Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly Cleary Section 1 –Pages 1-33PROMPT: Write a list of ten questions that you would as k Beverly Cleary. GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.Think about the fact that Mr. Henshaw wrote to Leigh as well as his answers to Leigh’s questions. What kind of person do you think Mr. Hensh aw is? Why? 2.Does Leigh seem like h e’s a happy boy? Why or why not? Use examples f rom the story to su pport your answer. 3.What did Leigh mean when he said he was “medium” in his December 1 letter (in the answer to question #10)? HINT: He was NOT talking about his size. Section 2 –Pages 34–67 (up to Feb. 4) PROMPT: Pretend that you are Mr. Henshaw and Leigh has just written you about the problems he’s having in school and with his father. Write him a letter and give him advice about how to handle his problems. GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.Leigh said that he felt “blank”like the paper in his diary. What did he mean by that? Have you ever felt that way? When? 2.What do you think of Leigh’s fath er? Do you th ink he’s a good father? Why or why not? Use examples to support your answer. 3.How is Leigh’s life similar to the bears’ lives in Mr. Henshaw’s new book? How is it different? Section 3 –Pages 67-98 (up to Mar. 5) PROMPT: Leigh’s mother said Leigh’s father had many good qualities or traits. Based on what you know about him from the story, make a list of at least 5 good qualities and 5 bad qualities that Leigh’s father has. GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.Does Leigh have a right to be m ad at both of his parents? Why or why not? If you were in Leigh’s place, how would you feel towards your parents? Explain. 2.Why do you think seeing the butterflies make Leigh feel good? 3.Why did it make Leigh angry that his father sent him $20 with the note about Bandit? If you were in Leigh’s place, how wou ld it have made you fee l? Why? Section 4 –Pages 98-134PROMPT: Write a letter to Beverly Cleary. Tell her all about yourself and what you thought of her book. BE HONEST. GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.What did Leigh mean when he said “maybe I’m not so medium after all”?2.Leigh said that he learned th at he couldn’t c ount on his father. How does that make you fe el? How would you feel if you couldn’t count on your parents? 3.Why do you think Leigh continued to write to Mr. Henshaw even though he’d never actually met him? Why do you think Mr. Henshaw answered Leigh’s lette rs? Do you think Leigh and Mr. Henshaw will ever actually meet each other? Why or why not?
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PROMPT: Write a list of ten questions that you would ask Beverly Cleary.
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
Think about the fact that Mr. Henshaw wrote to Leigh as well as his answers to Leigh’s questions.What kind of person do you think Mr. Henshaw is? Why?2. Does Leigh seem like he’s a happy boy? Why or why not? Use examples from the story to support
your answer.3. What did Leigh mean when he said he was “medium” in his December 1 letter (in the answer to
question #10)? HINT : He was NOT talking about his size.
Section 2 – Pages 34–67 (up to Feb. 4)
PROMPT: Pretend that you are Mr. Henshaw and Leigh has just written you about the problems he’s having
in school and with his father. Write him a letter and give him advice about how to handle his problems.
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
Leigh said that he felt “blank” like the paper in his diary. What did he mean by that? Have youever felt that way? When?
2. What do you think of Leigh’s father? Do you think he’s a good father? Why or why not? Use
examples to support your answer.3.
How is Leigh’s life similar to the bears’ lives in Mr. Henshaw’s new book? How is it different?
Section 3 – Pages 67-98 (up to Mar. 5)
PROMPT: Leigh’s mother said Leigh’s father had many good qualities or traits. Based on what you knowabout him from the story, make a list of at least 5 good qualities and 5 bad qualities that Leigh’s father
has.
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1.
Does Leigh have a right to be mad at both of his parents? Why or why not? If you were in Leigh’s
place, how would you feel towards your parents? Explain.2. Why do you think seeing the butterflies make Leigh feel good?3.
Why did it make Leigh angry that his father sent him $20 with the note about Bandit? If you werein Leigh’s place, how would it have made you feel? Why?
Section 4 – Pages 98-134
PROMPT: Write a letter to Beverly Cleary. Tell her all about yourself and what you thought of her book.BE HONEST.
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
What did Leigh mean when he said “maybe I’m not so medium after all”? 2. Leigh said that he learned that he couldn’t count on his father. How does that make you feel? How
would you feel if you couldn’t count on your parents? 3. Why do you think Leigh continued to write to Mr. Henshaw even though he’d never actually met him?
Why do you think Mr. Henshaw answered Leigh’s letters? Do you think Leigh and Mr. Henshaw will
NAME ___________________________________ TITLE: ____________________________________________
Before beginning each section, write 3 questions or things you want to find out about the story. Then write a prediction for what willhappen in that section of the story.
Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word. You will use each word only once! Spelling counts!!
antique cautious duplicated haulinglonesome mobile nagging partition
1. The teacher __________________________ the math worksheets for the class.
2. Justin’s father keeps _________________________ him to get his hair cut.
3. This _______________________ trunk has been in my family for years.
4. Sally’s grandmother lives in a __________________________ home in Florida.
5. Do you need help _____________________________ those bags to the curb?
6. Michaela was _________________________ after her friends went home.
7. The librarian keeps the old boxes behind a ____________________________ in the library.
8. You should always be ________________________ around strange animals.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the best answer for each question.
9. What was the title of the book that Leigh first wrote about to Mr. Henshaw?A. Moose on ToastB. Things to Teach Your Cat C. Ways to Amuse a Dog D. Dear Mr. Henshaw
10. Why did Leigh move to a new school in sixth grade?A. His father got a new job and the family had to move.B. He went to live with his grandparents.C. His parents got divorced and he moved with his mother.D. None of the above
11. Why did Leigh write to Mr. Henshaw in sixth grade?A. He wanted to invite Mr. Henshaw to come visit him.B. He wanted to tell Mr. Henshaw how awful his new book was.C. His mother made him write to Mr. Henshaw.
D. He had to do a report in school on an author.
12. What did Leigh’s mother make him do that made him upset? A. Take the trash outB. Rewrite his report on Mr. HenshawC. Write a thank you note to Mr. HenshawD. Answer the questions Mr. Henshaw sent to him
13. Why doesn’t Leigh see his father very often? A. His father lives in another country.B. His father works as a cross-country trucker so he is gone a lot.C. His father is in the hospital.D. He doesn’t like his father.
14. Why did Leigh’s father take Bandit, his dog, after the divorce? A. Leigh’s mother didn’t like the dog.
B. Bandit ran away after the divorce.C. Leigh’s father takes Bandit with him for company when he is wor king.D. All of the above
15. What upsets Leigh about his lunch?A. Someone keeps taking things out of it.B. His mother is a horrible cook.C. He doesn’t like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. D. He has to carry a lunch box.
16. Leigh said that all of the following things bothered him EXCEPT :
A. Someone stealing food from his lunchbagB. Little kids with runny nosesC. His mother dropping him off at school too earlyD. His father doesn’t call him very often
17. Leigh apologized to Mr. Henshaw for being rude in his last letter. What did Leigh say he was upset about?A. His father didn’t send the monthly child support check. B. His father didn’t come to see him very often. C. He got a bad grade in school.D. Both A & B
18. What did Leigh say would be the title of the book he would write someday?A. Why Divorce Stinks for Kids B. Sixth Grade Stories C. The Great Lunchbag Mystery D. Dear Mr. Henshaw
1. Can Superman ________________________ the villain’s evil plans?
2. Make sure you _________________________ your coat because it is cold outside.
3. We used the __________________________ put the flag at half mast on September 11.
4. Kelly was ________________________ when she found her missing diamond ring.
5. If you keep breaking the rules, then you have to accept the teacher’s ____________________.
6. I was _______________________ to Jenny for letting me borrow her sweater when I was cold.
7. The angry boy is ________________________ at his mother.
8. My little brother is always breaking my things; he is such a _________________________!
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the best answer for each question.
9. What advice did Mr. Henshaw give to Leigh?A. Try not to get upset about your father not calling.B. Start writing in a diary.C. Pretend that each entry in the diary is a letter to someone.D. Both B & C
E. Both A & C
10. What was Leigh’s idea to keep someone from stealing food from his lunchbag? A. Write a pretend name on the bagB. Put a mousetrap inside so it would pinch the thief’s fingers C. Keep the lunchbag by his deskD. Both A & C
11. What did Leigh remember about Christmas last year?A. His parents weren’t divorced and they still lived together. B. They each made up a song about lost shoes on the highway.
C. His parents laughed for a long time.D. All of the above
12. Why did the man come to Leigh’s house on Christmas Eve? A. To deliver Leigh’s present from his father B. To deliver a turkey for Christmas dinnerC. To bring Bandit to LeighD. Both A & C
13. What did Leigh’s father give him for Christmas? A. A new diaryB. A quilted jacket with pocketsC. A model truckD. Nothing
14. What did Mr. Frindley tell Leigh he should do about his lunch being stolen?A. Tell the teacher about what was happening
B. Stop bringing treats in the lunchbagC. Seal the bag with masking tape and staplesD. Put a burglar alarm on the bag
15. Why did the librarian stop Leigh in the hall?A. He was running and she told him to stop.B. She gave him a copy of Mr. Henshaw’s new book to read. C. She told him his library book was overdue.D. She needed help carrying books to the library.
16. What surprised Leigh about Mr. Henshaw’s new book?
A. It was sad, not funny.B. It was about a boy named Leigh.C. It was a book of poetry.D. None of the above
17. Why was Leigh angry with his father?A. He didn’t call even though he said he would. B. He sold Bandit to another family.C. He decided to move to Florida.D. He wouldn’t let Leigh come live with him.
18. What did Leigh’s mother tell him about his father? A. That he shouldn’t be too hard on his father because a trucker’s life wasn’t easy B. That his father is a bad man and he’s better off without him C. That she divorced him because he never called her eitherD. None of the above
1. We couldn’t watch television because the _________________________ from the satellite was poor.
2. In the movies, the good guys always catch the _________________________ in the end.
3. We stuffed cottonballs inside the bell to ________________________ the sound when it rang.
4. The shower needs to be cleaned because there is _______________________ on the walls.
5. I am going to __________________ a trap to catch the animal that keeps eating the vegetables in the garden.
6. My son is playing in a golf _____________________________ this weekend.
7. I couldn’t sleep because of the ____________________ coming from upstairs where the boys were playing.
8. We were _________________________ after our car ran out of gas.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the best answer for each question.
9. Why did Leigh decide to call his father on Sunday?A. He was lonely and bored. B. He was returning his father’s phone call. C. He was looking for his mother.D. None of the above
10. Why was Leigh upset after talking to his father?A. He found out that Bandit was lost.B. He realized that his father had not planned on calling him that evening after all.C. He heard a boy’s voice talking to his father in the background. D. All of the above
11. Why did Leigh’s parents get divorced according to his mother? A. His father was an evil man.B. They had gotten married too young.C. His father was a bum.
D. All of the above
12. Why did Mr. Frindley stop Leigh in the hall?A. He saw that Leigh was about to kick someone’s lunchbag down the hall. B. He saw that Leigh was writing on someone’s locker with a marker. C. He was angry that Leigh had not helped him put up the flags that morning.D. He had bad news for Leigh about Bandit.
13. What did Mr. Frindley tell Leigh after Leigh complained that he had no friends in the school?A. Nobody wants to be friends with someone who scowls all the time.B. Leigh isn’t the only person who has problems. C. Lots of people have jerks for fathers.D. Both A & B
14. What did Leigh realize about the sticks on the branches of the trees in the butterfly grove?A. They were actually butterflies.
B. They were dead.C. They had leaves growing at the tips of the sticks.D. None of the above.
15. What was in the letter that Leigh received from his father?A. A $20 bill and a note from his father on a paper napkinB. A check for $25 and a letter from his father about BanditC. A $10 bill and a picture of his father and BanditD. A birthday card
16. What was Leigh’s story for the Young Writer’s Yearbook about?
A. A butterfly that moves to a new city and has adventuresB. A boy who catches a thief stealing lunchesC. A wax man who drives a truck cross-countryD. None of the above
17. Why did Leigh check out books about electricity?A. He wanted to do an extra credit project in Science class.B. He wanted to build a burglar alarm for his room.C. He wanted to fix the lamp in the living room for his mother.D. He wanted to build a burglar alarm for his lunchbox.
18. What did Leigh buy with the money his father sent him?A. Materials to make an alarm for his lunchboxB. A lock for his lunchboxC. A puppy to replace BanditD. A present for his mother’s birthday
1. The teacher said we could write our story in either poetry or _______________________.
2. We heard ____________________ noises coming from the attic so we went upstairs to investigate.
3. Beanie babies were a __________________ a few years ago; everybody wanted to have them.
4. The loud knock on the door _______________________ us.
5. My little cousin tries to _________________________ everything I do!
6. I had to ___________________ to my car to keep from getting too wet in the storm.
7. We really enjoyed the play; it was ____________________________!
8. The cat _______________________ around the barn looking for mice.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the best answer for each question.
9. Why did Leigh have trouble paying attention in class?A. He was tired and wanted to go home. B. He was waiting for the alarm on his lunchbox to go off.C. His teacher was boring.D. He couldn’t see the board.
10. All of the following happened after Leigh opened his lunchbox EXCEPT :A. His alarm went off.B. He caught the thief who was stealing from his lunchbox.C. The principal told him he had quite an invention.D. Leigh gave a demonstration of his alarm to some of the teachers.
11. Why did Barry ask Leigh to come over to his house?A. To help him build model airplanesB. To work on homeworkC. To help him make an alarm for his room
D. To work on a report together
12. Who was stealing food from Leigh’s lunchbox? A. BarryB. Mr. FrindleyC. Leigh never found out.D. Ms. Martinez
13. What did Leigh’s father ask that surprised Leigh? A. He asked if Leigh missed Bandit.B. He asked if Leigh wanted to come live with him.C. He told Leigh he was sorry for being such a bad father.D. He asked if Leigh missed him.
14. What did Leigh write about in his Young Writers’ Yearbook paper? A. The time his father found Bandit
B. The time he and his father hauled grapes to a wineryC. The time he and his father went fishingD. The time his father moved out
15. Why did Leigh get to go to the author’s lunch? A. The girl who wrote the winning poem was disqualified for copying her poem from a book.B. All the students who won an Honorable Mention were invited to come.C. Angela Badger asked for him to be invited because she liked his story.D. Both A & C
16. What did Angela Badger tell Leigh?
A. She enjoyed his story in the Writers’ Yearbook. B. She had met Mr. Henshaw once.C. His story was splendid work for a boy his age.D. All of the above
17. Who was waiting for Leigh when he and Barry got back from the butterfly grove?A. Mr. HenshawB. His father and BanditC. His mother and KatyD. Angela Badger
18. Why did Leigh tell his father to take Bandit with him?A. His father needed Bandit more than he did.B. He wasn’t allowed to have a dog in the house. C. He had not way to amuse a dog.D. Both A & C