Before, After, During Thinking Guide

A Long Way Gone By: Ishmael Beah

Chapter 1Before

1- Look at the front and back cover of the book. Write down words in the boxes that start with the letter you think will relate to the book.

2- Share with a partner your words. Add the words they had that you didn’t.

3- Open up to the page with the map at the beginning of the book. 6 pages in. Read the page that says “New York City, 1998” and look at the map. In the boxes labeled “F” put a fact that you know after reading the page. In the boxes below the facts labeled “Q” write a question you still have about that fact.

S C G

F

Q

F

Q

F

Q

4- Use the vocabulary words in the word bank to make predictions about the book we are reading. You can use the words more than once to make your predictions. Think about how you think the author of the book will use the words in the story. List words that you think will go with each category of the story structure and then use those words to answer the questions about structure. If there are any words you can’t use because they are too unfamiliar, list those words as Mystery Words.

Setting How will the author describe the setting?

Characters What predictions can you make about the characters?

Plot What will happen in the story? (minimum 2 events)

Mystery Words

During1- What are some phrases that are used now from music? Write four words or phrases. (P7)

____________________ ____________________ _____________________

2- Quickwrite: (p9 paragraph “According to the teachers”) Write your thoughts and feelings on this paragraph.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Refugees crapes (sneakers) verandah gunfire rebels

Malnourishment canoe intensified corrupt revolutionary

Foreign civilians liberation village massacre

Chaotic terrify bayonet risky trampling

3- (p10) “But there was no news of them, and after a while we didn’t know any of the people who came across the river. The day seemed oddly normal. The sun peacefully sailed through the white clouds, birds sang from treetops, the trees danced to the quiet wind.” What tone do these words create? Write four tone words._____________ _______________ _____________ ______________

4- After the words “Junior and I nodded in agreement” what do you think will happen next? Write a prediction. (p10)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5- “I had not seen him for a while, as another stepmother had destroyed our relationship again. But that morning my father smiled at me as he came up the steps.” Explain what these two lines mean.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6- Why is his father’s smile important to him? Whose smile makes you smile and why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7- What is the relationship between the main character and his stepmother? What clues gave you this information? (p10) Look for specific lines and QUOTE them. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8- Fill in the venn diagram showing the differences and similarities between the boy and his live versus an average child in the US.

9- (p15) Write about a dream that you could “no longer tell the difference between dream and reality.”____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10- (p16) Explain the following quote. “We must strive to be like the moon.”____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11- Create a list of qualities that the moon shows that all people should follow. The first examples from the book have been completed for you.1. The moon always shines 2. The moon allows others to play in its light.3. People dance with the moon 4.______________________________________5. ____________________________________ 6.______________________________________

12- Draw a picture in the box representing something you still enjoy doing from when you were younger. Write one sentence explaining what it represents.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After13- Give chapter one a title. Write the title in the box provided.

14- Imagine you only have $2.00 and each word you use costs you 10 cents. Summarize chapter one for $2.00. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15- Complete the 3-2-1

_____________________________ _________________________ __________________________Write three words you can picture from chapter one

________________________ ______________________________Write two events or details that surprised you from chapter one

________________________________Write one question you still have.

Chapters 2-3BeforeRead the first paragraph ONLY of chapter two. Fill in the boxes with your own interpretations/predictions. Explain your answers in a complete sentence(s).

Who did the cries come from?

What caused him to feel no emotion?

When did he last fire his AK- 47?

Where did he get the AK-47 from?

Why is the narrator taking that particular body to a cemetery?

How is the narrator involved in this scene?

Based on this information above. Write a couple of sentences explaining what you think is happening in this scene and chapter.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

During1- (page 19) Reread the second paragraph starting with “I lay sweating.” Write three words that express the tone

of the paragraph. ___________________ _____________________ _________________________

2- (bottom of page 19) Quickwrite: “Memories I sometimes wish I could wash away even though I am aware that they are an important part of what my life is; who I am now.” Write about a memory that you wish you could erase but has become a part of who you are. How has it made you grow as a person? What did you learn from that experience? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- (page 23) Read this page and explain the pace. Is it slow and drawn out or fast and rushed. Explain why you think it is this pace. What words make you think this?

Words that help to show this pacing.The pace of this page is……

4- (p25) “ causing his remains and blood to sprinkle like rainon the nearby leaves and bushes.” What is this type of comparison called? _____________________What is it explaining? _________________________________________________________________

After1- Give chapters two and three a title. Write the two titles in the box provided.

2- Imagine you only have $2.00 and each word you use costs you 10 cents. Summarize the two chapters for $2.00. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2-

3-

Chapters 4Before- pop quiz chapters 1-3

_______________________________

___________________ ______________________

___________________________ _____________________________

____________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Row 1- What are crapes?Row 2-What’s in the wheelbarrow? Where is he taking it?Row 3- Where is Ishmael from? Where is he currently living (mentioned in chapter two when they flashback)?Row 4- Why, after their escape, do Ishmael and the other boys sneak back into the village of Mattru Jong?Row 5- Explain what the rebels do to express “one love.”

During1- Fill in the cause and effect chart starting with events that happened from the beginning of the chapter.

The first couple have been completed for you. Fill in all boxes.

Cause EffectCouldn’t find anything to eat Became hungryBecame hungry Snuck back to Mattru Jong to get money for food.

2- If money were worthless, how would you get the things you need? Make a list of ways you could get your needs.

a. –b. –c. –d. –

After3- Did the boys do the right thing in stealing other people’s food? Why or why not?

4- How will this affect those people they stole from?

5- What should the boys have done?

Chapters 5BeforeFill in the Somebody Wanted But So based on chapter four using only pictures!!!

Somebody (characters)…. Wanted (plot-motivation)…

But (conflict)… So (resolution)….

During1- (pg 33) “Before the war a young man wouldn’t have dared to talk to anyone older in such a rude manner. We

grew up in a culture that demanded good behavior from everyone, and especially from the young. Young people were required to respect their elders and everyone in the community.”

What changed? Explain.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- Read the clip from the article “The Spoilt Generation: Parents who fail to exert authority breeding youngsters with no respect for anyone” by Fiona Macrae and Paul Sims

A growing lack of adult authority has bred a 'spoilt generation' of children who believe grown-ups must earn their respect, a leading psychologist has warned.

The rise of the 'little emperor' spans the class divide and is fuelling ills from childhood obesity to teenage pregnancy, Aric Sigman's research shows.

Attempts to 'empower' children and a lack of discipline in the classroom have also fostered rising levels of violence, at home, at school and in the street.

Dr Sigman, a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, said nursery-age children are becoming increasingly violent and disrespectful towards their teachers, 'parent battering' is on the rise and the number of policemen attacked by children is soaring.

Dr Sigman said: 'Authority is a basic health requirement in children's lives.

'Children of the spoilt generation are used to having their demands met by their parents and others in authority, and that in turn makes them unprepared for the realities of adult life.

What is this article saying? _____________________________________________________________________________________

Agree/Disagree? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________________

3- Is this the same case for what was just discussed in the book? Explain why this is different. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4- (p33) In the incident at the bottom of page 13, the rebels find it funny to shoot at the old man thinking he had been shot in the head. Is this funny? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________Give an example of something that was mean but people laughed. __________________________________________________________________________________________Are these the same intensity of “mean?” Why or why not? __________________________________________________________________________________________

After1- Choose a passage from chapters 1-5. What do you think the main idea of the passage is?

______________________________________________________________________________________2- Create a Wordle

3- What words popped out the most? Explain how these words could be a main idea or theme of this passage. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paste the link to your Wordle here:

Chapters 6Before

Pecial Powers- You have the power to change any aspect of the novel. Choose only ONE detail to change in the book. Explain what you would change, why you would change it, AND the effect it will have on the story.

roblem Solving- Write three problems you have found in the story and write possible solutions to them.

Put the problem on the top and the solution on the bottom.

lternative Viewpionts- You are a rebel hunting down the group of boys that escaped. Write a paragraph explaining what’s going through your mind.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

hat If? What if Ishmael was traveling with his family instead of a group of boys? How would this have changed the story so far? Explain what would be different. (minimum 50 words.)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ext- The boys just escaped from the rebels. What do you think will happen next? Explain.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The boys are in a group of six traveling. Complete the pros and cons list of being in a large group as they travel. Come up with a minimum of three reasons for each side.

Pros of a group Cons of a group

__________________________________________________________________________________

1- 1-

2- 2-

3- 3-

DuringQuickwrite: (p 42) Ishmael had to work hard with back aches, blisters, and pains. What’s the hardest work you ever had to do? Explain IN DETAIL with a minimum of 10 adjectives.

After“It was during that attack in the village of Kamator that my friends and I separated. It was the last time I saw Junior, my elder brother.” Using markers, colored pencils, or crayons, create a dot picture of what Ishmael is feeling.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapters 7BeforePreview chapter seven and find words for each of the boxes below that start with the letter in the box that could be a potential vocabulary word. Look up the word and write the definition on the second line. On the third line write a sentence explaining how you think it will relate to the chapter.

Choose one of the words to create a Frayer Model over. Fill in the Frayer Model below. Put the word you choose in the middle of the oval.

V __________________________________

__________________________

T __________________________________

__________________________

M __________________________________

__________________________

Essential Characteristics- (explain what it is) Non-Essential Characteristics (explain what it isn’t – still has to relate)

Examples (draw a picture) Non-Examples (draw a

picture)

DuringAs you are reading chapter seven, use your sticky notes to take “Reading Notations”.

↑ I agree with this X I disagree with this ?? I don’t understand this

! I can’t believe this # I did not know this √ I relate to

Example

As you are reading, put sticky notes labeling parts that you agree, disagree, don’t understand, can’t believe, didn’t know, or can relate to. You should have a minimum of four sticky notes used. Be sure to explain on the sticky note which line or passage you are talking about.

↑- If I were with the group

of boys, I would have stolen food. If I didn’t I would die. When it comes to surviving, you have to do what it takes.

AfterChoose one of the two lines to explain from the book and relate it to life now. (minimum 100 words)

“Every morning I made my own fate by deciding which way I was going to go.” (p46)

“Even a twelve-year-old couldn’t be trusted anymore.” (p48)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 8Before- pop quiz chapter 7

DuringDouble Entry Journals- As you are reading chapter 8, find quotes to write on the left side and reflect on the quote on the right. The quotes should be meaningful, and the reflection should explain what you think the meaning of the quote is, the importance, and how it relates to you or the book.

Quote #1- Reflection:

Quote #2- Reflection:

Quote #3- Reflection:

Quote #4- Reflection:

Quote #5- Reflection:

Imam oranges

Swimmingtrust

Look at the words in the concept circle. Write about your understanding of chapter seven by summarizing the chapter and using the four words in your summary.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Haiku is a three lined poem. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables.

Example:

Child soldiers kill (5 syllables: Chi-ld Sol-diers kill)

Their childhood is taken (7 syllables: Their Chi-ld-hood is ta-ken)

Someone save them please (5 syllables: Some-one save them please)

Create two different Haiku poems. One should be from the point of view of the old man who was left behind and the other from the point of view of the people who left them running from the “seven boys.” Be sure to give them a title.

Old Man The others

Context Clues: Read the sentence to figure out the meaning of the following words. Next, turn to the page the word is on to read the paragraph the word came from. Add to your definition.

a- Lured (p53): “The next day the hunter performed his trickery and lured the herd into an opening._____________________________________________________________________________

b- Flogged (p55): “They weren’t close friends, but the four of us had been flogged once for talking back to the senior prefect.”_____________________________________________________________________________

c- Burden (p56): “No one was willing to carry me and I didn’t want to be a burden.”_____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

__________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

AfterIn ONE word – summarize chapter eight.

Question Matrix- Based on the information you gained from the last 8 chapters, use of one of the words on the left to develop questions for each of the five W’s and the H. An example has been completed for you.

Who What Where When Why HowIs

Won’t

Did

Might

Should

Will the boys get through this when everyone thinks they are bad?

Chapters 9BeforePreview chapter seven and find words for each of the boxes below that start with the letter in the box that could be a potential vocabulary word. Look up the word and write the definition on the second line. On the third line write a sentence explaining how you think it will relate to the chapter.

Choose one of the words to create a Frayer Model over. Fill in the Frayer Model below. Put the word you choose in the middle of the oval.

D __________________________________

__________________________

H __________________________________

__________________________

M __________________________________

__________________________

Essential Characteristics- (explain what it is) Non-Essential Characteristics (explain what it isn’t – still has to relate)

Examples (draw a picture) Non-Examples (draw a

picture)

During1- (p60) Write a conversation between two villagers spreading the rumor about the boys. Make sure to

explain who they are afraid of and why. What do they think will happen? How do they think is coming and to do what?

Villager 1 : _______________________________________________________________________

Villager 2: _______________________________________________________________________

Villager 1 : _______________________________________________________________________

Villager 2: _______________________________________________________________________

Villager 1 : _______________________________________________________________________

Villager 2: _______________________________________________________________________

2- (p60) Draw a comic showing what the fisherman did to the boys. The comic she explain how it affected the boys through the drawing.

3- Context Clues: Read the sentence to figure out the meaning of the following words. Next, turn to the page the word is on to read the paragraph the word came from. Add to your definition.

a- Flotsam (p59): “When we went back to look, the waves had thrown out unwanted flotsam from the ocean, including some big crabs that I guess weren’t strong enough to cling to the ocean floor, but they were still alive._____________________________________________________________________________

b- Contorted (p58): “We all looked at him and his face contorted with confusion.”_____________________________________________________________________________

c- Boasted (p62): “Kanei boasted about being an excellent soccer player.”_____________________________________________________________________________

d- Disconsolate (p65): “Her voice was trembling with sadness, and she wiped her disconsolate face as she disappeared behind the hut and headed back to the main village._____________________________________________________________________________

4- Pretend the stick person below is a villager that does not want the boys around. Fill in the lines explaining what they are thinking, seeing, etc…

After---“This time we were a long way from Mattru Jong. A long way gone. “ (p65) Explain the title by creating

an Acrostic poem with the words Long Way Gone. Each letter starts off a sentence that helps to explain a theme and the title of the novel thus far. The first letter has been completed for you.

Life has changed and there’s no going back to the way it used to be

O

N

G

W

A

Y

G

O

N

E

® ®

I was thinking….

I saw this happening

I felt…

My actions were to…

I feared…

Chapter 10Before

1. Write a haiku explaining WHY the chief let the boys go from chapter 9. Remember Haiku’s have THREE lines. The first line has FIVE syllables. The second line has SEVEN syllables. The third line has FIVE syllables.

_______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

2. Why are Ishmael’s cassettes so important to him? ________________________________________________________________________

3. What is an object you have that has just as much value to you as Ishmael’s cassettes have to him? Draw a picture of the object and explain on the lines why it’s special.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

During1- “So I couldn’t bring myself to be completely happy. It was much easier to be sad than to go back and

forth between emotions, and this gave me the determination I needed to keep moving. I was never disappointed, since I always expected the worst to happen.” (p69) Do you agree with this? Why or why not?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- (p72) Ishmael’s goes to the water and dives in to get away from him problems. Where do you go when you are upset or stressed? How does this help?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- (p76) Ishmael explains the traditions of his home. Think of three special occasions and explain the traditions your family does for these three different times. On the line write the occasion. Inside the shape write what the tradition is.

__________________

______________________ ________________________

4- Word Wizard: You are the word finder for this chapter. Your job is to look for special words in the story. These words can be new, different, strange, funny, interesting, or important. Write the word, page number, why you picked it and the definition.

Word Page number Why I picked it Definition

5- (page 79) Reread the stories of the boys. Write in the box the main points of what happened to each one.

Musa’s story

Alhaji’s story

Jumah and Mariba’s story

Saidu’s story

Kanei’s story

Write your thoughts on these stories.

6- (p81) Would you eat the crow? _____________________What’s the worst thing you would eat if you were starving and there wasn’t any food? ________________________________________________________________________________

7- Reread the paragraph on page 81 starting with “Sometimes night has a way….” Write five TONE words and five MOOD words. Remember: tone =The author’s attitude, stated or implied, toward a subject. Some possible attitudes are pessimism, optimism, earnestness, seriousness, bitterness, humorous, and joyful. Mood= How it makes the reader or viewer FEEL.

TONE MOOD

8- (p83) PREDICTION TIME:

After(page 88) Ishmael says “Who will be next to leave us?” Answer the question and explain why you think this.

1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

Chapter 11- Before1- Use the vocabulary words in the word bank to make predictions about the book we are reading. You

can use the words more than once to make your predictions. Think about how you think the author of the book will use the words in the story. As you are answering the questions, use the words in the word bank. If there are any words you can’t use because they are too unfamiliar, list those words as Mystery Words.

Setting What is the next setting of the upcoming chapter?

Characters What predictions can you make about the characters?

Plot What will happen in the story? (minimum 2 events)

Mystery Words

During1- (p89) “I have a feeling that we will find our families, or at least news of them.” What do you predict

will happen next? Will they find their families? What will happen if they do or don’t?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gasps sister rain troublesome companions

Safety praying ache furious bananas

Intervened boasting smoke excitement sparks

Wailed consumed ashes explode regretted

2- (p91) What does the term “Ngor” mean? _____________________________________________What is our term for the same thing? __________________________________________________

3- (p96) Fill in the chart over what Ishmael is going through.

4- Compare Ishmael to Andy in Tears of a Tiger.

5- (p99) “The sun was getting ready to leave the sky. It had come out to take Gasemu with it.” What does this mean? _________________________________________________________________

® ®

I was thinking…

I saw this happening

I felt…

My actions were to…

I feared…

Ishmael Both Andy

6- Color in the boxes of the plot diagram with a color that represents that part of the story. Explain why you choose each color.

Explanation:_______________________________________________________

Explanation:_______________________________________________________

Explanation:_______________________________________________________

Explanation:_______________________________________________________

Explanation:_______________________________________________________

After1- Create a plot diagram of this chapter.

Rising Action Climax Falling Action

Exposition Conclusion

How will the story be altered after this chapter? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will change for Ishmael and why? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Conclusion

Chapter 12- BeforeWrite down facts you know from the previous chapter. After you finish writing the facts, write a question that relates to the fact.

During1- (p101) “Apart from this, there were no indications that our childhood was threatened, much less that

we would be robbed of it.” How will they be robbed of their childhood? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- (p102) “Life was not lived in fear during the day in this village.” Explain your interpretation of this quote. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- (p104) Should Ishmael be afraid right now? Is he safe? Why or why not? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4- (p106) You are Ishmael with the group of boys. Explain what you think they should do and why.

Q

F

Q

F

Q

F

5- (p109) “When the soldier stood in front of me, I avoided eye contact, so he straightened my head until my eyes met his. He gave me the gun. I held it in my trembling hand. He added the magazine, and I shook even more.” What is going through Ishmael’s head as this is happening?

6- (p109) “You are afraid of looking a man in the eye and afraid of holding a gun.” One of the soldiers says this to Ishmael. Why is this bad? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After- Ishmael now has his gun and has joined the soldiers.

Create 10 questions you have about what will happen next.

1. –

2. –

3. –

4. –

5. –

6. –

7. –

8. –

9. –

10. –

Chapter 13- Before“It must have been a Sunday morning when the corporal told us to take the day off training. He tapped the palm of his hand with the flat edge of his bayonet. ‘If you are religious, I mean a Christian; worship your Lord today, because you might not have another chance. Dimissed.” This was told to the boys before they are to start combat. What does the soldier mean?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Using this quote, predict what this chapter will be about.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

During1- (p116) The first full paragraph on the page talks about a plastic bag of “tablets.” What do you think

these tablets are and why are they used?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- (p116) Write in the first box the benefits of carrying more food and water then ammo. Write in the second box the benefits of carrying more ammo then food and water.

Food and Water

1-

2-

3-

Ammo

1-

2-

3-

3- (bottom of p116) “Tears had begun to form in my eyes, but I struggled to hide them and gripped my gun for comfort.” Why does the gun comfort him? What comforts you when you are scared?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4- (p119) “I raised my gun and pulled the trigger, and I killed a man.” Using markers, colored pencils, or crayons, create a dot picture (using only dots) of what Ishmael is feeling. Inside of the dots, write emotion words he was feeling.

5- (p119) Should Ishmael be punished for the killing he did? Why or why not?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6- (p119) Starting with the paragraph “We took the guns…” draw a picture of the main idea or symbolizing the paragraph.

7- (p120) “And Josiah—if only I had let him continue sleeping on the first day of training, perhaps he wouldn’t have gone to the front line in the first place.” Is it his fault Josiah dies? What would have happened to Josiah if he stayed in the house.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8- Draw a picture of the two scenes. One showing what happened to Josiah. One showing what would have happened to Josiah if he stayed asleep in the house.

AfterCompare and contrast Ishmael from before getting caught by the soldiers to after. A minimum of THREE points should be in EACH part of the circles

Would you consider Ishmael to be a “bad guy?” Why or why not?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 14- BeforeCreate a plot diagram explaining what you will think happen from this point on. The exposition is filled in for you. If the beginning is when he starts killing, what will the rising action be leading up to the climax which is the biggest part of the story. Then complete the falling action, and conclusion of the story.

Ishmael starts killing people

During1- (p121) What are the white capsules Ishmael is becoming addicted to? _____________________

2- What is the purpose of having the boys using so many drugs? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- As you read, stop at the following quotes and respond with your feelings, questions, and thoughts. Write for about 2 minutes on each quote.

Page# Quote Quickwrite122 “We also attacked

civilian villages to capture recruits and whatever else we could find.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

122 “The idea of death didn’t cross my mind at all and killing had become as easy as drinking water. My mind had not only snapped during the first killing, it had also stopped making remorseful records, or so it seemed.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

122 “Whenever I looked at rebels during raids, I got angrier, because they looked like the rebels who played cards in the ruins of the village where I

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

had lost my family. So when the lieutenant gave orders, I shot as many as I could, but I didn’t feel better. After every gunfight we would enter the rebel camp, killing those we had wounded.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

123 “The flames on the thatched roofs waves us off as they danced with the afternoon breeze, swaying as if in agony.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

123 “We are not like the rebels, those riffraffs who kill people for no reason. We kill them for the good and betterment of this country. So respect all these men.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

124 “This gun is your source of power in these times. It will protect you and provide you all you need, if you know

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

how to use it well.” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

124 “Sometimes we were asked to leave for war in the middle of a movie. We would come back hours later after killing many people and continue the movie as if we had just returned from intermission. “

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

124 “We were supposed to slice their throats on the corporal’s command. The person whose prisoner died quickest would win the contest.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

124 “I didn’t feel a thing for him, didn’t think that much about what I was doing. I just waited for the corporal’s order. The prisoner was simply another rebel who was responsible for the death of my family, as I had come to truly believe.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

125 “I was given the rank of junior lieutenant and Kanei was given junior sergeant. We celebrated that day’s achievement with more drugs and more war movies.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After

1- How has your opinion of Ishmael changed?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- Is it wrong to judge him when his situation caused him to become this? Explain.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- Is this situation with Ishmael the same as people who are in gangs and murdering? Explain. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4- Compare and contrast gangs to child soldiers.

Chapter 15- Before

Gangs

1-

2-

3-

Both

1-

2-

3-

Child Soldiers

1-

2-

3-

Write a letter to Ishmael’s mother from him explaining what has happened to him and how he has changed.

2- Use the vocabulary words in the word bank to make predictions about the book we are reading. You can use the words more than once to make your predictions. Think about how you think the author of the book will use the words in the story. As you are answering the questions, use the words in the word bank. If there are any words you can’t use because they are too unfamiliar, list those words as Mystery Words.

Setting What is the next setting of the upcoming chapter?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Selection chosen school city soldiers hijacking

Checkpoint cityscape foreigners screamed enemies

Blood wounded ambulance RUF grenade

UNICEF blinded persistent surgery civilians

Characters What predictions can you make about the characters?

Plot What will happen in the story? (minimum 2 events)

Mystery Words

During1- Read the first paragraph and answer the following questions. (p126)a- “My squad was my family, my gun was my provider and protector, and my rule was to kill or be killed.”

If this were a quote taken from a child in the United States, what would they be talking about? _______________________________________________________________________________

b- Ishmael says “I feel no pity for anyone.” How is this different from the way he felt before? _____________________________________________________________________________

2- Ishmael talks about how killing became a part of his daily activity. Create a schedule that explains Ishmael’s day and then create a schedule of your day.

3- How do the two schedules differ? ______________________________________________________________________________

Ishmael’s Day

6am:

8am:

10am:

Noon:

2pm:

4pm:

6pm:

8pm:

10pm:

Midnight:

Your Day

6am:

8am:

10am:

Noon:

2pm:

4pm:

6pm:

8pm:

10pm:

Midnight:

4- How does it make you feel to know there are hundreds of children YOUR AGE living Ishmael’s schedule every day? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5- (p126) “We wanted to hear his war stories, hear how many people he had killed.” What did the boys used to talk about? ______________________________________________________________

6- (p129) The boys are all lined up by order of the lieutenant. What is going on? Draw a scene that happened before the boys were lined up of the lieutenant and the UNICEF men meeting. The scene should explain what is going on.

A Haiku is a three lined poem. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables. Example:

Child soldiers kill (5 syllables: Chi-ld Sol-diers kill)

Their childhood is taken (7 syllables: Their Chi-ld-hood is ta-ken)

Someone save them please (5 syllables: Some-one save them please)

Create two different Haiku poems. One should be from the point of view of Ishmael and what he’s going through and the other from the point of view of the how are trying to help him.

Ishmael foreigner

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

7- (p132) Why were the boys able to eat all of the food before the foreigner was able to turn around? _______________________________________________________________________

8- (p133) Why are the boys fighting? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9- (p134) “We fought for the RUF; the army is the enemy.” Prediction time: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10- (p135) It hadn’t crossed their minds that a change of environment wouldn’t immediately make us normal boys; we were dangerous, and brainwashed to kill.” Relate this quote to life and give an example that this would also be true for. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AfterComplete the 3-2-1 summary

__________________________ ___________________________ __________________________3 questions you still have after reading this chapter

______________________ _______________________The two groups that were fighting in the chapter

__________________________One prediction of what will happen next

Chapter 16- BeforeCreate a line graph showing Ishmael’s high and low points throughout the novel so far. Wherever you have place a do, be sure to label it with what part in the story it goes with. You should have a minimum of 8 parts in the novel. Put emotions from calm to crazy with different words in between. The first example has been done for you.

indifferent (doesn’t care) 2 yrs after killing

Peaceful with family

During1- (p139) What is the purpose in the boys being there if they are going to destroy everything?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- (p140) After Poppay returned from being beaten up he said “It is not your fault that you did such a thing to me.” How hard would it be to forgive someone for hurting you when you didn’t do anything wrong? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- Write about a time when someone forgave you or you forgave them when you/they shouldn’t have. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4- (p142) After reading page 142-143, draw out the map of their plan. Be sure to include: the gunmen, the bundles with food, the positions the boys were stationed, where Alhaji practiced his Rambo moves, the dead bodies Alhaji killed, and where the others were at when the shooting began.

5- (p144) Ishmael explains Alhaji’s nickname became “Little Rambo” and his became “Green Snake.” If you had to come up with your own nickname off of the way you were in school, what would it be? ________________________________________________

6- (p145) Are the boys making progress? Why or why not? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7- (p147) Ishmael and his friends go to the city for the first time. Write five words that explain how they were feeling.

8- Write about a time when you saw something for the first time or experienced something you never had.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9- What did you and Ishmael have in common with the experiences? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10- (p149) Compare and contrast the way the boys reacted between Moriba’s death and Saidu’s.

After

1- Give chapter 16 a title. Write the title in the box provided.

2- Imagine you only have $2.00 and each word you use costs you 10 cents. Summarize chapter 16 for $2.00. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moriba’s death Both Saidu’s death

Chapter 17- Before1- Complete the 3-2-1

_____________________________ _________________________ __________________________Write three words you can picture from chapter 16

________________________ ______________________________Write two events or details that surprised you from chapter 16

________________________________Write one question you still have.

During

As you are reading chapter 17, fill in the section notes to take “Reading Notations”. Each page needs to have at least ONE note with explanations. Write down the quote, the notations, and an explanation.

↑ I agree with this X I disagree with this ?? I don’t understand this

! I can’t believe this # I did not know this √ I relate to

Example

↑- If I were with the group

of boys, I would have stolen food. If I didn’t I would die. When it comes to surviving, you have to do what it takes.

Page number

Quote Notation Explanation

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

After

1- Give chapter 17 a title. Write the title in the box provided.

2- Imagine you only have $2.00 and each word you use costs you 10 cents. Summarize chapter 17 for $2.00. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 18- BeforeCreate a list of at least FIVE ways Ishmael has made progress so far on the left. On the right write FIVE areas he still needs to work on.

During1- (p168)Ishmael enjoys talking to Ester because she reminds him of Abigail. Who is a person you are

able to talk to easily because they have been through a lot of the same things you have or grew up in the same area? _______________________________________________________________________

2- (p168) Create a timeline showing how Ishmael has changed from the beginning of the book to where you are now. Some of the change will be good; some of the change will be bad. You should have a minimum of ten events that show how he has changed.

1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

3- Create an advice column ran by Ishmael. You should have three current child soldiers write in with their questions to him and thorough paragraph answers to the soldiers from Ishmael.

Question: ___________________________________________________________________

Answer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: ___________________________________________________________________

Answer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: ___________________________________________________________________

Answer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4- Next create a 10 step how to list from Ishmael to child soldiers on how to rehabilitate from being a child soldier.

5- (p172) Create a dot picture showing the feelings Ishmael has after meeting his uncle for the first time.

6- How would you feel if you had to live with a family member you had never met before in your life because there was no one else around to live with? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How to Rehabilitate from Being a Child Solider

Step 1: ___________________________________________________

Step 2:___________________________________________________

Step 3:___________________________________________________

Step 4: ___________________________________________________

Step 5: ___________________________________________________

Step 6: ___________________________________________________

Step 7:___________________________________________________

Step 8: ___________________________________________________

Step 9: ___________________________________________________

Step 10: _________________________________________________

7- (p175) Write about a story you remember one of your parents/guardians once told you that you will never forget. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AfterWrite a rap about Ishmael’s life and what he has gone through. The rap must have 3 versus with four lines each verse. The first two lines will rhyme and the last two lines will rhyme. (unless you are good at this and want to do it another way)

Verse 1:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Verse 2:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Verse 3:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 19- BeforeQuestion Matrix- Write ten questions about the last chapters of this book you have. The questions have to be about what WILL happen and not what already happened.

Who What Where When Why HowIs

Won’t

Did

Might

Should

Will Ishmael visit him home country?

During-Create a comic strip of chapter 19. Each box must have dialogue or captions. All of the major parts of the two chapters must be included.

After

Answer the following questions about chapter 19.

Who was involved?

What events happened?

When did events take place?

Where did it take place?

Why did the events happen?

How did your pages end?

Based on this information above. Write a couple of sentences explaining what your pages were about.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________