Joan Ashkenas, EditorJAG Publications

seedfolks’ ComPAnionStudEnt’S Work-tExt for the novEl

by Joyce Flager

illustrations by Shirley manfredi

 

Table of Contents

to the instructor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii to the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Seedfolks: Starting the novel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Chapter 1 kim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 2 AnA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Chapter 3 WEndEll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Chapter 4 GonZAlo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Chapter 5 lEonA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Chapter 6 SAm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Chapter 7 virGil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chapter 8 SAE YounG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Chapter 9 CurtiS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Chapter 10 norA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Chapter 11 mAriCElA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Chapter 12 Amir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Chapter 13 FlorEnCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 map of the united States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 World map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108-109 Answer key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

xi

❦ SEEDFOLKS

Seedfolks: Starting the Novel

With a partner or in a small group, discuss these questions.

A.Studythecoverofthenovel.Whatcouldbethemeaningofthetitle?Readthef irstfewpages.Howisthebookdivided?Doesitgiveyouanideaofwhatthenovelisabout?

B.ThesettingforthisnovelisaneighborhoodinCleveland,Ohio.WhereisCleveland,located?Whatdoyouthinktheweatherislike?Thepopulationisapproximately400,000,includingavarietyofimmigrantgroups.Whatnationalities,doyouthink,arelivingthere?Youcoulddoaninternetsearchonthiscity.

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SEEDFOLKS ❦

C.Vacantlotsinlargecitiesmaybecomecommunitygardens.Doyouthinkitwouldbeeasytostartagardeninavacantlot?Why?Whynot?

D.Eachchapteriswrittenfromthemaincharacter’spointofview.Lookatnamesofafewchaptersandpredictwhatcountriesthesecharacterscomefrom.

E.UnderstandingVocabulary:discusswithyourteacherandclass.

1. A simile uses “like” or “as” to compare two things. Example: Waiting for the snow to melt was like waiting for a glacier to move.

2. A metaphor is the comparison between two unlike things. Example: Community gardens are oases.

3. Skimming is reading quickly to find general information. For this workbook it is used to review areas of the chapter that have already been read.

4. Scanning is reading quickly to find specific information (a word or a fact) without reading the whole chapter. For this exercise, finding phrasal verbs or sentences containing metaphors or similes.

5. the main idea is the major point the writer wants to convey to the reader. usually it can be written in one sentence.

6. the outcome is the result—how the chapter ends.

7. A symbol is something that stands for something else. A flag usually represents a country, so it symbolizes that country.

8. the writer’s style in Seedfoks is personal and direct. in some chapters, we come to understand the character indirectly through small comments, almost hints.

9. the point of view in Seedfolks is in the first person and each main character tells his/her own story.

10. A summary states the main idea and important details that support it.

11. the tone in Seedfolks is hopeful, encouraging, sympathic and positive.

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

Before Reading: Chapter 1, “Kim”

A.KimisayounggirlfromVietnam.Withapartnerorinasmallgroup,discussthesequestionsbeforeyoureadthechapter.

1.WhatdoyouknowaboutVietnamanditsculture?HaveyouevertraveledtoSouthEastAsia?LookatthemapofVietnamandsurroundingcountries.Haveyoubeentooneofthesecountries?Whatdoyouknowaboutthisareaoftheworld?

2.Majorceremonieslikeweddingsandfuneralsvaryfromcountrytocountry.Describeafuneralinyourcountry.

3.Howdoyourememberafamilymemberorfriendwhohasdied?Haveyouevergrownsomething(atreeorflowers)orcreatedsomethingtorememberafamilymemberorfriendwhohasdied?

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

Before Reading—Definitions

A.Withapartnerorinasmallgroup,decidethemeaningoftheunderlinedwordsfromthecontextofthesentenceandwritethedef initionunderthesentence.

1.Vacantlotsusuallyhavemanyweedsgrowinginthem.

2.Somepeoplebuildaltarstothespiritsoflovedoneswhohavedied.

3.Thewindteeteredtrashcans,tippingthemover.

4.Ifaplanthasgoodsoil,waterandsunlight,itwillthrive.

5.Twopeoplemakeasacredvowontheirweddingday.

B.Withyourpartnerorinasmallgroup,discussthesequestionsrelatedtotheunderlinedwordsabove.

1.Somepeoplehavealtarsintheirhomes,andsomepeoplecreateanaltaratanaccidentsite.Haveyouseenorcreatedanaltarsomewhere?

2.Haveyoumadeavowtoanotherperson?Explainit?

3.Whathaveyoutakencareofthatisthriving(child,pet,parent,etc)?

4.Hastheeconomyaffectedyourneighborhood?How?Aretherevacantlots,houses,orshopsinyourneighborhood?

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

Before Reading—Predicting Outcomes

A.FromyourDef initionsandtheBeforeReadingquestions,trytopredictwhatmighthappeninthischapter.Writewho,what,when,whyandhowquestionsusingthewordsbelow.Theanswerstothequestionscouldleadtothechapter’soutcome.Workinpairsandthensharewithyourgroup.

Example: How is Kim connected to the vacant lot? altar deathanniversary spoon limabeans

Kim Kim’smother Kim’sfather vacantlot

scouted thermos digsixholes farmer

brave soilspirit thrive

B.Writethreepredictionquestions,andgivethemtoothermembersofyourgroup.Together,predicttheanswers.Askanothergroupyourbestquestions.

1.

2.

3.

C.Inyourgroup,predictwhatwillhappeninthechapter.Afterreadingthechapter,compareyourpredictionswiththeoutcome.

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

While Reading—Phrasal Verb Practice

A.First,readthechapteroncewithoutstopping.

B.Afterreadingthechapter,skimandscanforthephrasalverbsbelow.Readthesentenceorthewholeparagraphtounderstandthephrasalverb.Matchthedef initiontothephrasalverbbydrawingalineconnectingthetwo.Checkyouranswerswithapartnerorinagroup.

1.cryover a.toremove

2.coverup b.nolight

3.takeout c.floatabovesomeoneorsomething

4.burnedout d.tofeelsadaboutsomethingandcry

5.hoverover e.Putsomethingoversomethingelse,soitcan’tbeseen.

C.Workasateamandwriteonesentenceforeachphrasalverb.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

D.Whatotherphrasalverbscanyouf indinthischapter?

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

While Reading—Searching for Metaphors or Similes

A.Somesentencesbelowmightcontainametaphororsimile.Skimandscanthechaptertof indeachsentencebelow.Readtheparagraphtounderstandthesentencefromcontext.Discusswithapartnerorinasmallgroupthemeaningofeachsentence.Ifthesentencecontainsametaphor,underlineitandwriteM. Ifthesentencecontainsasimile,underlineitandwriteS.

1.AnicywindteeteredtrashcansandturnedKim’scheekstomarble.

Meaning

2.Ididsonow,pickingmywaybetweentiresandtrashbags.

Meaning

3.Iturnedfromthealtar,tiptoedtothekitchen,andquietlydrewaspoonfromthedrawer.

Meaning

4.Hewouldwatchmybeansbreakgroundandwouldnoticewithpleasurethebeanpodsgrowplump.

Meaning

5.Istaredatmyfather’sphotograph—histhinfacestern,lipslatchedtight,hiseyespermanentlytotheright.

Meaning

6.Istoodtallandscouted.

Meaning

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

While Reading—Analyze

A.ListKim’sactions:

B.Whatisthemainideaofthechapter?

1. Intheearlymorningafterherfather’sdeathanniversary,Kimquietlywalksintothekitchen.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

After Reading—Analyze

A.WritenotesonKim’sthoughtsandfeelings.

THOUGHTS FEELINGS

B.WhatkindofpersonisKim?WriteadescriptiveparagraphaboutKimfromheractions,thoughts,andfeelings.

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CHAPTER 1 ❦ KIM

After Reading—Comprehending and Relating to the Chapter

A.Withapartnerorinasmallgroup,discussthesequestions.

1.Kim’sfatherdiedafewmonthsbeforeshewasborn.Whatdoesshewishforwhenshelooksathisphotograph?Whatarethefamily’sbeliefsintheafterlife?AreyourbeliefsdifferentfromKim’s?How?

2.Kimdoesn’thavememoriesofherfather.WhyisitimportantforKimtoplantlimabeans?Whathaveyoudonetopleaseanotherpersonortoshowsomeonethatyoucareabouthimorher?

3.WhydoyouthinkKimsecretlyplantsthelimabeans?Haveyoueverdonesomethinginsecret?Explainwhatyouhavedone.Wereyounervousorafraid?

4.WhatdoesKimhopeforinthefuture?Willherdesirecometrue?

5.WhateffectwillKimhaveontheothercharactersinthebook?HowwillKim’sactionsaffectthecommunity?WhatwillKim’srolebethroughoutthenovel?

B.Writing:InYourOwnWords Afteryouhavediscussedthequestions,decidewhichtopicyouwouldliketowriteabout.Ifyouchoose

questionf ive,youcouldwriteasummaryofthef irstchapter,andafter,yourpersonalresponsetothechapter.

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ANSWER KEY ❦ SEEDFOLKS

Chapter 1, “Kim”

Before Reading Sections: Open to discussion. Responses can vary.

While Reading—Phrasal Verbs 1.cryover(d)2.coverup(e)3.tookout(a)4.burnout(b)5.hoverover(c)

While Reading—Searching for Metaphors and Similes: Meaning, in student’s own words. 1.Icywinds...turnedKim’scheekstomarble.(m)

While Reading—Analyze: Sentences can vary. A. 2.Kimfillsathermosandtakessomelimabeanstoavacantlot. 3.Shechoosesaspotfarfromthesidewalkhiddenbyarefrigerator. 4.Kimdigssixholeswhilethinkingofherdeceasedfather. 5.Kimfinishesdiggingsixholes. 6.Sheplacesonelimabeanineachhole,coversitwithsoil,andwatersitwell. 7.Shevowsthebeanswillthrive. B. Ayounggirlplantslimabeansinatrashyvacantlotwithhopeherdeadfather’sspiritwill

seeheraccomplishment.

After Reading—Analyze: Ideas and sentences can vary.

ThoughTs Feelings

1. Kimthinksaboutherfather.2 Shehadneverenteredthevacantlotbefore.3. Kimbelievesthatifherfathercouldseeshe

islikehim,hewouldrecognizeherashisdaughter.

1. Kim’sfatherdiedbeforeshewasborn.Shefeelssadthathedidn’tknoworwouldnotrecognizeher.

2. Sheisafraid,butshefindscouragetoenterthevacantlot.

3. Shehopesherfather’sspiritwillseeherhardworkandpatience.

After Reading—Comprehending and Relating: Open to discussion. Responses can vary.