My Brother Sam is Dead - Responsibility

In the story, Tim has to take on important responsibilities while his father and older brother are absent. He helps his mother run the tavern and make decisions concerning the farm. Write about a situation in which you had to take on important responsibilities. Describe what you did and how you felt about the situation.

My Brother Sam is Dead

In the story, Sam joins the American Revolutionary Army because he feels that the colonists are taxed unfairly by the British. His father thinks that fighting over taxes is not worth the lives that will be lost. Sam claims he is standing up for a principle. Write about a time you stood up for something you believe in. Describe what you did and how it made you feel.

Mariah Keeps Cool

Why do you think Mariah chooses the gift she does for Lynn? Do you think it was the right choice? Why or why not?

Katie's Trunk

Do you think Katie was right or wrong to run back to her house? Explain your answer. Find evidence from the selection that supports your opinion.

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?

Which word best describes Paul Revere for you: smart, funny, ambitious, busy, luck, energetic, accomplished, or some other word. Explain your choice using examples from the story.

Sign of the Beaver Chapter 15

Explain the meaning of the following quotation from Chapter 15.

"Attean looked at him, and his solemness suddenly dissovled in a grin. 'You move quick,' he said. 'Like an Indian.'

The Sign of the Beaver - Chapters 7-9

As you read about Matt’s struggle to interest Attean in reading, you may be reminded of similar situations in your own life. Perhaps you, like Matt, have tried to get a reluctant learner interested in some project or new skill. Or, perhaps, like Attean, you have been forced into learning something that you thought was of no value to you.

Good readers naturally use their own prior knowledge to help them understand a character’s response to a situation. At this point in the story, with whom do you sympathize more - Attean or Matt? What experience of your own helps you to understand what that character is going through?