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A Mother in Mannville7th Grade ELA

Brainstorming ActivityWith your tablemates, use the dry

erase board provided to brainstorm a

list of things you think are needed for physical and emotional survival. Try to think about what you need in your daily life (food) as well as the things you might take for granted (such as having close friendships).

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1943)

Vocabulary to Know:rhododendron-shrub with pink, white, or purple flowershemlocks-poisonous plant with small white flowersmalaria- disease transmitted by mosquitoscorn shocks-stalks of corn stacked together to drymangled- mutilated, crippledstoop-porch or step in front of a houseasters- plant with purplish flowers that bloom in fallsuffused- spread throughoutkindling-small piece of dry wood used to start a firesubterfuge- plan to hide the truthtreacherously- dangerouslyimpelled- drivenparturition- childbirththistledown- white, fluffy down formed on thistle, a weed with prickly leaves and stems and purple flowerstrifle- a littleabstracted- absent-mindedanomalous- abnormalecstasy- extreme happinessvermillion- bright red

Discussion Questions

Who is Jerry and how does he meet the narrator?Why is Jerry so eager to return to the cabin?When the narrator gives Jerry little gifts, Jerry is speechless. Why does Jerry have trouble saying thanks?Why does he lie?How come the narrator never realizes Jerry is lying?How do you think the story would be different if it was told from Jerry’s perspective?

Compassion

Analyzing theNarrator

Kind

nes

s

Carin

g

Concern

Sym

path

y

“I tried to return histhoughtfulness withsuch things as candyand apples…”

I wanted to cry out, “Why are you not with her? How can she let you go away again?”“I decided that I

should not leave the mountains without seeing her and knowing for myself why she had done this thing.”

You have been my good friend, Jerry. I shall often think of you and miss you.”

Integrity

Analyzing Jerry’sCharacter

Resp

onsib

ility

HonestyGra

cious

ne

ssC

ourag

eCou

rteou

snes

s

A

BC

D

E