|
TUCK EVERLASTING
by Natalie Babbitt |
Pages 1 - 8
Interesting Words: tranquil, conceal,
Extensions: Have students reread the description of the "touch-me-not" cottage. Have them draw a map of the cottage and wood or have them draw the cottage itself. ( Words paint a picture )
Discussion Questions:
1. The language used by Ms. Babbitt in the first few pages set the mood of this story. Locate several sentences that create a sense of doom. Explain your interpretation of the text.
2. The collision of what three events is mentioned in the prologue?
Pages 9 - 16
Interesting Words: melancholy, tarnished, grimace,
Extensions: Create math word problems using age of students and ages of the Tuck family.
Discussion Questions:
1. What did Mae take with her to meet her sons?
2. How long has it been since Mae has seen her sons?
3. Do you have enough information to discover Mae and Tuck's age?
4. What is Winnie most upset about?
Pages 17 - 30
Interesting Words: jaunty, deprecation, retorted, galling, irrelevantly, primly, plaintively
Extensions: Have students bring in music boxes to share with the class.
Discussion Questions:
1. Describe the man in the yellow suit.
2. Why does Grandmother think there are elves in the wood?
3. What did Winnie do instead of running away?
4. What does the text mean when it says she "lost her heart at once"?
Pages 31 - 41
Interesting Words: peculiar
Extensions:
Create a Thinking Map to compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of living forever.
Discussion Questions:
1. What happened to Winnie and why did it happen?
2. What fantastic story did Mae and her sons share with Winnie?
3. Do you think that you would like to live forever?
Pages 42 - 49
Interesting Words: elated, vigorous, embankment, melancholy
Extensions:
Draw a map of their journey. Include details from the text.
Discussion Questions:
1. Where are they taking Winnie and why?
2. What do you think the man in the yellow suit wants?
3. What is Tuck's reaction to Winnie's arrival?
Pages 50 - 59
Interesting Words: pitiless, indomitable, eddies, perilous, luxurious, elation, decisively
Extensions:
Compare and contrast the way the Tucks eat dinner and the way your family eats dinner.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you believe that the Tuck family chose a good or poor way to earn a living. Explain.
2. What happens that causes Winnie to decide she wants to go home?
3. Where does Tuck take Winnie to talk? Why did he choose this spot?
Pages 60 - 65
Interesting Words:
Extensions:
Tuck speaks to Winnie of life's cycles. Pick one of the cycles mentioned in this chapter and illustrate and label it.
Discussion Questions:
1. Tuck uses the rowboat to illustrate the situation that the Tuck family is in. Do you feel this is a useful analogy to convince Winnie to keep their secret?
2. What could be the importance of someone taking the horse? Who could have done it?
Pages 66 - 72
Interesting Words: lingered, earnestly
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think the man in the yellow suit is up to?
2. Who came to visit Winnie in the night? How does she feel about the visitors?
3. Do you think Winnie will agree to Jesse's idea?
Pages 73 - 80
Interesting Words: illiterates, constable, roust, cahoots, gallows,
Extensions:
The constable wants to chat with the man as they ride. Invent a conversation and use proper punctuation between the man and the constable. Have the man in the yellow suit explain why he really wants with the wood.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you feel the trade of wood for Winnie is fair? What would you give if you were her parents?
2. Why do you think the man in the yellow suit wants to ride ahead of the constable?
Pages 81 - 92
Interesting Words: stern, peculiar, teeming, slack, searing, fleeting, lingered,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. Why did Winnie's "cheeks flam" when she heard steps upon the loft stairs?
2. Why do you think Winnie wanted to put the fish back?
3. There are several references to frogs on these pages. What is their significance?
4. How do you think Winnie feels when she hears the voice of the man in the yellow suit?
Pages 93 - 105
Interesting Words: tarnation, hoarsely, petulance, marionette, entranced, gallows,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. What were your thoughts as Mae grabbed the shotgun to prevent the man from taking Winnie?
2. Why does Winnie say she went with the Tuck family of her own free will?
3. Why do you think Tuck is "envious" of the man in the yellow suit?
4. What might happen if they hang Mae in the town square and all see that she can not die?
Pages 106 - 115
Interesting Words: bewitched, acrid,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. Why does Winnie feel that the man in the yellow suit must die?
2. Do you think Winnie's plan will work?
3. Make a prediction about the container of spring water. Will Winnie drink it when she turns 17 or will something else happen to the water?
Pages 116 - 126
Interesting Words: ponderous, remorseless, plaintive, gentility, prostrate, obliging,
Extensions: Write out step by step directions of the jail break.
Discussion Questions:
1. Winnie falls asleep only to wake at five minutes to midnight. How would you feel at that precise moment knowing you are about to risk everything to save a friend?
2. Do you think they will be successful getting Mae out of jail? What needs to happen in order for their plan to work?
Pages 127 - 133
Interesting Words: sedately, profoundly, unwittingly, perversely, constricted, staunchly,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. Winnie is at first repulsed by the feel of the toad. Why did she change her mind? Why did she pour the precious liquid on an ordinary toad?
Epilogue
Interesting Words:
Final: Each of the Tuck family dealt with living forever in a different way. Myles wanted to do something important with his life. Think about the implications of never dying. Write an essay explaining what you would do with never ending time. Incorporate the talents and interests you presently hold to write about how you would make this world a better place if given all the time in the world.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why did the gas station attendant assume that the Tuck's were in from the country for a big day on the town?
2. Why do you think they have returned to Treegap after being away such a long time?
3. Why did Tuck go to the cemetery?
4. Why is he glad and also sad to find Winnie's headstone?
5. Why do you think the author put in the final reference to the toad?
Interesting Words: tranquil, conceal,
Extensions: Have students reread the description of the "touch-me-not" cottage. Have them draw a map of the cottage and wood or have them draw the cottage itself. ( Words paint a picture )
Discussion Questions:
1. The language used by Ms. Babbitt in the first few pages set the mood of this story. Locate several sentences that create a sense of doom. Explain your interpretation of the text.
2. The collision of what three events is mentioned in the prologue?
Pages 9 - 16
Interesting Words: melancholy, tarnished, grimace,
Extensions: Create math word problems using age of students and ages of the Tuck family.
Discussion Questions:
1. What did Mae take with her to meet her sons?
2. How long has it been since Mae has seen her sons?
3. Do you have enough information to discover Mae and Tuck's age?
4. What is Winnie most upset about?
Pages 17 - 30
Interesting Words: jaunty, deprecation, retorted, galling, irrelevantly, primly, plaintively
Extensions: Have students bring in music boxes to share with the class.
Discussion Questions:
1. Describe the man in the yellow suit.
2. Why does Grandmother think there are elves in the wood?
3. What did Winnie do instead of running away?
4. What does the text mean when it says she "lost her heart at once"?
Pages 31 - 41
Interesting Words: peculiar
Extensions:
Create a Thinking Map to compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of living forever.
Discussion Questions:
1. What happened to Winnie and why did it happen?
2. What fantastic story did Mae and her sons share with Winnie?
3. Do you think that you would like to live forever?
Pages 42 - 49
Interesting Words: elated, vigorous, embankment, melancholy
Extensions:
Draw a map of their journey. Include details from the text.
Discussion Questions:
1. Where are they taking Winnie and why?
2. What do you think the man in the yellow suit wants?
3. What is Tuck's reaction to Winnie's arrival?
Pages 50 - 59
Interesting Words: pitiless, indomitable, eddies, perilous, luxurious, elation, decisively
Extensions:
Compare and contrast the way the Tucks eat dinner and the way your family eats dinner.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you believe that the Tuck family chose a good or poor way to earn a living. Explain.
2. What happens that causes Winnie to decide she wants to go home?
3. Where does Tuck take Winnie to talk? Why did he choose this spot?
Pages 60 - 65
Interesting Words:
Extensions:
Tuck speaks to Winnie of life's cycles. Pick one of the cycles mentioned in this chapter and illustrate and label it.
Discussion Questions:
1. Tuck uses the rowboat to illustrate the situation that the Tuck family is in. Do you feel this is a useful analogy to convince Winnie to keep their secret?
2. What could be the importance of someone taking the horse? Who could have done it?
Pages 66 - 72
Interesting Words: lingered, earnestly
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think the man in the yellow suit is up to?
2. Who came to visit Winnie in the night? How does she feel about the visitors?
3. Do you think Winnie will agree to Jesse's idea?
Pages 73 - 80
Interesting Words: illiterates, constable, roust, cahoots, gallows,
Extensions:
The constable wants to chat with the man as they ride. Invent a conversation and use proper punctuation between the man and the constable. Have the man in the yellow suit explain why he really wants with the wood.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you feel the trade of wood for Winnie is fair? What would you give if you were her parents?
2. Why do you think the man in the yellow suit wants to ride ahead of the constable?
Pages 81 - 92
Interesting Words: stern, peculiar, teeming, slack, searing, fleeting, lingered,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. Why did Winnie's "cheeks flam" when she heard steps upon the loft stairs?
2. Why do you think Winnie wanted to put the fish back?
3. There are several references to frogs on these pages. What is their significance?
4. How do you think Winnie feels when she hears the voice of the man in the yellow suit?
Pages 93 - 105
Interesting Words: tarnation, hoarsely, petulance, marionette, entranced, gallows,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. What were your thoughts as Mae grabbed the shotgun to prevent the man from taking Winnie?
2. Why does Winnie say she went with the Tuck family of her own free will?
3. Why do you think Tuck is "envious" of the man in the yellow suit?
4. What might happen if they hang Mae in the town square and all see that she can not die?
Pages 106 - 115
Interesting Words: bewitched, acrid,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. Why does Winnie feel that the man in the yellow suit must die?
2. Do you think Winnie's plan will work?
3. Make a prediction about the container of spring water. Will Winnie drink it when she turns 17 or will something else happen to the water?
Pages 116 - 126
Interesting Words: ponderous, remorseless, plaintive, gentility, prostrate, obliging,
Extensions: Write out step by step directions of the jail break.
Discussion Questions:
1. Winnie falls asleep only to wake at five minutes to midnight. How would you feel at that precise moment knowing you are about to risk everything to save a friend?
2. Do you think they will be successful getting Mae out of jail? What needs to happen in order for their plan to work?
Pages 127 - 133
Interesting Words: sedately, profoundly, unwittingly, perversely, constricted, staunchly,
Extensions:
Discussion Questions:
1. Winnie is at first repulsed by the feel of the toad. Why did she change her mind? Why did she pour the precious liquid on an ordinary toad?
Epilogue
Interesting Words:
Final: Each of the Tuck family dealt with living forever in a different way. Myles wanted to do something important with his life. Think about the implications of never dying. Write an essay explaining what you would do with never ending time. Incorporate the talents and interests you presently hold to write about how you would make this world a better place if given all the time in the world.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why did the gas station attendant assume that the Tuck's were in from the country for a big day on the town?
2. Why do you think they have returned to Treegap after being away such a long time?
3. Why did Tuck go to the cemetery?
4. Why is he glad and also sad to find Winnie's headstone?
5. Why do you think the author put in the final reference to the toad?