Walk Two Moons Role Sheets

Word Wizard

Porsha Linder

Citation in APA:

Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Word Wizard:

Your job is to be on the lookout for words that may be unusual, puzzling, or unfamiliar. Try to figure out their meaning from the context clues around the words. Look up the words in a dictionary or on your dictionary app. Write a definition in your own words. Make sure that you understand the words before you meet with the group because you will be their teacher! Lead your group through a discussion of the words and their meanings.

Word: Omnipotent

Page: 11

Your best guess using context clues: Used as an interjection instead of direct meaning

Definition: A deity having unlimited power

Synonyms: God; higher power

Word: Diabolic

Page: 27

Your best guess using context clues: Terrible

Definition: Belonging to or so evil as to recall the Devil

Synonyms: Demonic; devilish

Word: Betrayed

Page: 32

Your best guess using context clues: Used for an alternative purpose

Synonyms: Deceived; cheated

Word: Moccasins

Page: 47

Your best guess using context clues: shoes

Definition: A soft leather slipper or shoe originating from North American Indians

Word: Geyser

Page: 194

Your best guess using context clues: fountain

Definition: a hot spring in which water intermittently boils, sending a tall column of water and steam into the air.

Word: Prejudgments

Page: 228

Your best guess using context clues: Judging too soon

Definition: Judgments made before the evidence has been presented

Strategies you will use to help teach your group new words:

*Word Walls

*Activate students’ background knowledge

*Provide access to a large variety of books inside and outside the classroom

Literary Luminary

Porsha Linder

Citation in APA:

Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Literary luminary:

Your job is to choose a paragraph, quote or passage from the book to discuss with your group. Your purpose is to help other students by spotlighting something interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important from the text. You can read parts aloud yourself or ask another group member to read them. Include the page number and reason for choosing the passages.

Passage 1 page #:47

Passage:

"Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins."

Reason for choosing this passage: I would like students to consider the deeper meaning to this idiom, while reflecting on the author’s choice to name the book, “Walk Two Moons”.

Passage 2 page #:32

Passage:

"It is surprising all the things you remember just by eating a blackberry pie."

Reason for choosing this passage: It is amazing how our emotions and memories are tied into our senses. I would like students to consider things in their own life that evoke memories.

Example: I used to make tortillas with my nana when I was little. Eating homemade tortillas always makes me think about her and the times we made tortillas together.

Passage 3 page #:181

Passage:

“’Phoebe, you know when you said that your mother would never leave without an explanation? Well, she might. A person—a mother—might do that.’ Phoebe said, ‘My mother wouldn’t. My mother loves me.’ ‘But she might love you and still not have been able to explain.’ I was thinking about the letter my mother left me. ‘Maybe it would be too painful for her to explain. Maybe it would seem too permanent.’”

Reason for choosing this passage: This passage unlocks deeper meaning within the story. Salamanca is reflecting on her own experience with her mother and this is bleeding out into her feelings about Phoebe’s mother’s disappearance. This example reflects the way our experiences influence the lens we use to view the world around us.

Questioner / Discussion Director

Jessy Ring

28 October 2018

Book citation in APA:

Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Questioner / Discussion director:

Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group might want to discuss about this part of the book. Don’t worry about the small details; your talk is to help people talk over the big ideas in the reading and share their reactions. Usually the best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read. You can list them below during or after your reading. You may also use some of the general questions below to develop topics to your group.

Possible topics for today:

1. On page 22, Phoebe says “Don’t you think it’s odd that Mrs. Partridge, who is blind, could see something about me – but I, who can see, was blind about her?” What do you think she means by this? Do you thin Phoebe is referring to Mrs. Partridge guessing her age, or does Mrs. Partridge see more in Phoebe than the author lets on? Do you think there are things that you miss even though you can see, that another person may catch onto? What does this passage make you think of from your own experiences?

2. On pages 174 and 175, Salamanca is thinking about Pandora’s box. She wonders why something like hope would be on the bottom of a box filled with horrible things. She goes on to wonder if there is a box that was filled with all the good things in the world; and if there was, what was the bad thing in the bottom of that box. If hope is at the bottom of the bad box, what do you think would be at the bottom of a good box?

3. Salamanca mentions that her mother is not coming back several times in the story. At what point in the story did you begin to suspect that her mother was dead?

4. Most of the characters in the story face a trial or hardship involving their mothers. Mrs. Cadaver and Mr. Birkway’s mother was blinded in a car accident, Phoebe’s mother leaves for a while, Ben’s mother is in the psychiatric ward of a hospital and Salamanca’s mother was dead before the story began. How did the story make you think of your mother? Have you faced trials or hardship involving a parent or other family member?

5. When do you think the story takes place? Gramps talks about fighting World War II, but there is no other indication of the date. How do you think the story might change if it took place today?

Summarizer

Jessy Ring

28 October 2018

Book citation in APA:

Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Summarizer:

Your job is to prepare a brief summary of your reading. Your group discussion will start with your 1-2 minute statement that covers the key points, main highlights, and central ideas of the reading. Your opinions do not belong in an objective summary. Also, be sure not to include minor details.

Objective summary:

Walk Two Moons is about a young girl’s journey after the tragic death of her mother. Salamanca embarks on a road trip with her grandparents, retracing her mother’s steps. She is in the denial stage of loss at the beginning of the trip and talks about bringing her mother home with her. While on the trip, she entertains her grandparents by telling them her friend Phoebe’s story. At the end of the story, Salamanca has retraced her mother’s steps up to the point of the tragic accident that took her mother’s life. Salamanca is not able to accept that her mother is not coming back until she has seen her mother’s grave for herself.

Key points / Main ideas / Themes:

1. Don’t judge another until you have walked two moons in their moccasins.

2. Everyone has their own agenda.

3. Every family is different, with their own strengths and weaknesses.

4. Everyone deals with grief differently. It is important to be understanding and kind.

5. Everyone needs the love and support of friends and family. Be kind, be supportive, show love and know that no one is perfect; we all do things we regret.

Remember that the Summarizer begins all group discussions.

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