EVIDENCE DETECTIVES
Clue: When the class focuses attention on Maleeka’s face, what action gives evidence that she is uncomfortable?
Answer: She looks away and counts the gum on the ceiling.
100
Clue: In the sentence comparing Miss Saunders to a tiger sneaking up on its “supper,” what does supper mean?
Answer: A meal or food.
Clue: At the beginning of the excerpt, how does Maleeka seem to feel about attention being placed on her appearance?
Answer: She feels self-conscious, embarrassed, or uncomfortable.
Clue: Maleeka looks at the ceiling and counts gum instead of responding. What feeling can you infer?
Answer: Embarrassment, discomfort, or self-consciousness.
Clue: Who is the main student whose perspective we track during the excerpt?
Answer: Maleeka.
Clue: Maleeka immediately thinks, “I know I’m in trouble.” What can you infer from this detail?
Answer: Maleeka feels nervous, worried, or on edge.
200
Clue: In the phrase “no accounting for what folks see in their own mirrors,” what does accounting for mean?
Answer: Explaining or understanding.
200
Clue: How does John-John appear to see himself?
Answer: As tough, strong, or threatening.
Clue: Complete the comparison: John-John sees himself as ________, but Maleeka sees him as ________.
Answer: Tough/threatening; scared or less intimidating than he thinks.
Clue: Which character uses her own childhood experience to teach a lesson about appearance?
Answer: Miss Saunders.
Clue: What evidence shows that Maleeka does not see John-John the same way he sees himself?
Answer: John-John sees himself as tough or threatening, but Maleeka sees him as more scared than mean.
300
Clue: Miss Saunders says her family tried a concoction on her face. What does concoction most likely mean?
Answer: A mixture or remedy made by combining different things.
300
Clue: How does Maleeka see John-John differently?
Answer: She sees him as more scared than tough.
Clue: Why might Maleeka call Miss Saunders a “freak” even though Maleeka herself dislikes being judged by appearance?
Answer: She may be projecting her own insecurity or trying to protect herself by shifting attention toward Miss Saunders.
Clue: The comparison “as quiet as a tiger sneaking up on its supper” creates what kind of feeling or tone?
Answer: Tense, cautious, uneasy, or intimidating.
400
Clue: Give two pieces of evidence showing that Miss Saunders once wanted to change her appearance.
Answer: Her family tried different remedies such as prayers, roots, and a concoction to change the blotch on her face. Skin_Im_In_Annotation_Guide_TEA…
400
Clue: Based on the description of Miss Saunders’s face, what does blotch most likely mean?
Answer: A noticeable mark, patch, or discolored area on the skin.
400
Clue: How has Miss Saunders’s perspective on her appearance changed since childhood?
Answer: She changed from wanting to alter or hide her difference to accepting and valuing herself.
Clue: What important lesson did Miss Saunders learn after people repeatedly tried to change the blotch on her face?
Answer: She had to accept and love herself instead of allowing other people’s standards to determine her worth.
Clue: Why is Miss Saunders’s calm reaction when Maleeka calls her a “freak” important?
Answer: It shows that Miss Saunders is secure in herself and does not allow the insult to control how she views herself.
500
Clue: Maleeka calls Miss Saunders a “freak.” What earlier evidence helps explain why Maleeka might say this?
Answer: Maleeka has already shown insecurity about appearance and discomfort when people focus on physical differences, so she may be projecting those feelings onto Miss Saunders.
500
Clue: At the end, Miss Saunders talks about seeing “the poetry in your walk.” What does poetry suggest in this phrase?
Answer: Unique beauty, value, grace, or something special worth appreciating.
500
Clue: By the end of the excerpt, how are Maleeka’s and Miss Saunders’s perspectives on beauty different?
Answer: Maleeka is still influenced by other people’s opinions and feels insecure, while Miss Saunders believes beauty comes from accepting and valuing yourself.
Clue: Explain what “see the poetry in your walk” reveals about Miss Saunders.
Answer: She believes people should recognize their own beauty, worth, and uniqueness even when they are different from others.
Clue: Explain how the author uses the interaction between Maleeka and Miss Saunders to show two different points of view about appearance.
Answer: Maleeka’s words and actions show insecurity and concern about how people judge appearances, while Miss Saunders’s responses show self-acceptance and the belief that a person should value their own uniqueness