A Long Way From Chicago

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A Long Way From Chicago
by Richard Peck
FIC PEC


 

 
Activities
 
  Colloquialisms  
  Jumping Rope  
  Summer with Grandma  
  Character Traits  
  Story Questions  
  The Great Depression
Outhouses
Epitaphs
 



                                     

 

Questions:

Joe Dowdel is an adult sharing his memories of Grandma Dowdel. He says, "Are all my memories true? Every word, and growing truer with the years." (p. 1) What does Joe mean when he says, "growing truer with years?"
Why does Sheriff Dickerson call Grandma a "one-woman crime-wave"? (p. 57)
Why does Mary Alice say, "I don't think Grandma's a very good influence on us"? (p. 61)
Discuss what Grandma means when she says, "A rumor is sometimes truth on the trail." (p. 115)
Joey says, "As the years went by, we'd seem to see a different woman every summer." What does he mean?(p.1)
What does the phrase "larger than life" mean? How does this fit Grandma?
We often hear "Two wrongs don't make a right." Do you think Grandma agrees?


 

Summer With Grandma

 
 

Of all the summer weeks the kids spent with Grandma, which one would you like to have been with them? Write a paragraph of at least 4 sentences telling which week you chose and why.

 


           

 

Character Traits:


Use these lists of character traits to find 5 traits for each of the three main characters: Grandma, Joey and Mary Alice. Click here to print out this sheet or go online. Support your decision with evidence from the story. I expect at least three paragraphs, one for each character.
 

 




 

Jumping Rope

Mary Alice spends most of her week at Grandma's house jumping rope. Take a look at these resources about jumping rope.
 

Try a a new way of jumping rope from this website.


 


 

The Great Depression

Complete a true/false worksheet about the depression and watch the video. We will also briefly discuss prohibition and the mobs of Chicago.
 
Streaming Video America in the 20th Century: The Great Depression

Outhouses- yes they're real!

Web page http://waltonfeed.com/old/out.html


 

Epitaphs

Read some of the epitaphs from "Once Upon a Tomb" (811 LEW) for inspiration as you write your own. What would be a good last word for your grave stone?... Grandma's?

 

Resources

The Book & Author
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/richard_peck.html
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000847.shtml
http://www.factmonster.com/dictionary.html
http://www.eduscapes.com/newbery/99b.htm
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/peck.html
http://www.col-ed.org/cur/lang/lang39.txt
 
The Depression
http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/index.htm
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/migrantmother.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/timeline/index.html
http://newdeal.feri.org/index.htm
http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/explore/presidents/roosevelt_franklind.html
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/jazz
https://www.msdwc.k12.in.us/quest/fourth04/hoovfun.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/J001569/
http://members.aol.com/MrDonnHistory/2American.html#GREAT
http://jc-schools.net/write/Depression_files/frame.htm
http://www.deardaddy.com/

 
 

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© Richardson Independent School District 2000  Last Modified: 10/26/09