Ready Readers 2

Ready Readers 2 More Lessons in Comprehension and Analysis Edited by

Missy Andrews

Š2011 The Center for Literary Education

Table of Contents Introduction

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The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden Missy Andrews

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The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White Jill Andrews

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Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry Jill Andrews

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Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen Missy Andrews

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The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli Jill Andrews

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Introduction Parents and teachers love the Teaching the Classics approach to reading and literature. It has inspired them to read and discuss books with their students like never before. Still, many parents have asked for a set of example lessons to help them develop meaningful discussions. Having learned the Teaching the Classics model, they want to see it applied to a few more stories before they set out on their own.

Ready Readers 2 fills this need with complete discussion notes for 10 classic stories. Each lesson includes a full set of Socratic discussion questions with comprehensive answers keyed to the text.

Questions cover Conflict, Plot, Setting, Characters, Theme, Literary Devices and Context. In addition, a completed Story Chart graphically outlines the major structural and thematic elements of each story.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK: Ready Readers 2 is designed for TEACHERS. It is not intended as a student workbook, but rather as a guide for discussion leaders. Which questions from the Socratic list are most likely to spark a good discussion? What answers should teachers be looking for? Ready Readers 2 answers both of these questions for teachers and parents alike.

Ready Readers 2 may be used with students in GRADES 3 and UP, depending on their needs: READING COMPREHENSION The Teaching the Classics approach helps develop good reading comprehension in the very youngest students. It encourages them to ponder well-designed questions about structure, style, context and theme in every story they read. Students for whom these stories are at or above reading level will benefit from a straightforward “question and answer” session based on the questions in each chapter.

LITERARY ANALYSIS The books discussed in this volume range in reading level from grade 3 to grade 8. Each selection provides an excellent example of the structural elements common to all stories.

Therefore, each story can be useful in discussions with students who are new to the techniques of literary analysis, regardless of their age. In fact, we encourage all teachers to begin each term by discussing at least one story that is far below the student’s reading level. In addition, many children’s stories are fueled by conflicts that underscore universal themes. While small children may not notice this, older students benefit from these thematic discussions.

Numbers in parentheses after each question refer to the Socratic List, which is included in Center for Lit’s flagship seminar Teaching the Classics: A Socratic Method for Literary Education. For more information about Teaching the Classics, visit www.centerforlit.com/ttc.htm.

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©The Center for Literary Education

The Cricket in Times Square

By George Selden Yearling, 1970 ISBN-10: 0965605116 ISBN-13: 978-0440415633

Summary Plot:

Chester Cricket emerges from a picnic basket to find himself not in familiar fields, butin the frightening and foreign tunnels of the New York City subway station. He makes new friends and, although he longs for home and freedom, remains in the city to help them.

Characters:

Chester Cricket, the protagonist Mario Bellini, Chester’s special friend and human protector Mama and Papa Bellini, Mario’s parents and proprietors of the newspaper stand Harry Cat and Tucker Mouse – residents of the station Mr. Smedley, a musician who discovers Chester’s musical talent Sai Fong, a businessman in Chinatown who teaches Mario Bellini about crickets

Setting:

A New York City subway station newspaper stand

Conflict:

Man vs. Nature Man v. Himself Man v. Fate

Theme:

Friendship is laying down y our life for another.

The call of freedom will not be denied

Lit. Devices:

Onomatopoeia Personification/Anthropomorphism Allusion Foreshadowing

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©The Center for Literary Education

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country home to a New York city subway station.

THEME

ennobled by their contact with him, and the Bellinis prosper. Chester is free.

Conclusion: Chester’s friends are

goodbye to each of his friends and returns home by train.

Man v. Nature or Man v. Himself: Will Chester remain with his new friends or return to his country home?

Man v. Fate: Will Chester gain his freedom? Can he help the Bellinis out of their poverty?

CONFLICT

PLOT

CHARACTERS Dénouement: Chester says

Friendship. “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.” Also Freedom.

Rising Action: He befriends Mario and his poor family and becomes a famous musician; but he begins to long for home and freedom.

Exposition: Chester is taken from his

SETTING

home after a farewell concert that gains a lasting reputation, and financial success, for the Bellinis.

Climax: Chester decides to return

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden: Story Chart

.

SETTING Rising Action

Climas:

THEME

Denouement

Conclusion

CHARACTERS

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden: Story Chart

Exposition:

PLOT CONFLICT

.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden: Discussion Setting: Does the story happen in the country or the city? (1b.)

The story takes place in New York, New York.

What is the mood or atmosphere of the place where the story happens? Is it cheerful and sunny, or dark and bleak? What words or phrases or descriptions does the author use to create this atmosphere? (1d.)

New York is a bustling metropolis, as alive with activity by night as it is by day. The streets are never vacant, the stores rarely closed, as millions of city dwellers hustle to their myriad destinations (Chapter 4, pg. 32). In addition, the subway system lies underground.

Consequently, it is dark, dingy and metropolitan. It’s quite noisy when the trains run, then lonely when the people and trains leave. No sun or breeze freshens the place.

Does the story take in any other surroundings?

Mario takes his cricket on a couple of brief forays into China Town (Chapter 6, pg. 44).

Do you long to climb into the pages of this book to live in its world, or does it repel you? Why? (1f.)

Answers will vary. As a follow up question, ask; “Is this place scary to you, as it was to Chester Cricket? Why or why not?”

Among what kinds of people is the story set? What is their economic condition? How do they live?

Are they hopeful? Downtrodden and depressed? Why? (1h.)

Mario and his family operate a newsstand in the subway station below Times Square.

Unfortunately, his father stocks his stand with reading materials customers don’t want.

Consequently, he never sells much.

“Too bad you couldn’t have found more successful friends,” said Harry Cat. “I fear for the future of this newsstand.’ ‘It’s true,’ echoed Tucker sadly. ‘They’re going broke fast…’.” (Chapter 4, pg.

31) The Bellini family lives in poverty and want, and no one feels it more acutely than Mama Bellini.

In what season does the story take place? (2c.)

It must be late spring or early summer when the story begins, as Chester inadvertently arrives in the Times Square Subway Station via a picnic basket (Chapter 3, pg. 22).

In what time of life for the main characters do the events occur? Are they children? Are they just passing into adulthood? Are they already grownups? (2e.)

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©The Center for Literary Education