Because Of Winn-Dixie - American Kennel Club

Because of Winn-DixieThe students will read the book Because of Winn-Dixie, complete the corresponding study guide, andwrite an essay.Subject: Language ArtsTopic: Reading Comprehension and Essay WritingGrade Level: 3-6Objective:1. Read Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.2. Answer the questions provided in the study guide.3. Write an essay on one of the book’s themes.National Standards: Common Core English Language Arts Standards Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and informationclearly.With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development andorganization are appropriate to task and purpose.Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage whenwriting or speaking.Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, andspelling when writing.Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in wordmeanings.Grade 3: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the textas the basis for the answers.Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how theiractions contribute to the sequence of events.Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using termssuch as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.Grade 4: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and whendrawing inferences from the text.Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.1 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good andevil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature fromdifferent cultures.Grade 5: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how charactersin a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic;summarize the text.Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structureof a particular story, drama, or poem.Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.Materials: Because of Winn-DixieCandlewick Press Teacher’s Resource Guide (optional)Essay rubricStudy guidePens or pencilsAssessment: Study guide questions, essayLearning Activities and Strategies:1. Introduce the book to the students. Ideas can be found in the Candlewick Press Teacher’sResource Guide.2. Distribute the study guides.3. Read the book with your students.4. The students can either complete the study guide individually, in pairs, or as a class.5. After completing the book, students will write an essay based on the following prompt:Choose one of the themes; abandonment, forgiveness, friendship, isolation, communication,family, love, or courage, from the book Because of Winn-Dixie. In an essay, explain how thistheme is reflected in the events and characters of the story. Use specific examples and quotesfrom the story.*In the film, Winn-Dixie is portrayed by a Berger Picard. If you choose to show your students the filmversion, information on this rare dog breed can be found here: http://picards.us/.2 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

Because of Winn-DixieBy Kate DiCamilloNameDateOpening Questions:1. Have you been the new student at school?2. How did you feel or how do you imagine it would feel to be new?Chapter 1:1. Why did Opal go to the grocery store?2. What upset the manager?3. How does Opal stop the store manager from calling the dog pound?4. What name does Opal choose for the dog? Why?5. How does Opal figure out that the dog is a stray?6. What strange behavior does the dog have?Chapter 2:1. What is Opal’s father’s job?2. Where do they live?3. Why does Opal’s father remind her of a turtle?3 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

4. Is Opal allowed to keep Winn-Dixie?Chapter 3:1. How does Opal care for Winn-Dixie?2. According to Opal, how are she and Winn-Dixie similar?3. Why does Opal decide she would like to learn 10 things about her mother?Chapter 4:1. List the 10 things the preacher tells Opal about her mother.2. Why did Opal write down the 10 things the preacher tells her about her mother?Chapter 5:1. How does Opal know Winn-Dixie does not like to be left behind?2. How do they solve the problem?3. How is Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi different from other churches?4. How does Winn-Dixie interrupt the Sunday service?5. Does Opal like living in Naomi? Why or why not?Chapter 6:1. Who is the first non-canine friend Opal makes in Naomi?4 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

2. What does Winn-Dixie do while Opal is in the library?3. How does Winn-Dixie frighten the librarian?4. According to Opal, how is she like her mother?Chapter 7:1. How did Miss Franny Block get her own library?2. How did Miss Franny chase away the bear?3. Why is Miss Franny the only one who still remembers the story of the bear?4. What talent does Winn-Dixie have?Chapter 8:1. How has Winn-Dixie’s health improved?2. Why does Opal go to Gertrude’s Pets?3. Why does Opal want to get a job at the pet store?4. Ultimately, how was it decided that Opal could have a job?5. Why is Opal happy at the end of the chapter?Chapter 9:1. Describe the Dewberry brothers, Dunlap and Stevie.5 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

2. According to the Dewberry brothers, why is it dangerous for Winn-Dixie to be in the yard ofGloria Dump?3. What was Winn-Dixie doing when Opal found him?4. Describe Gloria Dump.5. What do Gloria and Opal have in common?6. Instead of using her eyes to see people, what does Gloria use?Chapter 10:1. Why does Gloria offer to let Opal plant a tree in her garden?2. What kind of tree do they plant?3. What does Winn-Dixie do when the preacher tells him he can get in bed with Opal?Chapter 11:1. What is Winn-Dixie’s “pathological fear”?2. What does Winn-Dixie do when he is afraid?3. How does Opal know the preacher loves Winn-Dixie?Chapter 12:1. What was Otis doing when Opal arrived at the pet store for her first day of work?6 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

2. How do Opal and Otis get the animals back into their cages?3. Why does Otis feel bad for the animals?4. Who is waiting for Opal when she finishes work?5. For whom is Opal collecting stories?6. What does Opal hope he/she will do when he/she hears the stories?Chapter 13:1. Describe Opal and Winn-Dixie’s routine.2. Why does Winn-Dixie most enjoy spending time at Gloria’s house?3. Why does Opal get mad at Stevie Dewberry?4. Why does Gloria think the Dewberry boys are always bothering Opal?Chapter 14:1. Why does Gloria enjoy Opal’s stories so much?2. What is unique about the tree Gloria shows Opal?3. What does Gloria keep the tree in its peculiar state?4. What advice does Gloria give Opal?Chapter 15:7 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

1. What do Winn-Dixie and Miss Franny have in common?2. Why does Opal worry about Gloria?3. What is Opal going to do to help her?4. Who joins Opal and Winn-Dixie to listen to Miss Franny’s Civil War story?Chapter 16:1. Who is Littmus W. Block?2. How does Miss Franny describe war?3. What happened to Littmus W. Block’s family during the war?4. Why is it important to Opal to hear Littmus W. Block’s survival story?Chapter 17:1. Why did Littmus W. Block want to build a candy factory after the war?2. Do Winn-Dixie, Opal, and Amanda like the Littmus Lozenges?3. What is the secret ingredient in the lozenges?4. Describe the taste of the lozenges.5. What does Opal do when she passes the Dewberry house? Why?Chapter 18:8 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

1. According to the preacher, what do the lozenges taste like?2. Why does the preacher want Opal to apologize to the Stevie Dewberry?3. Who is Carson? What happened to him?4. Why does Opal compare Littmus Lozenges to life?Chapter 19:1. What does Otis do when he tastes the lozenges? Why?2. Why did Otis go to jail?3. According to Sweetie Pie Thomas, what do the lozenges taste like?Chapter 20:1. How did Opal come up with her idea for a party?2. What promise does Opal make to Gloria?3. Who does Miss Franny suggest Opal invite to the party?4. Who have accepted Opal’s invitation?5. What does Sweetie Pie think the theme of the party should be?Chapter 21:1. What did Opal and Gloria do to prepare for the party?9 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

2. How did Opal know Otis had arrived at the party?Chapter 22:1. Why doesn’t Opal think the Dewberry boys will come to the party?2. What noise do they hear?3. What does Amanda say they should do?Chapter 23:1. Why does Amanda have to help Miss Franny into the house?2. How does Opal realize that Winn-Dixie is missing?3. Who offers to help Opal look for Winn-Dixie?4. What does Gloria say to Opal before he leaves to look for Winn-Dixie?5. According to Sweetie Pie, why isn’t Winn-Dixie lost?Chapter 24:1. Who goes with Opal to look for Winn-Dixie?2. What does Opal do while looking for him?3. How does Opal react when her father says they have to stop looking for Winn-Dixie?4. What does that preacher do?10 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

5. According to the preacher, what important thing is he grateful that Opal’s mother left behind?Chapter 25:1. What do Opal and her father hear when they walk back up the Gloria’s house after looking forWinn-Dixie?2. Where was Winn-Dixie?3. How did they know he was there?4. How did they get him to join the party?Chapter 26:1. How has Opal’s tree changed?2. Why won’t Opal think about her mother as much in the future?3. How does Dunlap Dewberry surprise Opal?4. How does Opal help Amanda feel welcome?11 Page American Kennel Club, 2016

Because of Winn-Dixie The students will read the book Because of Winn-Dixie, complete the corresponding study guide, and write an essay. Subject: Language Arts Topic: Reading Comprehension and Essay Writing Grade Level: 3-6 Objective: 1. Read Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. 2. Answer the questions provided in the study guide. 3.