Muncy School District / Overview
Whirligig by Paul Fleischman STUDY GUIDE Name____________________________________
Chapter 1: “Party Time”
Pre-Reading Discussion– Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in notebook
Have you ever tried to join or “fit in” but been rejected by a person or group? How did that make you feel, and what did you do about it? What were the consequences?
During Reading
· Flag two places that describe Brent's thoughts about himself and
· Flag three places that describe how other people view Brent.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record one simile, one metaphor, and one imagery from the chapter in your literary devices log
After Reading – Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. Explain the title “Party Time” and its irony.
2. Imagine Brent is talking to a psychologist – in his voice, describe what leads him to consider suicide.
3. Rewrite the party scene from another character's point of view.
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Go to Google and search images. Search for whirligigs. Print your favorite and paste it in your journal.
2. Draw and COLOR Brent specifically how he was dressed for the party.
3. What chess piece best represents you? Draw this chess piece and include a caption describing why this piece is symbolic of you.
Chapter 2: “Weeksboro, Maine”
Pre-reading Discussion- Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in notebook
What is an Ouija Board? What is it used for? How does it work? Have you ever used one or heard of someone using it? Tell me about it.
During Reading
· Flag five places that describe the main character in this chapter.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record one simile and two imagery from the chapter in your literary devices log.
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. In a paragraph, tell important information (name, age, sex, occupation, appearance etc.) about the character that narrates the chapter.
2. Describe the character’s main conflict. (name it, explain it, how it was resolved)
3. Explain how the character comes across one of Brent’s whirligigs. What effect does the whirligig seem to have on this character’s life? Explain.
4. What is guided imagery? How does it work? How would you use it if it really worked?
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Draw and COLOR the whirligig mentioned in this chapter using the information from the book (page 24).
2. Draw and COLOR a picture of Steph as she is described in the chapter.
Chapter 3: “The Afterlife”
Pre-Reading Discussion- Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in notebook
Read the handout “Teens and Alcohol.” Write a reaction to the information you read. What did you already know? What surprised you? What did you learn?
During Reading
· Flag five places that show how Brent’s life has changed in “the afterlife” a term used to title Brent’s life after the accident.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record a simile and two metaphors from the chapter in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. The judge sentences Brent to probation in place of the detention center. Although most teenaged criminals would welcome probation, Brent wants to be punished. Discuss why Brent needs a punishment.
2. Discuss a time when you experienced guilt. What did it feel like? How did you resolve it?
3. Read the poem “The Mother Writes to the Murderer: A Letter,” by Naomi Shihab Nye. First, summarize the poem in your own words. Then, compare the reaction of the poem’s narrator and Lea’s mother.
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Draw in detail and COLOR the whirligig that Brent makes in this chapter.
2. Mr. Zamora defiles the apology letter Brent sends. Draw the letter Brent receives back.
3. Draw Lea as she is described on page 44. Be sure to add COLOR.
Chapter 4: “Miami, Florida”
Pre-Reading Discussion- Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in notebook
Is there a certain animal or creature you connect yourself with, one that you feel has the same essence as your character? With what about this creature do you connect? How are you like this animal? How are you different?
During Reading
· Flag five descriptions of the main character of this chapter.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record three similes in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. Although we don't know his name, we know a lot about the main character of this chapter. Summarize the important information about the character who narrates the chapter.
2. Describe the character’s main conflict. Name it, explain it, and tell how it is resolved.
3. Explain how the character comes across one of Brent’s whirligigs. What effect does the whirligig seem to have on this character’s life? Explain.
4. Research Willie Colon's band. Who is he? Why is he important in the realm of Hispanic- Americans? What type of music does he play? Why do you think this character is drawn to Willie Colon's music? (At home, you can listen to his music at his official website.)
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. What does a street sweeper machine look like? Google it, print a picture and glue it in your scrapbook or draw one from the picture you find.
2. The shearwater bird is a very important symbol in this chapter. Find a picture of this bird. Paste it in your journal or draw one from the picture you find.
Teens and Alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant that affects every part of your body. The damage it does now can impact the rest of your life.
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AKA Drink, booze, brew, hooch, moonshine
What is it?
Alcohol is a depressant derived from the natural fermentation of fruits, vegetables and grains. These are brewed and distilled into a wide range of beverages with various alcohol contents. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner, and antiseptic, or a sedative.
The Risks
You may hear that it will loosen you up and help you relax. What you may not hear is that it can damage the part of your brain that controls coordination, memory, judgment and decision-making.1 Straight up, drinking makes you dumber—you may slur your words and lose coordination, and your reactions will become slower.
If you drink a lot and drink fast (binge drinking) you really put yourself in danger. With binge drinking, the depressant (or dumbing) effects of alcohol can overwhelm the body's defenses. Unable to move and think clearly, you can do stupid, risky and reckless things that are unsafe, or even lethal. When large amounts of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time, alcohol poisoning can result. Alcohol poisoning is exactly what it sounds like- the body becomes poisoned by large amounts of alcohol. Violent vomiting is usually the first symptom of alcohol poisoning. Extreme sleepiness, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, seizures, and even death can occur.
Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from car accidents, 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides, and hundreds of other deaths due to accidents like falls, burns and drownings.3
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
Alcohol travels through your bloodstream and damages your brain, stomach, liver, kidneys and muscles. As a teenager, your body is still developing, so damage done to it now will affect the rest of your life.3 Over time, drinking destroys your body and your looks, so all that work you've done to look good, keep strong and stay fit goes down the drain fast.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Yes, it's legal for people 21 and older. One reason is that alcohol can have seriously dangerous, long-term impacts on a body and brain that are still developing. Also, statistics show that more teens are killed by alcohol than by all illegal drugs combined.1
The Mother Writes to the Murderer: A Letter
“Alicia didn't like sadness."
The Dallas Morning News
To you whose brain is a blunt fist
pushed deep inside your skull
whose eyes are empty bullets
whose mouth is a stone more speechless
than lost stones at the bottoms of rivers
who lives in a shrunken world where nothing blooms
and no promise is ever kept
To you whose face I never saw but now see
everywhere the rest of my life
You don't know where she hid her buttons
arranged in families by color or size
tissue-wrapped in an oatmeal box
how she told them goodnight sleep well
and never felt ashamed
You don't know her favorite word
and I won't tell you
You don't have her drawings taped to your refrigerator
blue circuses, red farms
You don't know she cried once in a field of cows
saying they were too beautiful to eat
I'm sure you never thought of that
I'm sure nothing is too beautiful for you to eat
You have no idea what our last words were to one another
how terribly casual
because I thought she was going a block away
with her brother to the store
They would be back in ten minutes
I was ironing her dress
while two houses away an impossible darkness
rose up around my little girl
What can I wish you in return?
I was thinking knives and pistols
high voltages searing off your nerves
I was wishing you could lose your own life
bit by bit finger by toe
and know what my house is like
how many doors I still will have to open
Maybe worse would be for you to love something
and have it snatched up sifted out of your sight
for what reason?
a flurry of angels recalled to heaven
and then see how you sit
and move and remember
how you sleep at night
how you feel about mail my letter to you
all the letters passing through all the hands
of the people on earth
when the only one that matters
is the one you can neither receive
nor send
-- Naomi Shihab Nye
Chapter 5: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Pre-Reading Discussion Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in notebook!
As you can tell from the title of this chapter, the stars will be important. Before you read the chapter, write down what you know about the constellations and stars. Hypothesize why the stars may be important to Brent.
During Reading
· Flag two places that show Brent learning to know himself and
· Flag three places where other people begin to influence Brent positively.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record one simile, one imagery, and either a personification OR a metaphor in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. Describe three people Brent interacts with at the hostel. How are these people important to the plot of the story and Brent's journey?
2. Describe how Brent has changed so far. “He had no desire to revive that life. It had all been crumpled in the crash.” What impact has the journey has so far on him? Use specific examples to prove your points.
3. Go to one of the websites below and read more about constellations. Summarize what you read.
4. What is the evolving theme of the novel? What seems to be the over-arching idea or goal of the story so far? Give three examples from the first part of the book to support the theme you chose.
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Look up what a concertina is. Draw it in the space.
2. Emil and Brent visit many places. Draw a COLOR picture of the two of them in front of one of the sites.
3. Sketch in detail and COLOR the whirligig Brent created.
Chapter 6: “Bellevue, Washington”
Pre-Reading Discussion- Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in your notebook
Write about a time where someone made an incorrect assumption (stereotype) about you based on your gender, age, race, religion, or any other stereotypical factor.
During Reading
· Flag three of the stereotypes in this chapter and
· Flag two places that show how the character feels about himself and his life.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record three similes in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. This time, we know a lot about the main character of this chapter. Summarize the important information about the character that narrates the chapter.
2. Describe the character’s main conflict (name it, explain it, and tell how it is resolved).
3. Explain how the character comes across one of Brent’s whirligigs. What effect does the whirligig seem to have on this character’s life? Explain.
4. What are the stereotypes mentioned in this chapter? How do they affect the characters?
5. Write about your summer as Anthony has to in this chapter.
6. Write a truthful account of Anthony’s summer from his point of view.
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Anthony doodles a baseball team logo. Draw and COLOR a team logo in your scrapbook.
2. Draw Anthony’s family portrait in COLOR. 3. Draw a present Anthony would love to receive for his next birthday. Add COLOR and a bow.
Chapter 7: “Apprentices”
Before Reading Discussion- Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in your notebook
The United States is the third largest country in the world geographically, after Russia and Canada. With 9,629,091 square kilometers of land, there is bound to be major differences in regions. Often, you will hear an area be referred to as a “belt.” Read the handout “Belts of the United States.” Which areas have you been to or know about? What is new or surprising to you from the reading?
During Reading
This is a very important chapter in Brent's development. Pay attention to the following:
· Flag the “firsts” in this chapter (three) and
· Flag the things, people, or events that teach Brent something (two).
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record a simile, and imagery, and a personification in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. Explain the title. Why is this chapter entitled “Apprentices”? Find out the meaning of the word. Who are the apprentices? Who are they apprenticed to? What do the apprentices learn from the master?
2. Twice in this chapter Brent mentions a “second life.” What indicates that he is living a new life? Note a few changes in Brent. Use examples from this chapter.
3. Brent compares himself to Robinson Crusoe and Rip Van Winkle. Find out who one these people are and discuss why Brent feels he is like one them.
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Draw in detail and COLOR the whirligig Brent makes in this chapter.
2. Brent mentions his own WANTED poster. Sketch his wanted poster. Be sure to include the word WANTED at the top, Brent’s name, a picture of him, his crime, and reward. Add COLOR. 3. If you were Brent’s apprentice on the beach in Miami, sketch and COLOR a simple whirligig you would create.
Chapter 8: ”San Diego, California”
Before Reading Discussion- Activate Prior Knowledge- to be completed in notebook
Most of you are familiar with the Holocaust, from your study last year. Summarize what you know about the Holocaust and Auschwitz.
During Reading
· In this chapter, there is another journey. Flag two parts of the journey and
· There are two contrasting characters – flag descriptions of the characters (three).
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record a two similes, and an instance of imagery in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. What favor did Jenny’s grandmother ask of her? Describe the different parts of the journey. Why did Jenny’s grandmother want to go on the journey?
2. How does the author use the Holocaust to develop the story in this chapter? What effect does the Holocaust have on each character?
3. In this chapter Jenny explains how she got her name and its effect on her. How did you get your name?
4. Where do the characters encounter the whirligig? What is the importance and symbolism of it? What effect does it have on each of the characters?
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. Draw and COLOR a group of birch trees. Create a caption stating why they are important to Jenny’s grandmother.
2. Draw and COLOR one of the buildings Grandma makes Jenny stop at. Write a caption stating what place it was from Grandma’s past (that means don’t write Chinese restaurant, write stationary store).
Belt Regions of the United States
In the United States, roughly defined regions that have a feature in common are colloquially called "belts", after the article of clothing. The common feature may be cultural, economical, geographical, or some combination of the three. The term is applied metaphorically to contiguous geographic regions; it is unrelated to the geologic or astronomical use of the term. The first such coinage was the Bible Belt, which has a clear east-west orientation, perhaps contributing to the use of "belt" as a metaphor. These regions are not formally defined; they frequently overlap each other and have vaguely-defined borders. Many "belts" are neologisms coined by tourism or commercial promoters or by writers ad hoc.
List of regions
Dairy Belt, a region in north-eastern USA, where silage is grown for dairy cattle
Fruit Belt, regions where fruit is the primary agricultural output, often around the Great Lakes
Tobacco Belt, southeastern states where tobacco is or was a primary crop
Tornado Belt, more commonly Tornado Alley, central states reputed to receive many tornadoes
Bible Belt, any collection of states where evangelical and fundamentalist Protestantism are prevalent.
Black Belt, a region of fertile farmlands in the Southeast now known as a region of persistent poverty with a high ratio of African-American residents.
Borscht Belt, a region of Jewish resorts in the Catskills
Corn Belt, midwestern states where corn is the primary crop
Cotton Belt, southern states where cotton is or was a primary crop
Frost Belt, a region of cold weather in the northeastern and north-central United States
Grain Belt, sometimes Wheat Belt, northern midwestern states where most of North America's grain and soybeans are grown
Rice Belt, southern states where rice is a major crop
Rust Belt (sometimes called the Manufacturing Belt), northeastern and central northern states where heavy industrialization—and some economic stagnation—is common
Snowbelt, areas in the Northeast and northern Midwest prone to lake effect snow
Stroke Belt, a region in the Southeast that has an unusually high incidence of stroke and other forms of cardiovascular disease
Sun Belt, southern, hot-weather states stretching from coast to coast
Unchurched Belt, a region in the far Western United States that has low religious attendance.
“Belt Regions of the United States.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 17 November 2006.
Chapter 9: “Everybody Swing”
Before Reading Discussion- Activate Prior knowledge- to be completed in notebook!
“The world itself was a whirligig, its myriad parts invisibly linked….” (pg 133) Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
During Reading
· Flag five sections that show Brent's feelings about himself and his journey.
· Record three vocabulary words on your chart
· Record a simile, and imagery, and a metaphor in your literary devices log
After Reading - Scrapbook
Paragraph Response (choose one to write in your scrapbook)
1. The following quote refers to a musician from 1681 that is still listened to today. “The darkness swallows up most of us.” How does this quote relate to Brent’s life? What does the darkness symbolize?
2. Why did Brent tell his story to the artist? What realization did he come to in the process?
3. “It felt to Brent like a rite of reentry” ( 131). What does this quote refer to? What was the “rite” and what is he “reentry”? (If you don’t know what these words mean, look them up)
4. There is a lot of talk about books in this chapter. What is the importance of books in Brent's whole journey? Discuss three books that affect Brent.
Souvenir (choose one to put in rectangle at bottom of scrapbook page)
1. The painter from Maine paints seashells. Sketch and COLOR what you think a piece of her art would look like.
2. Draw and COLOR a symbol for Brent’s new life. Caption the picture explaining why the symbol is appropriate for the “new” Brent.
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