For a whole book assessment, place sticky notes throughout the book at places you wish for students to stop and think about questions that allow them to deepen their comprehension within multiple aspects of the novel. The following are questions we have created for strengthening the comprehension of the novel as a whole. We have also included example responses for what we consider to be exceptional, proficient, and approaching.
Exceptional Response: Kek’s culture and American culture are clashing in this part of the book. Kek assumes everything is washed in this machine because he is unfamiliar with this resource. He is struggling to keep up with all of the differences between life in Sudan and life in America.
Proficient Response: Kek is not used to having machines that clean clothes, so he is confused that he cannot wash the dishes in the "washing machine". He is finding that things are very different in America.
Approaching Response: Kek puts dishes in the washing machine because he doesn't know any better. He is confused.
Exceptional Response: Ganwar is told that he needs to work in order to make money for he and his mother and Kek, but Ganwar struggles with getting a job and seems to have a bad attitude about it and instead goes and gets into trouble. When he learns that Kek has a job taking care of a cow, he seems surprised and maybe thinks that he would like a job like that. Kek finally realizes that Ganwar would also benefit from working with Gol, the cow, like he is, and asks Ganwar to help him with it. Ganwar seems unsure about it because of his arm, but Lou, Kek, and even Gol, encourage him.
Proficient Response: Ganwar needs a job, but he is feeling sorry for himself and instead goes and gets into trouble. Kek finds a job that Ganwar might like, so Kek tells Ganwar he can help him take care of the cow.
Approaching Response: Ganwar doesn't have a job, but he needs one to make money. Kek tells Ganwar he can work with him at Lou's farm.
Exceptional Response: When Kek is with the cow, he feels like he is doing the work of his Father and also like he is keeping a part of his home alive. Kek knows that the cow is unhappy, so he wants to spend time with it and use his knowledge to help it.
Proficient Response: Kek can tell that the cow is unhappy and he likes the cow because it reminds him of home. He wants to spend time with the cow and help it.
Approaching Response: Kek can tell that the cow is unhappy and not taken care of. He wants to make sure the cow is in good health.
Exceptional Response: Refugees are forced to leave their homes for many reasons, one being war. Refugees who have experienced the violence and destruction of war firsthand may suffer from having flashbacks or experience other mental health issues. For example, Ganwar seems to act out the way he does because he has been personally affected by the violent acts of war.
Proficient Response: Many refugees are forced to leave their homes due to the violence and destruction of war. Kek seems very affected by his experiences with the war in Sudan.
Approaching Response: A lot of refugees come to America because there was war at their home. War is a big reason why people have to leave their home.
Exceptional Response: Cattle represents the ideas of belonging, sharing of cultural practices, and unity. When the whole ESL class “moos”, Kek says that the whole class finally understands each other. Also, Gol, the cow, brings Kek and Ganwar closer to their culture in their home away from home and brings them a new friend.
Proficient Response: Cattle represents the ideas of belonging. Kek finds himself at peace when he is with Gol because his father owned cattle and cattle are a very important part of Kek’s life in Sudan.
Approaching Response: Cattle represent Kek’s home. Kek feels like he is connected to home when he is with Gol.
Exceptional Response: Through Kek’s story, we can learn that our differences do not separate us, but instead, we all have human qualities that allow us to find a sense of belonging, even in strange situations. We can also learn that people are capable of doing so much more than they believe they can, there is a lot of power in believing that “if you can talk, you can sing”.
Proficient Response: We can learn that life puts a lot of obstacles in our way, but if we believe we are capable to overcome them we can. We can also learn that you can feel a sense of “home” not matter where you.
Approaching Response: We can learn that it is hard to be a refugee in a new place. We can also learn that if you try hard, you can do anything you want.
Exceptional Response: Mischief means trouble and I know this because Kek says that Ganwar and his brother were chasing each other throughout the village, seeking it out. I think that this means that they were looking to get into trouble.
Proficient Response: Mischief means that the boys were causing trouble in the village. They were “chasing each other like lion and prey”.
Approaching Response: It means that the boys were chasing each other. So mischief means chasing each other.
Exceptional Response: When Kek says that Lual scolded every day, he means that Lual got onto him for something often. I know this because on the page prior, Kek notes that he slipped snakes into Lual’s sleeping mat and the village woke up to his screams. He was probably mad about that and that’s why he scolded Kek.
Proficient Response: When Kek says that Lual scolded him every day, he means that Lual got upset with him. For example, Lual got upset with Kek because he put snakes in his bed.
Approaching Response: Scolded means mad. Lual was mad at Kek.
Exceptional Response: In this part of the book, doubtful means hesitant. Kek tells Ganwar that he can work with him on Lou’s farm, but Ganwar is unsure. He thinks about this for a little while before agreeing.
Proficient Response: Doubtful from this part of the book means unsure. Ganwar is unsure if he is able to work on the farm because he doesn't want Kek's charity and he doesn't know if he can work on a farm with a missing hand.
Approaching Response: Doubtful means that Ganwar is going back and forth between yes and no. Ganwar seems unsure about things, so he is doubtful.
Exceptional Response: Kek views school as a privilege and it is clear that a sufficient education is not a right in Sudan. He is humbled by the opportunity to have such a nice desk and be able to go to school.
Proficient Response: Kek is overwhelmed by having such a nice desk at school. He is worried that he will have to pay for it and knows that he will not be able to.
Approaching Response: Kek is excited to have a desk and is scared he will have to pay for it. He cannot stop smiling.
Exceptional Response: Hannah and Kek’s friendship is developing in a way that they are able to joke with one another. Hannah does not take offense to Kek’s statement about dishes being a woman’s job, instead she jokingly punches him and addresses the cultural difference.
Proficient Response: Hannah and Kek are comfortable enough with one another that they can correct each other in a joking way. Hannah calls Kek a “moron” but he knows that she is not being mean.
Approaching Response: Hannah are Kek are becoming close friends. They are making jokes with each other like a brother and sister might.
Exceptional Response: Kek was scared, but optimistic when he arrived. It seems that some of the negative experiences that he has encountered have weighed on him. He seems to be coming to the conclusion that being strong through tough situations is what it takes to be a man.
Proficient Response: Kek is acknowledging that it is not easy to always be positive when times are tough. He knows that his aunt admires this quality and that he needs to be strong. He has grown as a person through experiencing tough times.
Approaching Response: Kek is remembering when his aunt said he always finds the good in the bad. He now knows that that is sometimes more challenging than he expected.