And You Wonder Why We Get Called

the Weird Watsons

From The Watsons Go to

Birmingham

Quick

Writ

e

Choose one of the following

and write a response on page 161. Have you ever seen someone

play a mean prank on another

person? Explain the prank

and what happened. Retell one of your family’s

stories, one that seems destined to never be forgotten. What is one of the most

embarrassing things you have

ever done? Describe the incident.

Nove

l Tra

iler

Flint, Michigan

Char

acte

rs Kenny-narratorDadMommaByron-brother Joetta-sisterRufus-friend

Chun

k I-S

ettin

gDescribe the setting in

3 words.Underline any descriptions about the characters.

Chun

k II-

Sum

mar

ize

Summarize Dad’s story about Moses Henderson. How does Dad make his story funny?Underline any descriptions about the

characters.

Chun

k III

-Con

flict

Dad comes up with a solution to the problem facing the family. Label the problem Describe the family car.

Underline all the car’s nicknames.

Identify the chore that Dad gives to Byron and the narrator.

Make a prediction about how the work will progress.

Underline any descriptions about the characters.

Chun

k IV

: Su

mm

arize

Summarize the first part of the prank the narrator calls “How, to Survive a Blizzard, Part One.”Underline the way the

narrator handles the first part of the prank.

Underline any descriptions about the characters.

Chun

k V:

Su

mm

arize

Summarize the second part of “How to survive a Blizzard Part

One.”Underline the way the narrator handles the second part.Underline any descriptions about the

characters.

Chun

k VI

:

Highlight what the narrator

promises himself. What does this promise tell

you about the narrator? What does it tell you about

Byron? Summarize the last part of

“How to Survive a Blizzard

Part One.” Underline the way the narrator handles this part.

Underline any descriptions

about the characters.

Chun

k VI

I:

Describe how Byron sounds. What is Byron’s problem?

The narrator’s name is finally revealed. Circle the name.

Create a picture of Byron’s predicament in your mind’s eye, as if it were in a movie. Sketch or describe what you see.

Underline what Kenny compares Byron to. Does that help you imagine the scene?

Underline any descriptions about the characters.

Chun

k VI

II:

Write whose reaction you agree with and why.

Underline the solutions offered by Dad, Kenny, and Momma.

What solutions can you think of? Write how you think Byron feels right

now and what you think of the way Dad is teasing him.

Kenny says, “It’s no wonder the neighbors called us the Weird Watsons behind our backs. There we were, all five standing around a car with the temperature about a million degrees below zero and each and every one of us crying!” Underline why each one of the family members is crying.

Underline any descriptions about the characters.

Chun

k IX

:

Underline the solutions that Momma finally comes up with.

Underline the most vivid descriptions in this chunk.Underline any descriptions about the

characters.

Afte

r Rea

ding

Complete the chart on

page 174. Use all the descriptions you highlighted throughout the nine chunks.

Afte

r Rea

ding

What changes have

occurred by the end of the story?

Afte

r Rea

ding

The story is told by Kenny,

in first person point of view.

The story may not be as funny if Byron was the narrator, because he certainly would not find his

problem amusing! Describe

the incident. Pretend that

you are Byron, and a reporter is doing an interview with you. Write

Byron’s version of the story,

being sure to get the events

in the right order.

Repo

rter

We are out driving around the streets of Flint, finding out how our citizens are dealing with these record cold temperatures. I’m here with Byron Watson. Byron, I hear you have had quite a painful experience as a result of the weather. What happened?

Afte

r Rea

ding

The title of the story uses a poetic device called ALLITERATION. Write the title of the

story and underline the consonant letters that are repeated at the beginning of words.

Afte

r Rea

ding

Complete number 6

individually.