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love. ~~ Gay Miller
Ghost Boys Book Unit Sample
Created by Gay Miller
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This unit contains graphic organizers for an interactive notebook covering vocabulary, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice. I hope your students enjoy a book study using the engaging method of using interactive notebooks.
7 Ghost Boys By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Genre ~ fiction
Lexile – (High-Low Book) 360L
Reading and Interest Levels Age 11 – 12 / Grades 4 – 8
Themes - Emotions and Feelings, Family, Growing Up, Perseverance, History
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Ghost Boys Table of Contents
Materials Needed for the Interactive Notebook 4
Lesson Plans at a Glance 5
Vocabulary 6
Teacher Information 7
Chapter Titles and Numbers 10
Vocabulary List 11
Vocabulary Bookmarks 16
Vocabulary Word Cards 18
Vocabulary Booklet with Storage Pocket 22
Vocabulary Booklet Answer Key 34
Vocabulary Test 41
Comprehension and Constructed Response Writing 43
Teacher Information 44
Common Core Correlation 47
Allusions 49
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 1-3 50
Question 1 - Constructed Response – Jerome’s Family 51
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 4-6 52
Question 2 - Constructed Response – Character Traits 53
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 7-9 54
Question 3 - Constructed Response – Point of View 55
Question 4 - Constructed Response – Perspective 57
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 10-12 58
Question 5 - Constructed Response – Setting 59
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 13-15 60
Question 6 - Constructed Response – Mood 61
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 16-18 62
Question 7 - Constructed Response – Summarizing 63
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 19-21 64
Questions 8-9 - Constructed Response – Figurative Language 65
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 22-24 67
Question 10 - Constructed Response – Comparing Characters 68
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 25-27 69
Question11 - Constructed Response – Sequence of Event for Emmett’s Story 70
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 28-30 71
Question 12 - Constructed Response – Comparing Families 72
Comprehension Quiz for Chapters 31-32 73
Question 13 - Constructed Response – Plot Development 74
Question 14 - Constructed Response – Theme 75
Comprehension and Constructed Response Writing Answer Keys 76
Credits 107
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Lesson Plans at a Glance for Full Ghost Boys Unit
Vocabulary Reading/ Comprehension Quizzes
Constructed Response
Language Arts/ Informational Text
skate
premonition
Practice Book page 1
Chapters 1-3 Jerome’s Family –
Character Traits Figurative Language
Organizers
superstition
vestibule
Practice Book page2
Chapters 4-6 Carlos - Character Traits Flashback and
Foreshadowing Organizer
prosecutor
contradict
Practice Book page 3
Chapters 7-9 Point of View
Perspective
Informational Text Unit Lesson 1 – Introductory
[Hook Activities]
stereotype
cloak
Practice Book page 4
Chapters 10-12 Setting Lesson 2 – Definitions for Summarizing
preliminary
credibility
Practice Book page 5
Chapters 13-15 Mood Lesson 3 – Practice using Summarizing
tangible
unconscionable
Practice Book page 6
Chapters 16-18 Summarizing Lesson 4 – Read Information
Text and Answer Questions
solemn
activist
Practice Book page 7
Chapters 19-21 Figurative Language Lesson 5 – Writing about the Informational Text
tempered
truce
Practice Book page 8
Chapters 22-24 Comparing Characters Lesson 6 – Using Multiple Texts to Answer Questions
menace
keen
Practice Book page 9
Chapters 25-27 Sequence of Events for
Emmett’s Story
Lesson 7 – Using Video + Informational Text to Answer Questions
unarmed
contort
Practice Book page 10
Chapters 28-30 Comparing Families Lesson 8 – Extension Activity
assault
distort
Practice Book page 11
Chapters 31-32
Roller Coaster Plot
Diagram
Theme
Review
Practice Book page 12
Vocabulary Test
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Review
Fill in each blank using a form of a vocabulary word.
1. During the Christmas _________________ of 1914,
soldiers along the western front stopped fighting in an unofficial cease fire on Christmas Day.
2. The mother began _________________ when her child was lost.
3. The _________________ thief pretended to have a hidden gun.
4. The _________________ of this project is
questionable; the data is unreliable and the trustworthiness of the information sources are
dishonest.
5. The verbal _________________ was unnecessary; he learned his lesson and will not break the rules
again.
6. The politician _________________ the fact to make
his cause sound more successful than it really was.
7. The hooligans are a _________________ to society.
8. The _________________ report shows progress is
excellent, but we must wait for the final report to be sure.
Complete each analogy using one of your vocabulary
words from Chapters 16-32.
9. tempered : hardened :: peace : ______________
10.flippant : solemn :: immaterial : ______________
11.misrepresent : distort :: grimace : _____________
12.irrational : unconscionable :: hazard : __________
13.mild : keen :: pacifist : _____________________
14.defenseless : unarmed :: strike : __________
Chapters 1-3 [skate and premonition]
1. Circle six words in the box that are synonyms of
premonition.
know-how suspicion
intuition
knowledge trust refuse to accept
warning forewarning doubt
hunch foreboding disbelieve
Read the definitions of skate. Write a, b, c, or d to show
which definition is used in each sentence.
a) to move or glide over a surface on skates b) to ride or perform tricks on a skateboard c) to move or glide quickly along a surface
d) make quick and easy progress through
2. _____ The skateboarder mastered skating the 360 big
spin kickflip. 3. _____ Alina Zagitova skated to win a gold medal at the
Olympics.
4. _____ The Olympian skated some difficult tricks on the half pipe.
5. _____ The boats skated along the surface of the pond. 6. _____ I skated through test. 7. _____ The pair skated around the rink with ease.
8. Is premonition used correctly in the sentences below?
True or False
_____ She must have had a premonition, because it
happened just the way she said it would.
_____ His premonition was wrong; Mattie won the
contest.
_____ Alice left home without her parents’ premonition.
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Review
Fill in each blank using a form of a vocabulary word.
1. During the Christmas __Truce__ of 1914, soldiers
along the western front stopped fighting stopped in an unofficial cease fire on Christmas Day.
2. The mother began __keening___ when her child was lost.
3. The __unarmed___ thief pretended to have a hidden gun.
4. The ___credibility___ of this project is questionable;
the data is unreliable and the trustworthiness of the information sources are dishonest.
5. The verbal __assault__ was unnecessary; he learned his lesson and will not break the rules again.
6. The politician ___distorted___ the fact to make his
cause sound more successful than it really was.
7. The hooligans are a __menace___ to society.
8. The ___preliminary___ report shows progress is excellent, but we must wait for the final report to be sure.
Complete each analogy using one of your vocabulary
words from Chapters 16-32.
9. tempered : hardened :: peace : __ truce ____
10.flippant : solemn :: immaterial : _ tangible_
11.misrepresent : distort :: grimace : __contort ___
12.irrational : unconscionable :: hazard : _ menace _
13.mild : keen :: pacifist : __activist__
14.defenseless : unarmed :: strike : _ assault ___
Chapters 1-3 [skate and premonition]
1. Circle six words in the box that are synonyms of
premonition.
know-how suspicion
intuition
knowledge trust refuse to accept
warning forewarning doubt
hunch foreboding disbelieve
Read the definitions of skate. Write a, b, c, or d to show
which definition is used in each sentence.
a) to move or glide over a surface on skates b) to ride or perform tricks on a skateboard c) to move or glide quickly along a surface
d) make quick and easy progress through
2. ___b___ The skateboarder mastered skating the 360 big
spin kickflip. 3. ___a___ Alina Zagitova skated to win a gold medal at the
Olympics.
4. ___b___ The Olympian skated some difficult tricks on the half pipe.
5. ___c___ The boats skated along the surface of the pond. 6. ___d___ I skated through test. 7. ___a___ The pair skated around the rink with ease.
8. Is premonition used correctly in the sentences below?
True or False
___T___ She must have had a premonition, because
it happened just the way she said it would.
___T___ His premonition was wrong; Mattie won the
contest.
___F___ Alice left home without her parents’ premonition.
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Comprehension
This section contains a one page printable comprehension
practice for each reading selection. The chart below is the key
to the types of questions for the comprehension questions. The
section also contains constructed response exercises. The
Constructed Response pages that are chapter specific list the
chapters they should be used with. If chapter numbers are not
listed the questions are flexible and may be used at different
points in the story.
Types of Questions Key
detail / inference
main idea / summarizing /
theme
character/ setting /
plot / events
word meaning /
figurative language
text structure
point of view
different forms of
the same story
compare and
contrast
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Option 1
Have students use the graphic organizer for notes. Notice the notes are not in complete
sentences. Glue the organizer to the left side of the notebook page. On the right side of
the notebook, students use the notes to write the details in paragraph form.
Option 2
Students fill in the
organizers only.
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Ghost Boys ~ Chapters 1-3 [Untitled, Chicago Tribune: OFFICER: “I HAD NO CHOICE!”, December 8: Morning]
1. Why is Chapter 2 called “Chicago Tribune:
OFFICER: “I HAD NO CHOICE!”?
a. The chapter contains words from an interview.
b. The chapter is an excerpt from a newspaper article.
c. The chapter takes place at the police station.
d. The chapter explains the setting of the
story.
1. Chapters 1-4 are told from which point of
view?
a. 1st through Jerome b. 1st through Kim
c. 3rd through an outside narrator d. 3rd through Jerome
2. What can be inferred from Chapters 1-3 of
Ghost Boys?
a. Kim is not going to miss her brother.
b. Jerome’s parents are going to sue the
policeman who shot their son. c. Jerome is going to slowly reveal the events
that caused his death.
d. Grandma will not have enough to do to stay busy without Jerome to take care of.
3. Match each cause to its effect.
____ Kim loves books. a) A policeman shot him.
____ Jerome had a
gun.
b) He listens to sixties
pop music all day.
____ Jerome is pudgy. c) Jerome plans to spend
his allowance on a book.
____ Pop drives a
truck.
d) He is easily teased.
4. Read this passage from Chapter 3.
During lunch, I’ll hide in the bathroom. Maybe they’ll forget about me? Find another target?
I can hope.
Just like I hope I’ll win the lottery. A million dollars.
This passage contains ---.
____ onomatopoeia ____ an idiom
____ a hyperbole ____ sentence fragments
____ a simile ____ a pun
____ a metaphor ____ questions
6. What sequence takes place between “Dead”
Chapters 1-2 and “Alive” Chapter 3?
a. The story flashes back to a time before the shooting took place.
b. The story flashes forward to reveal events that will take place in the future.
c. The chapters are in chronological order. The story begins with the climax and then goes back in time.
7. Which genre is Ghost Boys? Check one from
each row.
____ fiction OR ____ drama
____ young adult lit OR ____ science fiction
____ fantasy OR ____ realistic
Explain why you selected these answers. ______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
8. True or False
____ Jerome got into trouble at school.
____ Although both of Jerome’s parents work, they are still a low income family.
____ Jerome was told repeatedly to “Come
straight home.”
____ Jerome wanted to fall into his father’s
footsteps and have the same career.
____ Everyone in Jerome’s family had a job.
____ Grandma’s job was a receptionist at the
Holiday Inn.
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Constructed Response – Jerome’s Family
List details provided in the first three chapters to describe Jerome and the members of his family.
Grandma
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
_
Jerome
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Kim
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Pop
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Ma
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how
characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot
moves toward a resolution.
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Ghost Boys ~ Chapters 1-3 [Untitled, Chicago Tribune: OFFICER: “I HAD NO CHOICE!”, December 8: Morning]
2. Why is Chapter 2 called “Chicago Tribune:
OFFICER: “I HAD NO CHOICE!”?
a. The chapter contains words from an interview.
b. The chapter is an excerpt from a newspaper article.
c. The chapter takes place at the police station.
d. The chapter explains the setting of the
story.
2. Chapters 1-4 are told from which point of
view?
a. 1st through Jerome b. 1st through Kim
c. 3rd through an outside narrator d. 3rd through Jerome
3. What can be inferred from Chapters 1-3 of
Ghost Boys?
a. Kim is not going to miss her brother.
b. Jerome’s parents are going to sue the
policeman who shot their son. c. Jerome is going to slowly reveal the events
that caused his death.
d. Grandma will not have enough to do to stay busy without Jerome to take care of.
4. Match each cause to its effect.
___c___ Kim loves books.
a) A policeman shot him.
___a___ Jerome had a
gun.
b) He listens to sixties
pop music all day.
___d___ Jerome is
pudgy.
c) Jerome plans to spend
his allowance on a book.
___b___ Pop drives a
truck.
d) He is easily teased.
5. Read this passage from Chapter 3.
During lunch, I’ll hide in the bathroom. Maybe they’ll forget about me? Find another target?
I can hope.
Just like I hope I’ll win the lottery. A million dollars.
This passage contains ---.
____ onomatopoeia ____ an idiom
___ a hyperbole ___ sentence fragments
___ a simile
____ a pun ____ a metaphor ___ questions
6. What sequence takes place between “Dead”
Chapters 1-2 and “Alive” Chapter 3?
a. The story flashes back to a time before the shooting took place.
b. The story flashes forward to reveal events that will take place in the future.
c. The chapters are in chronological order. The story begins with the climax and then goes back in time.
7. Which genre is Ghost Boys? Check one from
each row.
____ fiction OR ____ drama
____ young adult lit OR ____ science fiction
____ fantasy OR ____ realistic
Explain why you selected these answers. The story is fictional because the characters are made up by the author. The novel is not science
fiction that deals with technology, spaceflight, time travel and extraterrestrial life. The story is
also not a fantasy set in a fictional universe with magic or supernatural forms.
8. True or False
__F__ Jerome got into trouble at school.
__T__ Although both of Jerome’s parents work, they are still a low income family. __T__ Jerome was told repeatedly to “Come
straight home.” __F__ Jerome wanted to fall into his father’s
footsteps and have the same career. __T__ Everyone in Jerome’s family had a job. __F__ Grandma’s job was a receptionist at the
Holiday Inn.
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Constructed Response – Jerome’s Family (Answer Key)
List details provided in the first three chapters to describe Jerome and the members of his family.
Grandma Southern ways
works at home taking care of the house, cooking, and cleaning
wants her grandchildren to get a college education
helps children with homework
loves her grandchildren
has premonitions - worries about bad things happening
Jerome 12 year old boy
pudgy - bullied at school
good kid - hides from trouble
loves his family (wants to spend his allowance on his sister -- reassures Grandma that he is fine)
Kim in third grade
wears her hair in braids, bony (all elbows and knees)
smart
popular in school
loves to read
Pop works as a sanitation officer - drives garbage truck
listens to Motown
Ma works as a receptionist at the Holiday Inn
Ma becomes hysterical when Jerome is shot.
worries about her children - wants Jerome to come straight home from school
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how
characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot
moves toward a resolution.
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Get the full unit here.
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Credits
Microsoft
Office
Clipart
Gallery
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