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tails of spring break teacher's guide - Albert Whitman & Company

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left alone without care. What can people do to make sure their animals will be all right<br />

while they’re gone? What resources are available? (For example, kennels, pet boarding<br />

houses, pet-sitters, giving a pet to a friend to care for.)<br />

PLOT<br />

Knowledge: In Chapter 2, the Sierra’s family brings China Cat to Katie’s house. When<br />

does China get worried? What does she do? What do Katie and Sierra do?<br />

Discussion: Ask the students if they have ever had a frightened pet? How did their pet<br />

show that it was frightened?<br />

Knowledge: After Sierra’s family leaves, what does Katie’s family do to try to make<br />

China feel better?<br />

Discussion: Did they do the right things? What additional things could they have done?<br />

Knowledge: At the end <strong>of</strong> the chapter, Katie is worried that Sierra might stop being her<br />

friend. Why?<br />

PLOT<br />

Knowledge: In Chapter 3, what has happened to change Claire’s plans to go to<br />

Washington, DC? When Katie finds out Claire will be staying at her house, what does<br />

she do?<br />

Discussion: Do the students understand how Katie feels and why? Talk about why Katie<br />

hides her poster <strong>of</strong> Mom.<br />

Discussion: When the author was in fourth grade she had to share her pink-and-white<br />

bedroom with a great aunt who seemed to be at least a hundred years old. How do you<br />

think she felt about that? (She carried her favorite things up to the attic and made a new<br />

sleeping place for herself. Her mother made her move back into the bedroom – made her<br />

share the room.)<br />

Ask the students how many <strong>of</strong> them have a bedroom all to themselves. How many share<br />

the room? What is good about sharing a room (e.g., the companionship, sharing secrets,<br />

keeping warm)? What is bad (not enough privacy, difficulty <strong>of</strong> keeping possessions<br />

separate)?<br />

Based on what we know about the two girls at this point, how many students think Katie<br />

and Claire might end up sharing secrets?

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