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Welcome to Mr. Donnelly's Webpage 
If you would like to share stories about your summer or listen to what others are doing, please check out the summer blog and post a comment. Happy summer everyone!
Build your math and geography skills with arcademic skill builders (click below):
1. Explain why ______________ (Include a situation from the story). Example: Explain why Donald gave himself a test while stuck at home?
2. How does ______________ (character's name) change in the story?
3. Briefly summarize the main events of the story in the order that they occur.
4. Explain how __________ (character's name) life has changed.
5. What is _________ (insert character's name) main problem in the story?
6. Where does this story probably take place?
7. Which word BEST describes __________ (insert character's name)?
8. This chapter is mainly about ________________.
9. What important facts have you learned about _____________?
New Reading Skills to Practice:
- What would I name or re-name this chapter or section that I read? What evidence in the story would support my title? (There are four steps to answer this question: First, summarize or retell the part of the story you read. Second, ask yourself, "What is the main idea of this section?" Third, think of a title that would fit the main idea. Lastly, find evidence in the text that proves you chose a great title.)
- Think of a theme question to keep asking yourself and analyzing throughout your story. (example: Is Donald Zinkoff a loser?)
- Write a letter to a character in your story. (Ask him/her questions about how they were feeling or thinking when different events were happening. Give them advice. Tell them how you would have done things differently and why.)
Book Discussions
First start by asking your child simple questions, such as:
- "What are you reading?" (Make sure you sound interested. Don't make it seem too formal)
- "Can you tell me a little bit about it?"
- "Who is your favorite character?" If there is no elaboration, ask why they like that character.
- "Would you like this character as a friend? Why?"
Moving Deeper:
- Can you pick a part in the story that you (liked, hated, felt confused by...)? Can you find and read that part to me? Why did you (like, hate, feel confused by...) this part?
- What if you were in your character's situation? How might you handle things? Would you do anything differently?
- What do you think about ________________? (character, setting)
- How do the other characters treat the main character (or a character you pick)?
- Would you like to be friends with ________? (character)
- Would you like to live in ___________? (setting)
- If you were the character in the story, what would you have done?
- How would you compare yourself/life to this character?
- What do you think the author's main idea is in this part?
- What was the most exciting part of the chapter for you? What would be one part you would like to get rid of in the chapter/book?
Deeper questions to ask in partnerships and book clubs!!! Start by picking a part from the story. Re-read the part and then try the following question:
- Why might the author have included this _______ (character dialogue, sentence, object, character action, part...)?
- If something is odd say, "This doesn't seem right...What could _________ really represent?"
Deeper Thoughts about Characters:
1) What is something my character did (action), thought, or said?
2) What events in my story caused my character to do, think or say that?
3) What can I say about my character?
Multiplication:
Here are some mysteries to try to solve:
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