Name: __________________________________ Date: ________ Prd: _____

Locomotion : Pgs 1-16

Objective: Today, I WILL BE ABLE TO

Make pre-reading predictions and set a purpose for reading

Pre-Reading, pages 1 - 16
1. What is the definition of metaphor?
a. A type of figurative language that directly compares one thing to another by saying that one thing is another.
b. A type of figurative language that gives human qualities to objects or animals.
c. A type of figurative language that uses like or as to compare two things.
d. A type of figurative language that stretches the truth.

2. Read the sentence below: “That baby weighed a ton.” This is an example of:
a. Personification
b. Simile
c. Metaphor
d. Hyperbole

3. Read this summary of Lonnie’s first six letters to his sister Lili. Then make predictions based on evidence from the
text and/ or from your prior knowledge or personal experience.

In these letters, Lonnie counts the years until he and Lili will be old enough to live together on their own. He reminds
her about special times they had with their parents. Lonnie tells Lili that his teacher is leaving, maybe to have a baby.
This teacher once told Lonnie that he had to be published before he could call himself a poet. In another letter,
Lonnie recalls how his friend Lamont said he was moving to Florida, where he would have a swimming pool in his
backyard. Another boy accused Lamont of lying about the pool.

4. How do you predict Lonnie will react to his teacher leaving?

5. How do you predict Lonnie will react when Lamont says he’s getting a pool?

6. Set a purpose for reading based on your predictions above.

otion : Pgs 1-16

Objective: Today, I WILL BE ABLE TO

explain the role of particular characters & settings in a text using detailed evidence.
 Active Reading, pages 1 - 16

7. List the 3 important things you learned on pages 1-16. Why are they important?

a. ___________________________________________________________________________________
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b. ___________________________________________________________________________________
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c. ___________________________________________________________________________________
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8. On page 8, Lonnie tells the woman helping him with the powder that it is not the right one, although it is.
Why does Lonnie do this? (3+ sentences)

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9. Who is Ms. Edna? _____________________________________________________________________

10. Who is Ms. Marcus? ___________________________________________________________________

11. Who is Lili? __________________________________________________________________________

 Name: __________________________________ Date: ________ Prd: _____
Locomotion : Pgs 17-27

12.
Objective: Today, I WILL BE ABLE TO
interpret the author’s use of descriptive language in a poem to understand a character’s feelings

1. Pre-Reading, pages 17 - 27
2. Read the lines from the “Group Home” poem.

“hearing all the Group Home loudness, that

You are a Throwaway Boy.
And the news just sits in your stomach
Hard and heavy as Group Home food.”

*Identify the type of figurative language from the underlined lines:

*What are the two things being compared?

*What does Lonnie mean by this?

3. What reminds Lonnie of his mother? Explain.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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Pre-Reading, pages 17 - 27
4. Which is the BEST explain of why Lonnie doesn’t share what he’s seen with his friends?

a. He doesn’t want to overshadow his friends.

b. He’s afraid to be the winner.
c. He doesn’t want them to feel bad for him.
d. He doesn’t want to lie to his friends.

Name: __________________________________ Date: ________ Prd: _____

Locomotion : Pgs 28 - 39

13.
Objective: Today, I WILL BE ABLE TO
infer the speaker’s thoughts and feelings using text evidence.
 Pre-Reading, pages 28- 39

“Failing”
1. Why is Lonnie failing math?
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_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
“New Boy”
2. Which word BEST represents how Clyde feels?
a. Embarrassed
b. Nervous
c. Melancholy
d. Confused

How do you know?

“December 9th”
3. Why does Lonnie react the same way every December 9th? Give two examples from the
text of your answers.
a. Lonnie has terrible memories.
b. Lonnie does not want to go to school to take a test.
c. Lonnie wants Ms. Edna to stay home with him.
d. Lonnie has stomach pains.

Explain:

“List Poem”
4. What is Lonnie describing? How do you know?

“Pigeon”
 5. How is the poem “Pigeon” organized?
a. The first stanza discusses how Lonnie hates pigeon. The final stanza discusses how
he loves them.
b. The first stanza is about Lonnie not liking pigeons. Then the final stanza is about
how he wants to have one as a pet.
c. The first stanza is about pigeons and bad luck. The final stanza is about Todd and
his pet pigeons.
d. The first stanza is about how pigeons can make some people very angry and upset.
The final stanza is about how some things, like pigeons, can make people extremely
happy.

“War Poem”
6. How is the war “everywhere?”

Post-Reading, pages 28- 39

7. Reread the poem “Late Saturday Afternoon in Halsey Street Park.”

Shoot hoops with me, Dog

Eric says. Throws me the ball.
Where you been all day?

What does the structure of this poem tell the reader about Lonnie and Eric’s relationship? Use
details from the text to support your answer.
a. Lonnie and Eric enjoy each other’s company.
b. Lonnie and Eric don’t really get along.
c. Eric bullies Lonnie.
d. Lonnie doesn’t appreciate the relationship with Eric.

Name: __________________________________ Date: ________ Prd: _____

Locomotion : Pgs 40 - 58

14.
Objective: Today, I WILL BE ABLE TO
determine the main idea by analyzing the poem.

Pre-Reading, pages 40- 58

1. How does the reader know that the “New Boy” is not from their neighborhood?
 _________________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Re-read the poem “Roof”

“Roof”

At night sometimes after Miss Edna goes to bed I go

Up on the roof
Sometimes I sit counting the stars
Maybe on is my mama and
Another one is my daddy And maybe that’s why
Sometimes they flicker a bit
I mean stars flicker

What is this poem mostly about?

a. Lonnie likes the roof because he can relax.
b. Lonnie can see his mom and dad in the stars.
c. The roof is a place where Lonnie can think about his mom and dad.
d. The roof is a place where Lonnie likes to go to get away from Miss Edna.

Active Reading, pages 40- 58

“New Boy Poem II”

1. Why does Lonnie get emotional after seeing the new boy with a little girl in the yard?

2. What is “Visiting” mostly about?

a. Lonnie’s visit with Lili.
b. Lonnie’s promise to look for God.
c. Lili’s new found faith.
d. Lili’s visit to Miss Edna’s house.

3. Why does Lonnie promise to look for God? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
 a. He wants to make Lili happy.
b. He wants to live with Lili and her new mama.
c. He wants Lili to give him a kiss on the cheek.
d. He wants to test out his new faith.

4. What is the poem “Just Nothing” mostly about?

a. Lonnie is upset and angry because he has no family to write about.
b. Lonnie is upset and angry because Miss Marcus is a mean teacher who always picks on
him.
c. The weather is terrible, and there is a thunderstorm outside and Lonnie doesn’t like
writing during storms.
d. Lonnie doesn’t want to talk to anybody or write. He just wants to sit by himself and
watch the rain come down.

“All of a Sudden, The Poem”

5. Stop and Jot- How have Lonnie’s feelings towards Ms. Marcus changed?