Figurative language
What is a Simile?
What is Theme?
A message or lesson about life that a reader can learn from a story.
What is Plot?
The sequence of important events in a story.
What is an inference?
A conclusion made using clues from the text and what you already know.
If a narrator uses “I” to tell the story, what point of view is used?
First-person point of view.
Why does the author write that the “garden was waking up”? What kind of figurative language is this?
Personification. It gives the garden a human action to show that new growth is beginning.
What lesson does Maya begin to learn while working on the garden?
Patience and trying a new approach can help when something is not working.
How does discovering the shadow affect what happens next in the story?
Maya realizes the garden may not be getting enough sunlight, so she and her grandfather can change their plan.
When Maya notices a new leaf, what can you infer about how she feels?
She is likely excited, hopeful, or proud that her efforts are beginning to work.
Why might the author include the detail that Maya’s first harvest fits in a small basket?
It shows that the result is modest, but still meaningful; it emphasizes progress rather than instant success.
What does the simile “like watching paint dry” tell you about how Maya feels?
She feels bored, frustrated, or impatient because the garden is not growing.
How do Maya’s frustration at first and her later observations help develop the theme?
Her frustration shows that she wants quick results; noticing the shadow and changing her approach help her learn to be patient and solve problems.
How might the plot change if Maya never noticed the shadow?
She might keep watering the garden without solving the real problem, and the plants might not grow as well.
What does Maya’s decision to bring her observations to the teacher suggest about how she has changed?
She has become more observant and willing to use evidence and ask for help instead of giving up.
How does the garden’s growth mirror Maya’s changing attitude?
As the garden begins to grow, Maya also grows in patience, understanding, and confidence.