Chapter 1
What is Nick known for?
his wild ideas
What book does Mrs. Granger love?
the dictionary
What does delay mean?
to stop; hinder for a time
What does profound mean?
great knowledge or understanding; absolute and complete
What does crumpled mean?
to be bent; pressed or crushed out of shape
This story takes place in which state?
New Hampshire
What is Mrs. Granger's battle cry?
Look it up!
What was Nick an expert at?
asking the delaying question
What does complex mean?
having many parts; details; ideas or functions
How does Nick feel about giving his report?
nervous
What is the unique fact Nick learned about the red-wing blackbird?
give a high-chirp whenever a hawk or other predator comes near; the predator doesn't know where the sound came from because of how the sound travels through the air
Why does the author say that Mrs. Granger had a monopoly on language arts?
She is the only teacher for language arts, so she gets all of the students.
What is "the perfect thought-grenade" that Nick uses to try and distract Mrs. Granger?
he asks her about the dictionary
What is the rule about homework at Nick's house?
homework first: Nick must finish his homework first thing after school before any activities or free time
What does Nick mean when he says, "This lady plays for keeps"?
she doesn't play around; she called on him first thing to let Nick and the rest of the class know that she didn't forget about his report
Who does Nick get to join him on his "science experiment"?
Janet Fisk
How did Nick feel about the letter Mrs. Granger sent home in the beginning of the school year about every home needing a dictionary?
Nick groaned; he wasn't ready to think about school yet; he didn't think he needed a dictionary at home
"Nick could feel a homework assignment like a farmer can feel a rainstorm." What do you think this expression means?
he was sure of it; he could tell without a doubt; he could predict it
While John and other boys are playing baseball, what is Nick doing?
he has to work on his special report
Who does Mrs. Granger say gets to decide what the words mean?
people do; you and me
What are three things Nick does to turn the classroom into a tropical island?
-every student made paper palm trees
-turned the thermostat to 90 degrees
-scattered sand all over the floor
-encouraged the kids to change into shorts and t-shirts, and take off their shoes
Describe three things that make fifth grade different from the other grades.
the year to get ready for middle school; no morning recess; Mrs. Granger was your teacher (something along these lines)
How was Mrs. Granger's class different from the other classes on the first day of school?
all business; vocabulary pre-test; a homework assignment
Besides using the introduction to the dictionary, where else did Nick look for information?
the encyclopedia
Describe Nick's idea for his report on the dictionary.
He is going to give the longest report to waste time