Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Discussion Guide Coming Soon

Transcription

1 Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Discussion Guide Coming Soon

2 The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart Discussion Guide Coming Soon

3 Ghost Dog Secrets Comprehension Questions 1 Who is Rusty? He is the main character in the story. The one who feeds and rescues the German Sheppard. 2 How did Rusty first find the German Sheppard? He over slept and missed the bus, so his mom had to take him to school. It was sleeting outside and he saw the German Sheppard sitting in the cold sleet with no food, water or shelter. 3 Where was Rusty s dad? His dad had died in the war. 4 Why did Rusty decide to start taking care of the German Sheppard? His teacher Mrs. Webster had asked the class to come up with some ideas that they could do on their own to do something good in their community. 5 What did the class decide to take on as a community service project? A local puppy mill had been discovered, and the animals had all been taken to the humane society to be cared for. 6 What did the kids do to help the Humane Society? They raised money thru selling place mats for pet dishes, and also had a bake sale. The kids also made a couple of donation barrels to collect food, towels and blankets. 7 When Rusty first went to feed the dog what did he feed him? He bought a hot dog from a convince store. 8 As Rusty was feeding the dog for the first time something happened what? He felt something brush up against his leg. 9 Who did Rusty call to help him save the dog? Heidi Kellogg, but she told him that she would need to have some proof that the dog was being mistreated.

4 10 What happened the second time Rusty went to feed the dog? He saw the ghost collie sitting right beside the German Sheppard. 11 While Rusty was sleeping after the second time he fed the dog something strange happened? His bedroom became very cold and the ghost collie appeared beside his bed, and wanted him to follow him. Rusty put on some shoes and followed the dog outside, but never made it to the house with the German Sheppard. 12 Who is Gerald? His is the class bully, who always copies off of everyone else s papers and never seems to get caught. 13 Who is Andrew? Andrew is Rusty s best friend. Andrew and Rusty had created a club when they were in the 2 nd grade called the Knights of the Royal Underpants. They made up threesomes. 14 Who helps Rusty feed the dog? Andrew and Rusty start feeding the dog together after school. 15 How did Rusty and Andrew build their fort? They took scraps from a dumpster at a construction site. They borrowed tools from Andrew s dad. The only things that cost anything to build the fort were the lock and the nails to put it together. 16 Before the boys decide to rescue the dog what did they buy? They bought a blanket, 2 ceramic yellow bowls, and a leash. Andrew had his grandmother buy the collar. 17. The day Rusty came to school late what did he see Gerald do? Gerald was stealing dog food from the donation basket in the hallway. He stole 2 cans.

5 Close to Famous DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (If question is related to a specific chapter, chapter is in parenthesis following question) 1. Foster has to face her fear of failure when learning to read. What other challenges in life cause us to fear failure? 2. Why would Foster s mother stay with a boyfriend who was abusive? What made the mother decide to leave? 3. What alternatives are there for women who are in abusive relationships? Does your community offer any type of shelter or support for abused women and families? 4. Foster McFee dreams of being a professional chef with her own cooking show someday. What are some of the dreams of the other characters (Macon Dillard, Miss Charleena, Foster's mom Rayka, etc.). How do they work though the novel to accomplish their dreams? Do their actions always work to fulfill their dreams? Why or why not? 5. Miss Charleena discovers that Foster cannot read in Chapter 15 (pages ). How does this change the future of their relationship? 6. Foster sets her mind on reading Sonny Kroll's cookbook, with the help of Miss Charleena. What do you think made her determination so great? (Chapter 20 pg 142 and pg 159) 7. Foster is embarrassed that she cannot read. Macon is embarrassed that he is short. How do the actions of other characters in the story enforce these fears? How do actions of other characters work to overcome these obstacles? (pg

6 ) 8. How does Macon help Foster overcome her fear of Elvis? (They look at a biography of Elvis Presley from the bookmobile pg 176). Do you think this helped? Why or why not? 9. What do you think the lesson was that Lester was trying to teach Foster when they were fishing at the lake? (pg ) 10. Perseverance Wilson tells Foster that "when you've got a big problem, just start somewhere. Do one little thing to make it better. Then do another little thing, and another." (pg ). How does Foster put this advice into action? 11. Mama finally tells Foster the truth about Huck abusing her and her childhood when she saw her father abuse her mother (pg 198). What do you think made Mama finally tell Foster the truth after she had been asking for so long? 12. Foster stays calm as she finishes baking the cupcakes when Duke the escaped convict comes to the Helping Hands House to take his family. How do you think she was able to maintain a calm presence as she verbalized how to finish the cupcake recipe? (Chapter 31 - pg ) 13. What advice does Sonny Kroll give Foster? (pg ). Who else in the story can use the same advice in their own lives? 14. The characters in the story face many challenges (Foster, Mama, Macon, Miss Charleena, Perseverance Wilson, Garland). What gives each character strength to

7 overcome their hardships? How do the characters change and develop during the course of the novel?