |

| | |

KIM Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 1

|Mood (reader’s feelings): |Evidence of Mood (quotes): |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Setting (time/place): |Tone (writer’s feelings about setting): |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Kim |Before planting lima beans, life for |After planting the lima beans, Kim… |

| |Kim was… |Honored her father by planting… her father was a farmer |

| |Sad, lonely |She felt more connected to her father |

| |Kim longed for her father who had died when she was a baby |She believed her father’s spirit would know who she was now, know |

| |She was sad because she never really knew her father and her |that she was his daughter |

| |father really never knew her |She believed her father would be proud of her for honoring him in |

| |She wanted the picture of her father on the alter to “see” her,|this way |

| |to see who she was. But she worried that her father’s spirit |She seemed stronger and more determined/persistent. |

| |wouldn’t know she was his daughter | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: KIM

1) Where do Kim and her family originally come from?

2) Describe Kim’s beliefs about the afterlife.

3) Kim begins the garden featured in Seedfolks without even realizing it. Why does she decide to plant Lima beans?

4) Why does Kim visit the lot? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5) Summarize her character in three words:

_________________ _________________ _________________

ANA Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 2

|Setting (where/when) & |Mood (What feelings do the setting & customs convey?): |

|Customs (what characters do): | |

|First page of chapter: | |

| | |

|Second page of chapter: | |

| | |

| | |

|Tone similar to Kim: |Tone different than Kim: |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Theme (author’s message): |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Ana |Before helping Kim with her lima beans, life for Ana was… |After helping water Kim’s lima beans, life for Ana was |

| |Grouchy and she was nosey |different… |

| |Suspicious of people |When Ana finds the beans and realizes Kim isn’t hiding drugs, |

| |Lonely, no children |she feels ashamed. But she also finds hope in humanity. People |

| |Lacking a purpose in life, Ana would watch people’s lives |aren’t all bad. She realizes that there is good in the world. |

| |from out her window because she didn’t have her own life. |She becomes concerned about others and no longer just sits |

| |She comments on how so many people come and go from her |around watching other people, but begins helping others, too. |

| |neighborhood, but that she stays. In a way she |She seems more lively and excited. Much less grouchy and |

| |feels trapped, isolated, and angry |pessimistic. |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: ANA

1) What does initially Ana think Kim is doing?

2) What does Ana discover when digging in the vacant lot? How does this make her feel? Explain your answer.

3) Describe Ana’s ethnic heritage. When did she move to Cleveland?

4) Describe Ana’s life in Cleveland. Why did she move here?

5) Why does Ana visit the lot? ______________________________________

6) Summarize her character in three words:

________________ ________________ _________________

WENDELL Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 3

|External Conflicts: |Internal Conflicts: |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Characterization: |Characterization: |

|Describe Wendell at beginning of story. |How does Wendell change at the end? |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Prediction (What will happen next?): |

| |

|Theme (author’s message): |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Wendell | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: WENDELL

1) Who is Wendell? What is his job? How is he connected to the neighborhood?

2) Describe why Ana calls Wendell. How does he help her?

3) What do you think Wendell think about Kim’s actions?

4) Why do you think Wendell decides to take his time when filling up the pitcher of water?

5)

6) Why does Wendell visit the lot? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7) Summarize his character in three words:

_________________ _________________ _________________

GONZALO Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 4

|What do you think Gonzalo means when he says, |

|“The older you are, the younger you get when you move to the United States”? |

| |

|Characterization: |Characterization: |

|What is Tio Juan not able to do? |What is Tio Juan able to do? |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|What does Gonzalo realize about Tio Juan? |

| |

|Theme (author’s message): |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Gonzalo | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: GONZALO

1. Describe Gonzalo’s heritage.

2) Explain how Gonzalo learns English, and the way this affects his father.

3) Why does Tio Juan lead Gonzalo to the garden?

4) In the story, Tio Juan changes “from a baby back into a man”. What do you think this means?

5) Why does Gonzalo visit the lot? ___________________________________

6) Summarize his character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

LEONA Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 5

|Irony (when what is expected is not what really occurs): |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|What does Leona desire for the lot? |

| |

|Conflict: |Climax: |Resolution: |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

|Theme (author’s message): |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Leona | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: LEONA

1) Describe the way that Leona is connected to the other people of the neighborhood.

2) What does Leona plant in the garden? Why?

3) How does Leona feel about the garbage problem? What does she do about it?

4) Why does Leona visit the lot? ____________________________________________________

5) Summarize her character in three words:

_________________ _________________ _________________

SAM Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 6

|Describe Sam’s character: |What are his hopes and dreams? |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Draw a picture of the lot as “Paradise” (first half of chapter). |Draw a picture of the lot as “turning back into Cleveland” (second half). |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Sam | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: SAM

1) Describe Sam’s ethnic heritage.

2) Sam chooses someone to help him in the garden. How does it affect that person?

3) On a busy Saturday, what does Sam notice about the people in the garden?

4) Why does Sam visit the lot? _____________________________________

5) Summarize his character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

VIRGIL Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 7

|Similes (comparisons using like or as): |

|1. |

| |

| |

|2. |

| |

| |

|3. |

| |

|Somebody |Wanted |But |So |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Virgil | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: VIRGIL

1) Where does Virgil come from?

2) Describe the ideas that Virgil’s father has for the garden.

3) Virgil finds a locket. Why is this important?

4) Why does Virgil visit the lot? _____________________________________

5) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6) Summarize her character in three words:

7) ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

SAE YOUNG Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 8

|Dialect (way of speaking that is characteristic of a certain group of people): |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|Internal Conflict: |External Conflict: |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|What is the main conflict for the neighborhood people? |

| |

|Explain how at least 3 people contribute to the resolution of this conflict: |

|1. |

|2. |

|3. |

|Theme (author’s message): |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Sae Young | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: SAE YOUNG

Who is Sae Young? What is her ethnic background?

2) Explain how the garden helps Sae Young to overcome some of her traumatic experiences in America?

3) There is a problem getting water to the garden. Explain how it is solved.

Why does Sae Young visit the lot? _________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize her character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

CURTIS Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 9

|Dialect (way of speaking that is characteristic of a certain group of people): |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|BEFORE – Character Change |AFTER – Character Change |

|(Describe Curtis before his break-up): |(Describe Curtis after his break-up): |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Theme (author’s message): |

|1. |

| |

| |

|2. |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Curtis | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: CURTIS

1) Explain the relationship between Curtis and Lateesha.

2) What does Curtis try to show Lateesha through his gardening efforts?

3) Describe what Curtis does to help the garden.

4) Who is Royce? How does the garden affect him?

Why does Curtis visit the lot? ____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize his character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

NORA Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 10

|Why can’t Mr. Myles speak? |Why does he plant seeds in a barrel? |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Name 4 things Nora compares the garden to: |

|1) 2) |

| |

| |

|3) 4) |

| |

|Similarities of “gardeners”: |Differences of “gardeners”: |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Nora | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: NORA

1) Describe Nora and Mr. Myles. What is their relationship?

2) Describe how the garden affects Nora and Mr. Myles.

3) Something important happens in this chapter that brings the entire neighbourhood together. What is it? Why does it happen?

Why does Nora visit the lot? _____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize her character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

MARICELA Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 11

|CAUSE: |

|EFFECT: |

|EFFECT: |

|EFFECT: |

|In the beginning, what is Maricela’s tone about being pregnant? |How does her tone change in the end? |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Maricela | | |

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: MARICELA

1) Who is Maricela? What is her ethnic heritage?

2) How does Maricela initially feel about the garden? How do her feelings change over time?

Why does Maricela visit the lot? ___________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize her character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

AMIR Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 12

|How does the garden bring the neighbors together? |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|Stereotypes: |What the neighbors learn is reality: |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

Theme:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

| |

| |

|Before the Garden |

|After the Garden |

| |

|Amir |

| |

| |

| |

| |

Why does Amir visit the lot? _____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize his character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

FLORENCE Name: _____________________

Seedfolks Chapter 13

|Why is Florence sad in the winter? |Find two quotes showing Florence is sad in the winter: |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| |

|What changes took place in the neighborhood over the year? |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|Why do you think the book is called Seedfolks? |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|Character |Before the Garden |After the Garden |

|Maricela | | |

Why does Florence visit the lot? ___________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize her character in three words:

___________________ ___________________ ___________________

-----------------------

Gonzalo

Both

Gonzalo’s Dad

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download