Characters
Who is collecting stones at the beginning of the story?
Bobby Martin
True or False: At the beginning of the story, everyone gathers at the school.
False. Everyone gathers in the square, between the post office and the bank.
What is the problem?
"Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything’s being done. The black box grew shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained."
The Problem is that the black box is getting older and worn down. And the village won't agree on a new one.
What comes first: Tessie arrives late to the lottery or Mr Summers brings in the black box?
Mr Summers brings the black box first.
This character shows up late to the lottery.
Ms Hutchinson (Tessie)
Where are all the children coming from at the beginning of the story?
The school. School just ended for the summer.
Identify at least two different solutions to the problem:
The black box is getting older and shabbier.
1. Replace the black box with a new box
2. Try to fix the box
3. Throw the black box away
Place the following in order as they happened in the story:
- the boys are collecting rocks
- Bill Hutchinson gets selected for the lottery
- young people in some towns are giving up the lottery
1. The boys are collecting rocks --> 2. Young people in some towns are giving up the lottery --> 3. Bill Hutchinson gets selected for the lottery
This character is in charge of the lottery, the teen club, the Halloween program, and the square dances.
Mr Summers
When does the lottery begin?
a. 10'o'clock
b. after Noon dinner
c. first thing in the morning
d. while everyone is asleep
A. 10'o'clock
What is the problem?
"Old Man Warner snorted. “Pack of crazy fools,” he said. “Listening to the young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery,” he added.."
The problem is some villages are voting to get rid of the lottery and Old Man Warner disagrees.
Which of the following happened first?
a. Ms Hutchinson was doing dishes
b. Bobby Martin put stones in his pocket
c. Old Man Warner complained about young people giving up the lottery
B. Bobby Martin put stones in his pocket
Who said "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon" to back up why the lottery is so important?
Old Man Warner
Why does the lottery start on June 26th in some towns?
*Bonus: When does it start in this town?
Because in larger town, they need two full days to complete the lottery.
*This lottery starts June 27th, because there are only a couple hundred people.
Why do you think the village started doing the lottery? (Use information from the story and other characters to inform your answer)
Answer should say something about keeping order, tradition, and/or something about the crops ("corn be heavy soon")
What was one thing Mr Summers had to do before he could begin the lottery?
Bring in the black box and check to make sure everyone was there.
True or False: Bill Hutchinson has two children.
False. He has three children: Bill Jr, Nancy, and little Dave.
Why do you think the author mentions the flowers 'blossoming profusely and the grass is richly green'?
To show what season it is. To show the reader that it is summer.
Identify what the main problem in the story was.
Answer should include something about the lottery and continuing the tradition.
Before Tessie/Ms Hutchinson arrived at the square, how did she know it was time for the lottery?
It was June 27th and the lottery takes place on the same day every year.