Scorpio's Child

Scorpio’s Child by Kezi Mathews

Prediction Guide: (Will not give away major plot elements, but will help direct reading and aide in comprehension)

Pre- reading:

1. What important historical events pre-dated the beginning of the novel?
2. How might it have an effect on the main character and her choices?
3. By the title and cover, guess who Scorpio’s Child may be, and its significance.

June 1947

1. Why do you think Mother doesn’t want Afton to tell her father about Bailey’s visit?
2. Will Afton be able to make friends with the old road dog under the bush? What makes you think so?
   
    
3. Will Afton win John Howard back from Jo Helen? How?

July 1947

1. Do you believe Bailey is a war hero? Why or why not.
2. What will Afton do to help Pearl Ann? What would you do?
3. Why do you think Mama is not at all close with her kin?
4. Isaac calls Bailey a “ghost man.” What could this mean?
5. What is in “the closet of sorrows?” What else could be in it?

August 1947

1. Will Afton tell Mama what she saw at the creek?
2. Will Afton trust her Mama to know what is best?
3. Will Traveler come back?
4. Did Bailey commit the crime that he has been accused of?
5. What do you think will happen to Pearl Ann?
6. Will Deenie and Afton remain friends?
7. What really happened to Bailey? Will he recover from it?
8. Will Afton admit to her mother her part in having Bailey accused?
9. Will Mama forgive Afton?

Comprehension/ Quiz questions

Knowledge

1. Identify the major characters in the book.
2. What is the location and time period that the novel takes place?

Comprehension:

1. What are the major conflicts between Afton and her mother?
2. How do they become more intense as the plot moves forward?
3. Outline the key events of July, 1947

Application

1. Make a list of all the clues that are given about Bailey’s past.
2. If you were Afton, how would you go about solving this mystery in modern times?

Analysis

1. Examine the similarities between Traveler and Bailey. How are they similar how are they different?
2. Examine the friendship of Deenie and Afton. Are they true friends? What makes you believe so or not?

Synthesis:

1. How would you feel if you were Afton?
2. Describe how your life would be different if you lived in 1947 in a small, Southern town.

Evaluation:

1. Discuss how family secrets are destructive. Why are they?
2. Which chapter was your favorite? Why?

Multiple Intelligence Projects for Scorpio’s Child

Verbal/ Linguistic:

Pretend that you are Afton, and after each month write a brief journal depicting your current feelings and the situation. Then, after August, switch roles, and write one through the eyes of Mamma.

Logical/ Mathematical:

Create an historical timeline of the period in which the story takes place. Go at least ten years prior to the opening of the book, and five years after. Place events of the story in chronological order as well.

Visual/ Spatial:

Create a collage depicting the relationship between Afton and her mother. You can use whatever media you desire.

Body/Kinesthetic:

Role play the scene that occurs just after the ending of the book. Be true to the story and the characters.

Music:

Find music from the 1940’s and learn it on an instrument. Or, make a venn diagram and compare the following elements of that music with today’s music: lyrics, instrumentation, rhythm, sound quality.

Interpersonal:

In a short journal discuss the following ideas:

Obviously this family’s secrets have held the mother a captive for many years. Would you keep this secret if you were Mamma? Would you, if you were Afton, in the end wish you could take back all the information so that the town would not know about Bailey’s past? Or, would you be glad to the whole story was finally out? Who do you think suffered the most in the story? Why?

Intrapersonal:

Small Group project: Create a chart with major characters running down the side, and a list of the major events across the top. In each corresponding block discuss the character’s role in the scene… even if they weren’t present. If the character is actually a player in the scene, put a star in the top right corner of the box.

John Riley's Daughter

Teacher’s Guide
John Riley’s Daughter by Kezi Mathews
Knowledge:
1. Explain what is wrong with Clover Martin and how it happened.
2. Describe who the following characters are: Naomi, Memphis, Clover, and Aunt
Birdie.
Comprehension:
1. Retell what has happened between Memphis and Clover in the opening chapters.
2. Who is Samson, and why is he so important to Memphis?
Analysis:
1. Tell how this story would be different if told through the eyes of Clover rather
than Memphis.
2. In Chapter five a stranger takes Memphis by surprise at home. Explain what you
would do in similar circumstances.
Synthesis:
1. What would happen today if a child (or an adult with pretty severe disabilities)
disappears? How would it be different than 1973?
2. How would you feel if you were John Riley’s daughter?
Evaluation:
1. In the end, Memphis says, “ I’m coming to understand that home isn’t brick or
board. It’s a feeling of belonging, of being at peace right where you are.” Explain
what helped Memphis come to this conclusion. And, if you were Memphis, would
you have?
Prediction Guide: John Riley’s Daughter
Pre-Reading:
1. Who do you suppose is John Riley’s Daughter? Why would someone refer to
herself as someone’s daughter rather than by her own name?
2. Before the opening of chapter one, the author quotes a passage from the bible. Job
28:12. What could this seven word question tell you about what might happen?
Chapter 1:
1. When and where do you think Clover will be found?
2. Will Naomi forgive Memphis for starting another battle with Clover and making
her run off?
3. What do you suppose that guitar is so important to Memphis?
Chapter 2:
1. Do you think John Riley will show up through the course of the book?
2. Will they find Clover at the store? Will Memphis own up to starting the fight with
Naomi?
Chapter 3
1. Do you think Clover is truly lost or is she, like Memphis said, “ What is Clover
trying to prove?”
2. At the end of chapter three why is Naomi “in the front yard, running back and
forth screaming, “No! No!”
Chapter 4
1. Why would folks be talking about Memphis and the Greely boy?
2. Why did Rebecca Simmons mother tell her “to stay a country mile away from the
likes of you!”
3. What do you think happened to Memphis’ guitar? Why?
Chapter 5
1. Why would Memphis look in Clover’s room?
2. Describe the man who comes to the door.
3. Will she tell Aunt Birdie and Naomi about the man at the door? Why?
Chapter 6
1. Why do you suppose Memphis doesn’t really believe Clover is missing? What
purpose does this serve her?
2. “Its canopy of pines and live oaks met way up overhead, dripping down Spanish
moss laced with wild pink and white azaleas. Every living thing in there knew
when you showed up.” Describe a natural place in your own neighborhood. Also,
explain why Memphis is going there.
3. Why does Memphis think the Sheriff wants to talk to her?
Chapter 7
1. “But when it seen me, it knowed who to come to, who’d take care of it.” Who will
do this for John Riley’s daughter? Who loves her best?
2. What kind of trouble is going to come from Memphis stepping on that red rock?
3. Samson says, “ in no way did it remind me of clover [the possum]” but does it?
How?
Chapter 8
1. Who does Naomi blame?
2. What is the sheriff trying to find out?
3. Who else does Naomi blame? Find a quote to prove it.
Chapter 9
1. What is Naomi implying with the words, “nobody in my family ever looked like
that.”
2. Who did Aunt Birdie want to marry? How would all the things be different then?
3. Will the famous bloodhound find her? What makes you think so?
Chapter 10
1. What do they need to track her?
2. What surprise happens at the end of chapter ten? Will it happen again?
Chapter 11
1. What does Memphis do during the terrible wait?
2. What story does Samson’s mama tell to maker her feel better?
3. Do they find her?
Chapter 12
1. How did Memphis learn about Clover’s condition?
2. What really hurts Memphis at the end of chapter 12?
Chapter 13
1. “ I know you’re sorry, Memphis. But that doesn’t make things right. That doesn’t
undo the damage.” Who do you agree with here?
2. Are you glad Aunt Birdie asks her to stay with her, why?
Chapter 14
1. Does Naomi ever really forgive Memphis?
2. Does Memphis forgive John Riley?
3. What happens to Samson, and in the end, how is Memphis changed?
Multiple Intelligence projects for
John Riley’s Daughter by Kezi Mathews
Verbal/ Linguistic
Pretend you are Memphis and write a letter of apology to Naomi for what happened.
Logical/ Mathematical
Create a venn diagram (intersecting circles) comparing Naomi to Aunt Birdie. Be sure to
list what they have in common, and differences too.
Visual/ Spatial
In chapter 6 Mathews describes the pine woods. Using whatever natural elements you
can, create a piece of art that depicts the mood of that description. (for example: moss,
leaves, bark, etc.)
Body/ Kinesthetic
In small groups, pick a key scene to recreate. It can be one that played on or off screen in
the book. Use the book as a guide for your screenplay of the scene, but add in details like
gestures or set design of your own.
Musical/ Rhythmic
Listen to the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” that is mentioned on the first page of the book.
What do you think of it and why? Have you ever heard any other music from this era?
How are they different from the music of today?
Interpersonal
As part of the scene to re-enact decide how to divide the labor of the project fairly.
Decide who should be in charge of what, and how each member will be held accountable
for their contribution. Should grades be given by the teacher or partly by team members
too? Think about all aspects of the production before assignments are decided upon.
Make a contract, and hand it in to your teacher before you begin work.
Intrapersonal:
Journal slam. Write at least five notes back and forth between you and a friend who is
also reading John Riley’s Daughter. Be sure not to give anything away to your friend, but
discuss the book at length. Be sure to comment on characters, and plot…especially what
you think will happen next and why. Comment on any descriptions you think are
especially well drawn, and even admit to each other if you got lost and why. All letters
must be turned in together.

Flying Lessons

Teacher’s Guide for

Flying Lessons by Kezi Matthews

Prediction Guide:

Pre-reading:

Just by reading the cover of the book you can know the time period of the story and all the main character’s names. Make a bookmark with these details to help you dive right into the story.

Chapters 1-3

1. Will LaMarr get a letter from Charmaine?
2. Will she like her Uncle and Aunt Conroy?
3. Will LaMarr ever see the spooky boy on the bus again?
4. LaMarr says on her first meeting of Mrs. Conroy, “I’m afraid she wasn’t going to find much about me to like.” Will this be true?

Chapters 4-7

5. How will LaMarr adjust to such an ordinary life?
6. Will things get better or worse with George McClendon?
7. How about with Japonica and the Conroys?
8. Will LaMarr’s presence continue to cause fights between the Conroys? What makes you thinks so or not?
9. Will Truly and LaMarr become friends?

Chapters 8-10

10. Will LaMarr ever hear from Charmaine?
11.  What do you think Mrs. Conroy means with “putting the name onto the child”
12. Will Truly come home with LaMarr? Why or why not?
13.  What will LaMarr do with her newfound knowledge about her name and father?

Chapters 11-15

14. Will LaMarr confront her father?
15.  How will LaMarr handle the news of Amelia Earhart?
16.  Will Uncle Conroy, do as he says, better for LaMarr than they did for his sister, Charmaine?
17.  Will LaMarr ever accept the truth about Charmaine?

Comprehension Guide/ Quiz Questions

Knowledge:

1. Describe each of the main characters.
2. Find one quote that best represents that character, and write it down next to their description.

Comprehension:

1. Summarize the five to ten main events in the story.
2. Give examples of how you know that the Conroy’s do in fact love LaMarr.

Application:

1. Extend the book ten  years into the future. How do you think LaMarr turned out?

       2.What does she do for a living? Is she more like the Conroys or her mother?

Analyze:

1. Compare and contrast the Conroys. How are they alike? How are they different from each other?
2. Reread the sections with Truly in it. After knowing the truth about him, do you see any hints about it beforehand?

Synthesize:

1. Explain how would this story be different if Charmaine wasn’t dead, but had just abandoned LaMarr?
2. Compile a list of your favorite descriptions throughout the narrative. Then, illustrate at least three of them.

Multiple Intelligence Projects for

Flying Lessons by Kezi Matthews

Verbal/ Linguistic

Write at least 8 letters to Charmaine from LaMarr. Try to slip inside the skin of LaMarr and sound exactly as she would. Be sure to write the letters in such a way that proves you read the entire novel.

Logical/Mathematical

Create a chart that includes: all the major characters going down one column, and at least 8 major events going across the top. Where the two intersect, tell how that character contributed to the scene (whether present in it or not) and use it as a study guide for the quiz.

Visual/ Spatial

Explore the art of the time period of the book: The 1930’s. Then, create a poster that is in the same style to promote it. Be sure to have the title and author somewhere on the piece. You can use any type of materials you like: paint, markers, etc. but be sure that the colors and style remain true to the period.

Body/Kinesthetic

Find your favorite scene in the book, and rewrite it as a short one-act play. Use the dialogue, as it is written, but include stage directions and descriptions as needed to set up your scene. Act it out!

Musical/ Rhythmic

The Big Band sound was really popular during the time period of this book. Explore some of the songs LaMarr might have heard at:  http://members.aol.com/bigbandpage/

and write a short journal about which tunes you liked.

Interpersonal:

Group Projects: Research some aspect of the time period that Flying Lessons take place. For the final project, each group must have a poster explaining their topic, three websites related to it, and a bibliography of their research.

Big Bands of the 1930’s: Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, and Glenn Miller

The Great Depression

The Photographs of Dorothea Lange or Walker Evans

The history of flight

The Movies during the 1930’s

Political or Historical events during the 1930’s

Scientific discoveries during the 1930’s

Intrapersonal:

Metacognition reading technique:

Reread your favorite chapter, and as you do so, keep an index card handy. As you read, write brief notes as to what reminds you of something in the text. Perhaps a description reminds you of someone you know, or a line of dialogue sounds like something you heard in a movie, what was it? Keep a running tap of the things your mind comes up with during the actual reading. When you’re finished, write a brief journal about your discoveries. Think about these questions: Do these memories interfere with your understanding of the text or enrich it? What types of things distract you as you read? How does what we already know about an era change the way we read about it?