Runt

Runt

By Marion Dane Bauer

Prediction Guide:

Pre-Reading:

What is a runt? Would you like to be called Runt? Why or why not? What do you think this book will be about? Where do you think it might take place? Why do you think so?

Great readers keep themselves involved in the story while they’re reading by making predictions about what they think may happen next. They look for clues to help them make these guesses. As you read Runt answer these questions AS YOU GO and don’t worry whether your answers are right or not. Also, create at least one prediction or question by the end of each chapter with one of these phrases:

“I wonder whether…”

“I think that Runt will probably…”

“I think the next obstacle may be…”

Chapter 1

1. Will Runt thrive? Will he keep his name? What makes you think this?

Chapter 2

1. What else will matter to Runt?

Chapter 3

1. “Runt refused to worry, though. He would find his gift one day. He knew he would.” (p.23) What do you think his gift will be? Why?

Chapter 4

1. Will Runt find his way home? What will King and his mother say?

Chapter 5

1. Will Runt tell anyone the truth about Bider? Why?

Chapter 6

1. Will his father agree with the new name Brave One? Why?

Chapter 7

1. Was Runt brave or foolish? Will King find out that Bider call him coward? What would he do?

Chapter 8

1. Will he die? What will the humans do?

Chapter 9

1. Will he return home? What else could he do?

Chapter 10

1. How will what Runt learn from Goldie change him?

Chapter 11

1. What will happen to Thinker? Will he go to the humans for help too?

Chapter 12

1. How will the others treat Runt now? What should he do?

Chapter 13

1. Will Runt finally be able to prove himself? How?

Chapter 14

1. Will he find Bider? Explain how they might be successful.

Chapter 15

1. What will happen between Bider and King? Who will Runt choose?

Chapter 16

1. Will King want to listen to Runt now? What will happen next?

Chapter 17

1. How will Runt try to prove himself next?

Chapter 18

1. Where do you think Bider is going? What will he do?

Chapter 19

1. Should Runt follow? Will the pack find food?

Chapter 20

1. How would Runt save himself? What can he do on his own?

Chapter 21

1. Is Raven right about King too? Will Singer be happy?

Comprehension Check:

1. Who names Runt and why is he given this name?
2. What are two mistakes Runt makes during the novel?
3. Why does Runt start to question the actions of his father?
4. Describe Bider and what happens to him.
5. How does Runt change over the course of the novel?

Discussion Guide:

1. Runt tries to prove himself to his family again and again to gain their approval and acceptance. Do people ever behave this way too? In what ways? Why do we sometimes feel it necessary to act like this?

2. What does it mean to be brave? Who in the pack displays bravery? Is it ever brave to choose to do nothing? When?

3. After a few incidents, Runt’s siblings avoid him. Are they justified in acting this way? Why or why not? Does he deserve this treatment? Does anyone ever deserve to be ostracized from his or her own family?

4. Discuss this quote: “Perhaps the truth was that humans were a mixture, aggressive and kind, greedy and generous. Like wolves.” (p. 127) Do you agree with Runt’s assessment? Why or why not. Give examples from the text that support your point of view.

5. Read and discuss the Afterword by the author. What was the most surprising fact that you learned? What misconceptions have people long held about wolves? Why do you think people accepted these mistruths? What other animals have been characterized as evil by people but probably are not? Why, do you suppose, this happens to some creatures and not others?

Projects:

Science:

Create a poster that shows the food chain in a woodland setting. How important are the larger predators to the chain? What happens if one of the members is destroyed?  Research at least one other climate and a food chain for it.

-or-

Research another predator of your choice. Find out: range of location, diet, mating habits, gestational period and length of its childhood, solitary or pack animal, a list of its enemies, and its current status in the wild. Be sure to paraphrase this information (do NOT just print out the information) and create a pamphlet about your animal.

History:

Create a timeline for the history of wolves and their involvement with humans. Or create one based on a predator of your choosing.

Math:

Create a chart (pie, graph, or bar) that reports population information about wild wolves or other predators.

Language Arts:

Thomas Jefferson once said, “The most valuable of talents is never using two words when one will do."  Marion Dane Bauer’s spare yet captivating writing would certainly match Mr. Jefferson’s definition. One way she accomplishes this is by using action verbs that add meaning to each sentence. Reread one chapter of Runt, and write down several words and phrases that you think are particularly well-crafted. Share your list with a partner and discuss. Then, on your own, write a description of an animal that is inspired by what you learned from the author.

On My Honor

On My Honor

By Marion Dane Bauer

About this Newbery Honor book:

On the way to the park, Joel’s best friend Tony challenges him to take a swim in the treacherous Vermillion River. Both boys have been warned never to go near the river, but Joel gives in. He doesn’t want Tony to think he’s scared. It isn’t until Tony disappears that Joel comes to a terrible realization- Tony can’t swim.

Pre-reading:

What does it mean to be on one’s honor? What is honor? Have you ever been on your honor for anything? What?

-or-

What is peer pressure? Have you ever been influenced to do something by a friend that you later regretted? Why do friends have such influence over us?

Prediction Guide:

Great readers keep themselves involved in the story while they’re reading by making predictions about what they think may happen next. They look for clues to help them make these guesses. As you read On My Honor answer these questions AS YOU GO and don’t worry whether your answers are right or not. Also, create at least one prediction or question by the end of each chapter with one of these phrases:

“I wonder whether…”

“I think that Joel will probably…”

“I think the next event to happen will be…”

Chapter 1

Will Tony convince Joel to climb the bluffs once they are at the park? Why do you think so or not?

Chapter 2

Will Joel swim in the river?

Chapter 3

Will both boys follow through with the dare?

Chapter 4

How will Joel find Tony?

Chapter 5

What happens next? Will Joel find help?

Chapter 6

Will Joel go to the police? What will he say to them?

Chapter 7

What will Joel and Tony’s parents say?

Chapter 8

Will the truth come out? How?

Chapter 9

What will Joel say to Tony’s mom?

Chapter 10

What will happen next? What makes you think so?

Chapter 11

How will Joel’s parents deal with the truth? Will he be punished?

Comprehension Check:

1. Describe Tony’s personality.
2. What happens at the river?
3. Why does Joel blame his father?
4. Why does Joel smell the stink of the river on his skin even after his shower?  Does anyone else smell it?  Why or why not?
5. Does Joel face punishment from his family? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions:

1. Tony and Joel have been friends since they were babies even though they rarely wanted to do the same things anymore. “Joel wondered, sometimes, why they stayed friends.” (p.2)  Why do we keep some friendships alive while we let others slip away? Why do you think Joel and Tony remained companions even though they often had disagreements?

2. Joel tries to involve his dad asking permission so that he’ll refuse the boys plea to bike out to the park. Why can’t Joel just stand up to Tony’s demands and refuse to go? How does Tony exert such influence over his friend? Is this typical of boys’ behavior or all friendships between kids? Could Joel have found a way to save face without going on the ride?

3. Joel’s dad makes Joel promise “On your honor? You’ll watch for traffic, and you won’t go anywhere except the park? You’ll be careful the whole way?” (p. 8) Has your opinion about honor or responsibility changed after reading the novel?

4. Joel makes up a series of lies and excuses for what has happened at the river which he feeds to his parents that evening. Why, do you think, his lies and excuses ultimately don’t work? Do you think the truth would have eventually come out regardless? Which would be worse: living with everyone knowing the truth or hiding it? Why?

5. Do you agree with Joel’s statement: “Bad wasn’t something that could be locked out. Bad was something that came from inside you when you didn’t even know it was there.”(p.83) Why or why not?

6. “We all made choices today, Joel. You, me, Tony. Tony’s the only one who doesn’t have to live with his choice.” (p.88) How do you think Joel and his father will live with their choices? Will the events of that day change Joel? How? What do you think his father will be like from then on?

7. The entire novel of On My Honor occurs over the course of one day. Why do you think the author chose this dense timeline to tell the story? What does it add to the events? How would it be different if the storyline were spread across a year, or even a decade? What did you learn about storytelling that you could apply to your own writing?

8. Knowing what you do about Joel’s and Tony’s characters, discuss how the story would have been different if the events in the river had been reversed and it was Joel who was not found. What would Tony have done? Would he have felt as much responsibility and guilt? Would anyone feel guilty? Why?

Projects:

Make a cause and effect diagram that charts the choices and decisions that characters made along the path to and from the river. After that step is complete, add sticky notes wherever an alternative choice could have been made and what that might have been.

Share the book On My Honor with your own family. Discuss how you can create an atmosphere where you can reveal the pressure you feel from others. Perhaps you can create a signal that alerts your parents to something that you are uncomfortable with and would like to discuss in private.

Write a letter from Joel to Tony’s parents about the events in the book.

Research the topic of water safety and create an illustrated pamphlet about what you learned. Be sure to put the information into your own words so that kids can understand your pamphlet.

Create an abstract piece of art inspired by one of the following words: guilt, regret, honor, responsibility, peer pressure or blame. Give particular attention to the palette of colors you choose and be deliberate in your use of lines and shapes. Explain your piece in a short paragraph that you attach to the back.

After a brief class discussion on the purpose of chapter titles (why they are included or not, what they add to a text, how to write a compelling one), create chapter titles for On My Honor.  Make them compelling, of course, but without giving away the story. 

Write a chapter 13 for On My Honor. You can change the ending of the story to be whatever you wish would happen next, including Tony’s being discovered alive, Joel’s attending Tony’s funeral or any other event you would like to explore further.

Land of the Buffalo Bones

A Teacher’s Guide for

Land of the Buffalo Bones

The Diary of Mary Ann Elizabeth Rodgers,

An English Girl in Minnesota

By Marion Dane Bauer

About the Book:

Land of the Buffalo Bones is the diary of Mary Rodgers, known as Polly. Promising religious freedom and fertile land, Polly's father, Dr. Rodgers, moves their Baptist community from England to the Minnesota prairie. After a treacherous journey across the sea and across this country, Polly finds their new home to be no paradise at all. Written with incredible heart and compassion, insight and sensitivity, Marion Dane Bauer has created one of the most sophisticated and courageous characters DEAR AMERICA has seen.

 

“Accompanied by photos of the Rodgers family and scenes of the settlement, this is an engrossing look at the hardships faced by many pioneers.” – Booklist

 

 

Pre-Reading:

 

What do you know of life on the American frontier in the 1870’s? How was it different in these aspects: communication, transportation, daily living, and medicine? Do you think it would be exciting to go on a journey to a new land? What would you lose? What might you gain?

 

 

 

Comprehension Check:

 

1. Explain why the Rodgers family moved to Minnesota.
2. List the tragedies and adversities the new immigrants face on their journey.
3. Describe, in your own words, what the settlers found when they finally reached their destination.
4. Retell the major events that happened to the Rodgers’ family once they arrived in Minnesota.
5. What were the major events in Polly’s best friend’s life, Jane Thompson?

Discussion Guide:

1. The Rodgers move to America to express their religious freedom. How did this desire for religious freedom guide Dr. Rodgers’ choices in the new land? What other reasons do people have to emigrate? What reasons would be important enough for you to face the challenges that Polly and her family did?

2. We often take for granted the luxuries of living in a modern age. Discuss the hardscrabble existence that pioneers endured when they settled the west. What do you think would be the most difficult aspect of settling a new town? What would you miss most about your home if you left it?

3. Dr. Rodgers endured most of the blame for the new settlement’s tragedies. Was this a justifiable response or was he simply the scapegoat for poor planning? After all, most of the settlers had never done the kind of work they were expected to do either. How would you feel if your family was the target of people’s anger and blame for their hardships?

4. Polly refers to Native Americans in typical phrases of the time such as “heathen savages” and “red-Indians.” What does she learn about the meaning of the word savage as she gets to know Ozawamukwah? What savage things have whites done to the original occupants of the land and to the upper Midwest itself? Discuss what Jane says to Polly at the end of the story. “There are many savages on this earth, Polly. Perhaps there may be some, too, in the Ojibwa nation, but I have not yet known them.” (p.181)

5. The faith of many would be tested by the trials that the Rodgers and other families faced while settling in Minnesota. How do you think their faith helped sustain them? Do you think Dr. Rodgers ever questioned his plans and regretted the decision to move the family? Polly remains ever faithful to her father despite his impracticality. Would you be so loyal in her position?

6. What was the most interesting fact you learned while reading Land of the Buffalo Bones? Do you think historical fiction is a good way to learn about a particular place and time? What are the advantages of reading about history in this way compared to a traditional non-fiction text? Are there any disadvantages? Will you seek out other books that are historical fiction? Why or why not?

7. Polly played a major role in helping to raise her younger siblings. Once the girl hired to help (Nellie) leaves, her chores increase even more. What do you think of the work that was required of children during this time? How was life different in every aspect compared to childhood of today? What do you think those children would think of your lifestyle?

8. Polly tries to get Jane to tell her “all that is important to each of our lives” (p. 145) but settles instead for an oath that if either needs the other’s help she will ask for it. They pounded a nail in a tree to “stand as an iron symbol of our vow to each other until such as one of us should draw it out again.”(p.146) What can you already assume about Jane that she was not willing to agree on the first vow? What do you think of this custom? Would you be willing to make either of these vows? Which one? With whom?

9. Polly takes great pains to use her limited art supplies in the best way and so is dashed when Laura carelessly destroys them. Do you think the outcome would have been different if Polly had only shared with her sister in the beginning? Should she be expected to share what little she has to call her own? What can we learn about her painstaking process and the subjects she chose for her work?

10. This book is different from other books in the Dear America series because it is based on the family history of the author, Marion Dane Bauer. What do you think it would be like to bring some of your ancestors to life in this manner? Do you know the stories of how any of the people in your family came to America? Whose story and what time period would you be most interested in exploring? Why?

Projects:

Art:

Polly paints two pictures to help her remember her home in England. Create a picture that you would like to make of your own home if you had to leave it forever. Remember what Polly chose to paint. Her choice may inspire your own work.

Research:

In small groups, research one of the following topics from Land of the Buffalo Bones and create a poster about what you learned. Share your finding in a brief presentation to your classmates. Topics:

Immigration to America in the 1870’s

Sea voyages for immigrants

Daily pioneer life

Pioneer farming

Pioneer cooking

Typical clothing of the period

Ojibwa People

Northern Pacific Railroad (or other rail companies of the period)

Apprenticeships

Sod Homes

Wigwams

Locust Plagues

Buffalo hunting

Family Tree:

Create a family tree for Polly or for your own family as far back as you can find credible information. Add dates where possible.

Writing:

Keep a journal, as Polly did, for at least a couple of weeks. You don’t have to write in it each day but see how it changes your perspective on your own life.  You do not have to share your entries, of course, but write a brief paragraph explaining what you learned from the process.

Or, write journal entries for Jane Thompson. Write at least five that show her challenges and how she faces them.

The Double Digit Club

The Double Digit Club

By Marion Dane Bauer

About the book:

This summer nine-year-old Sarah is dreading the first day of summer vacation. It will be her best friend’s birthday, and stuck up Valerie Miller will ask Paige to join her silly Double-Digit Club, a group that ignores girls who are not ten yet. If Paige says yes, Sarah will have no friends for the whole summer because her birthday isn’t until the end of August. Even though Sarah and Paige have promised to be “last, best, and only friends,” Sarah is not sure Paige will be able to pass up the chance to be accepted by the most popular girls in school.

In this heartfelt novel, a girl discovers the meaning of true and honest friendship and learns to face the future as a wiser and more open person.

“Middle-graders will sympathize with how seemingly innocuous errors in judgment can snowball into serious trouble and respond to Miss B.'s gentle but firm guidance as Sarah learns the simple but very complicated truths about growing up.”

-         Booklist

-          

About this guide:

This guide includes discussion questions and projects intended to extend the use of the novel into classrooms, book clubs, and literature circles. It should promote discussion on the issues and themes of the novel including friendship, forgiveness, belonging, and growing up.

Discussion Guide:

1. The Double Digit Club explores both close friendships and small groups of girls. Do you think friendship between boys and girls are different? How? Why? Is there anything girls could learn from boys’ friendships? What could boys learn from girls’ friendships?

2. Paige isn’t upfront with Sarah about being invited to join the DDC. Sarah isn’t honest with Paige about how she acquired the doll or with Miss B about borrowing it. Paige also doesn’t reveal how she feels about Sarah’s bossy behavior. Which of these untruths do you think is the most harmful? Are there ever any good reasons to lie? When? Could honesty have saved this friendship?

3. Would you like to be a member of the Double Digit Club? Why or why not? Why do you think girls often form these exclusive clubs? Do you think it is more about letting people in or keeping others out? Why do you think these clubs get started? What can you do if you’re faced with being left out?

4. Discuss these famous quotes on friendship:

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."
- Helen Keller

"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"
-Abraham Lincoln

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
- Walter Winchell

“Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.”

-         Albert Camus

5. There is an old Hasidic saying that “One who looks for a friend without faults will have none.”  What could Paige have done or said to Sarah about how she was feeling before abandoning her?  Can true friends talk about the other’s faults without ruining a friendship? How? Is it important to know what faults you might have? Why?

6. Sarah asks Miss B, “Does growing up always have to be so hard?”  Miss B answers that, “I’m afraid it does, my dear. Growing up is just plain hard work.” (p. 112) Do you agree with Miss B? Why? What do you think is the most difficult part of growing up? Why do some girls want to grow up and others put it off as long as possible? What parts about growing up are exciting? What parts are scary?

7. Miss Berglund doesn’t act like most adults. She doesn’t try to deny Sarah’s feelings, contradict her emotions or reassure her with false hope. Instead, she is often quiet or agrees with what Sarah has said. Why do you think most adults (especially parents) try to deny how kids feel? Would you really like your parents to act like Miss B with her complete honesty? What might you lose if they did?

8. Do you agree with Miss B’s assessment that: “I guess there’s always a bit of hate in every kind of love.” What does she mean by this statement? How is this true of Sarah and Paige? Of Miss B and her father?  Is it true in any of your own friendships? How?

9. Sarah offers to make amends for breaking Nancy/Collette. She offers to read to Miss B or wash her dishes, anything she wants her to do. But Miss B declines because it wouldn’t fix the crack or change anything. Why do you think Miss B feels this way? Do you agree? Does she want her to remember what she’s done and not feel like it’s over? Will Sarah be able to fix the crack in her friendship with Miss B or Paige either? Can some things never really be fixed between people? When?

10.  What do you think of Sarah’s idea to start a Growing Up Club where anyone who wanted to be a friend could join. “You wouldn’t have to be a certain age. Or a certain anything, for that matter. No one would have to be like anyone else or have to do what anyone else said.” (p. 116) Do you think the idea could work? Could it work for you? How?

Projects:

Write a classified advertisement for a friend. You have only twenty words so choose carefully. Here are some words you might consider for your ad: funny, silly, quiet, shy, honest, likes to play basketball, soccer, board games, etc. loves camping, swimming, playing outside…

Using one of the famous quotes on friendship, or creating one of your own, develop a piece of art inspired by it. Share it with your friend.

Write a letter to an old or new friend.

As a group brainstorm a list of things that friends do for one another. Using various markers let students write their responses directly onto bulletin board or butcher paper. When the discussion is over, add in large block letters: BE A FRIEND TODAY for an instant bulletin board.

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