Vocabulary
What are Gadgets?
Small, specialized machines or electronic devices.
Some words in the text are written in bold. What might the bolded words mean?
They are vocabulary words that have their definitions at the bottom of the text.
What happens when Henry tried to make a steam engine on page 25?
It runs for a short time, but then it collapses.
Find 2 words on page 20 that prove the author wants to entertain the reader by giving exciting details about how the engine exploded.
hiccuped and whirred
Who is telling the story? Thomas, Henry, or a narrator?
A narrator
What is a Flop?
A complete failure.
How do photographs help you understand the text?
Answers may vary - Should be along the lines of that it shows more details about what the text is saying.
On page 21, how does Thomas's electric pen help people?
It made multiple copies at once to help save people time and rest their hands.
What is the author's purpose of this entire text?
To inform about Henry Ford and Thomas Edison's work.
What is first-person point of view (POV)?
First-person POV is when the narrator is a character in the story and tells the story using words like I, me, my, and we.
What are Locomotives?
Engines that make a train go forward.
What does the term “narrative nonfiction” mean? How is it different from fiction?
Based on true events, but in the form of a story.
On page 22, why was Henry so excited when he sees the engine-powered buggy?
Up until now, he has only seen vehicles that were pulled by horses.
Who is the audience for this text? Who would want to read this, be specific!
People who want to learn about how Thomas Edison and Henry Ford became inventors.
What is third-person point of view (POV)?
Third-person POV is when the narrator is not a character in the story and tells the story using words like he, she, they, and their.
What does Sputtered mean?
Worked in a rough or uneven way and made popping noises.
Why might the author be using repetition when asking "What's his secret" over and over again?
To show how badly Henry wants to figure out the secret to Thomas's success.
Looking on page 25, how does Henry's job as a teenager help him achieve his dream of making his own vehicle?
His job in a machine shop helps him learn about machinery. Working on a farm helps him learn more about steam engines.
What is the author’s purpose? What are the three main reasons an author writes?
Author’s purpose is the reason an author writes a text.
What is the POV of the author's note at the end of the story?
Third Person
What does an Engine Cylinder do?
It takes in gas to make other parts move?
Why do many people thing Henry's invention is a joke on page 26-27?
They are used to horses and buggies and likely couldn't imagine how useful it would become.
What is point of view (POV)?
Point of view is the perspective from which a story is told. It tells us who is telling the story and how they experience the events.