20 Discussion Questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy:
1) Knowledge-List the main characters in the story.
2) Knowledge-Define three characteristic traits of May.
3) Knowledge-Tell about a time that May disobeyed someone in the story.
4) Comprehension-Summarize the conflict between May and her teacher.
5) Comprehension-Describe how you think May felt about her mother.
6) Comprehension-Put the following in sequential order:
a. May got into a fight with Olive.
b. May and her father moved in with her grandmother.
c. May got into trouble in school.
d. May found out a secret about her teacher.
7) Application-Give an example of how May showed disrespect for someone in the story.
8) Application-Draw a picture of Miss Movado according to May’s description of her.
9) Application-Solve a problem that May had, differently that May had solved that problem.
10) Application-Make a timeline of five major events in the story.
11) Analysis-Compare and contrast the personality of May and Miss Movado.
12) Analysis-Analyze how May felt in the story and why she felt that way.
13) Analysis-Make a diagram showing the six main characters in the story and how they are all connected to each other.
14) Synthesis-Write about a new character in the story that could help May with her problems.
15) Synthesis-Change the ending of the story.
16) Synthesis-Predict what a second novel (Part II or sequel) of the story would be like.
17) Evaluation-Justify or criticize why May acted the way she did.
18) Evaluation-In your opinion, why did Miss Movado allow May into summer school.
19) Evaluation-Choose three ways in which May and Miss Movado were alike.
20) Evaluation-Choose three ways in which May and Miss Movado were different.
Ten books that are similar to The Summer of May By Cecilia Galante
1) The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt
2) One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia
3) Dancing in Cadillac Light, by Kimberly Willis Holt
4) Trauma Queen, by Barbara Dee
5) Shooting the Moon, by Frances O’Roark Dowell
6) Countdown, by Deborah Wiles
7) Keeper, by Kathi Appelt
8) Finding Family, by Tonya Bolden
9) Willowood, by Cecilia Galante
10) Hershey Herself, by Cecilia Galante
Reading and Writing Activities
1) After the student reads the book, they will write about at least one connection they made with one of the characters in the story, who it was and why they felt connected to that character. How were they alike or different from the character they are talking about?
2) After reading the story, the students will write a proper paragraph with at least five sentences, including a topic and a concluding sentence regarding what surprised them in the story. They will list why it was a surprise and if they expected something different, what it was.
3) Because the main story talked about May and her feelings, after reading the story the students should pick one other character in the story besides May and write a one page journal on their feelings from one of the chapters. They can express how that character is feeling and write it as if the character him/herself is writing the journal page.
4) When the students are finished reading the story they will write a poem with at least ten lines in it about the story.
Poems Relevant to Story
You
© Margery Wang
I still remember the first day we met
We were too shy to say much at all
It's funny to think back to that time
Because now we're having a ball!
They say that true friendship is rare
An adage that I believe to be true
Genuine friendship is something that I cherish
I am so lucky to have met you.
Our bond is extremely special
It is unique in it's own way
We have something irreplaceable
I love you more and more each day.
We've been through so much together
In so little time we've shared
I will never forget all the moments
that you've shown me how much you cared.
Friends are forever
Especially the bond that you and I possess
I love your fun-filled personality
Somehow you never fail to impress.
The world could use more people like you
it would certainly be a better place
I love everything about you
You are someone I could never replace.
You are always there for me
When my spirits need a little lift
I cannot thank you enough for that
You are truly an extraordinary gift.
You are everything to me and more
I could never express that enough
Life is such a treacherous journey, and
Without you it would be even more tough.
Our story will continue to grow
With each passing day
Because I trust that with you by my side
Everything will always be Okay.
You are so dear to me
You know I will love you until the end
I will always be there for you, and
You will always (and forever) be my best friend.
Source: A Poem For Best Friends, You, Best Friend Poem, 18 Stories http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-poem-for-best-friends-you#ixzz1ct5GOC4M
Family Friend Poems
Never Forget You
© Rachel
I miss you mom, more then you could know.
All the years without you have been like a blow.
I see other people, who don’t know what they’ve got,
I feel like hitting them, more often then not.
It’s been five years since then,
And I can still remember when,
You smiled and when you cried,
Sometimes, it’s as if you never died.
Every time I think of you, I feel like crying,
I swear, it’s as if a part of me is still dying.
You were the greatest mom ever,
And I thought you would be there forever.
But God took you away,
Leaving me here to stay.
I wish that you were here,
Just so that we could be near.
I’ll never forget the time I had with you,
Even if that time is now through.
I wish it wasn’t, with all my heart,
But there’s nothing I can do; no way I can play that part.
No one will ever be able to replace you,
No matter how much they try.
You’ll always be my mother,
Until the day I die.
Source: 10 Year old Girl Losses Her Mother, Never Forget You, Mother Death Poem http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a--year-old-girl-losses-her-mother-never-forget-you#ixzz1ct5ivM68
Family Friend Poems
A Friendship Lost
© Brenda J. Metz
I remember the time not long ago
When we laughed and shared it all
We were the very best of friends
Or at least that’s what I thought.
I often wonder why friendships end
What happens to sever that tie
How can someone once so close
Just wave you off with a good bye
I must have been lacking
I must have been wrong
I wasn’t the friend to you
That you were to me all along.
I thought I was loyal
I know I was true
But something went wrong
Now there’s nothing to do
A friendship lost
Is a very sad thing
The angels weep instead of sing.
Source: A Friendship Lost, Broken Friendship Poem, 13 Stories http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/friendship-lost#ixzz1ct7IWH00
Family Friend Poems
Differentiated Instruction
To try and accommodate the vast variety of students that will be in one class, it is important to be sure and provide differentiated instruction.
To cover the Verbal/Linguistic or the Body/Kinesthetic learner, the class would be assigned to either re-enact a part of the book, or put on an interview, pretending that one student is the reporter and that student would ask questions from different characters in the book.
For the Musical/Rhythmic learner, the assignment would be to create a poem related to the story.
For the Interpersonal learner, students would work in pairs and read a few chapters together and then discuss them.
The Logical/Mathematical learner, could critically analyze a situation or chapter in the book.
Finally, the Visual learner could draw a picture of a scene that is described in the book.
Assessment Activities
1) At some point during the reading of the novel, the students may pick a scene they would like to draw a picture of. They need to go into detail with the scene so that whoever looks at the picture that is familiar with the story can pick out which scene was drawn.
2) A word find puzzle as listed below will be given to students with the 25 vocabulary words listed in it.
The Summer of May
P E R S O N I F I C A T I O N
S E C N E U Q E S N O C Z D H
D E Z I R E M S E M M S A E J
P D I S R E S P E C T Y N S F
S V H V M E E T S E F L E S E
Y L S U O I C S N O C F L E S
Y L S S E L K C E R E I J R T
P A R A P H E R N A L I A P E
F R I E N D S H I P E Q R E R
L Y T H U M I L I A T E D D C
CONSEQUENCES
DEPRESSED
DISRESPECT
FESTER
FRIENDSHIP
HUMILIATED
MESMERIZED
NAZI
PARAPHERNALIA
PERSONIFICATION
RECKLESSLY
SELFCONSCIOUSLY
SELFESTEEM
3) An assessment of the student’s comprehension of the story would include a written summary of the story. There would be five main questions to answer regarding the story and the answers should be written in essay form summarizing the story.
a) Who were the main characters in the story?
b) What was the relationship between May and her teacher in the beginning of the story? At the end of the story?
c) What did May find out about her teacher?
d) What did you think was the most interesting part of the story? Why?
e) Did any part of the story surprise you? Why or why not?
4) To continue with the vocabulary word list the remaining twelve words will be put into a word scramble worksheet for the students to do as seen below:
THE SUMMER OF MAY WORD SCRAMBLEPlease unscramble the words below
1. odvcaAo
2. aApthy
3. lBnttaa
4. iDfanet
5. tereRg
6. nioEusxpl
7. Dnfcaieg
8. sRuecle
9. Eucrnxosi
10. yagrmeI
11. eveluiJn
12. cntjroPgei
RECLUSE EXCURSION IMAGERY EXPULSION JUVENILE PROJECTING REGRET DEFACING APATHY AVOCADO BLATANT DEFIANT
5) The final assessment will consist of the students filling in story map of the story. I will be looking to make sure they have all points of the story covered.