Compare/Contrast
What was Ida B.'s home like before her mother got cancer?
Ida enjoyed the apple orchard and was home-schooled.
"Nope, my voice is just too tired," Ms. W said, and sure enough, it was sounding weak and raspy. Ms. W's voice was deteriorating at an alarming speed, because now she could only speak in a hoarse whisper.
What does deteriorating mean? Tell which context clues help you determine the meaning.
Getting worse
Go to page 352. How do you think Ida feels once she starts reading? What evidence supports your inference?
At first, Ida is nervous, but her nervousness disappears once she starts reading. The text says that "after a few minutes, I left that classroom and went into the story." It seems like she has forgotten to be nervous.
Realistic fiction has characters and settings that could really exist. In what ways are the characters and setting realistic?
Varies
The trees were cut down and she had to go to public school.
"Nope, my voice is just too tired," Ms. W said, and sure enough, it was sounding weak and raspy. Ms. W's voice was deteriorating at an alarming speed, because now she could only speak in a hoarse whisper.
What does hoarse mean? Tell which context clues help you determine the meaning.
Weak and raspy voice
Go to page 355. Personification gives nonhuman things human characteristics. What human characteristic does the author give happiness? What does Ida's reaction to her feeling of happiness tell you about Ida?
Happiness wouldn't be satisfied staying inside Ida, and it wanted to be shared, even with her parents. Ida's reaction tells me that Ida does not want to show her parents that she's happy.
"It was cool and smooth like a stone from the bottom of the brook, and it stilled me."
What does Ida mean by "it stilled me?"
It calmed or grounded her.
How does Ida feel about reading? How are her feelings about reading out loud different at home and at school?
She is excited about reading and she enjoys it. At home, she feels confident and loves changing her voice as she reads. At school, she feels nervous about other people hearing her read aloud.
And there I was hypnotized by that woman again. I was like a dog that would go fetch Ms. W's stick, even if it was in a snake's hole under a thorn bush that had just been sprayed by a skunk.
What does hypnotized mean? What context clues help you determine the meaning?
Controlled by suggestion
How does Ida feel about Ms. W? What text evidence supports this inference?
She likes and respects her.
Find a simile (comparison using like or as) on page 351.
My legs were shivering like they were out in a blizzard.
It was cool and smooth like a stone from the bottom of the brook.
Go to page 354. What does Ida do after school? On an ordinary day, what does Ida feel like? How does Ida feel today? Use text evidence to support your answer.
She goes home and tells her parents about her day. On an ordinary day, she feels unhappy. There is no joy floating inside her. Today, she is happy. There is warmth and brightness inside her.
"Chapter One," I bellowed. My voice was so loud it surprised me, and I jumped back a little in my chair.
What does bellowed mean? What context clues help you determine the meaning?
Loudly roared or yelled
On pages 352 and 353 why does Ida forget where she is?
She is so interested in what happens in the story.
Find an example of a simile (comparing two things using like or as) on page 350.
I was like a dog that would go fetch Ms. W's stick.
Go to page 356. What is Ida doing that she does every night? How does Ida usually act here? How does she act tonight?
She is eating dinner. Usually, she doesn't talk. Tonight she is so happy that she has to talk about her day.
My mouth wanted to smile instead of scowl.
What does scowl mean? What context clues help you determine the meaning?
How does each setting (orchard, home, school) affect how Ida feels?
At the orchard she is happy and loves the trees. At home she is unhappy and stubborn. At school she is nervous and quiet.
Find an example of personification (giving nonhumans human like characteristics) in the story.
Varies