A VERY IMPORTANT DAY

1. KNOWLEDGE - How do you know that becoming American citizens means a lot to these families?

2. ANALYZING - Why do you think the people in the story react differently to snow? Use details from the story.

3. GENERATING - Why do you think the author waits until the end of the story to show the importance of this day?

4. INTEGRATING - Why does the author write about so many different families, instead of focusing on just one?

5. EVALUATING - Why was Bailong's gift to Yujin (Page 266) a good choice on this particular day?

6. CONNECTIONS - Tanya's family reunion is an important day for her. If she and Yujin could discuss their very important days, what do you think they would say?

Boss of the Plain

1. KNOWLEDGE - How did Stetson's poor health change his life?

2. ANALYZING - What character traits made John Stetson a good inventor? What made him a good businessman?

3. GENERTING - What were some of John Stetson's failures? What do yoiu think he learned from them?

4. GENERATING - Why do you think John Stetson named his hat Boss of the Plains? What would you have named it?

5. INTEGRATING - The Boss of the Plains hat is still being made today. Why do you think it was a success in the Old West? Why do you think it's still popular?

6. CONNECTIONS - John Stetson and Tomas Rivera used their imaginations in different ways. How is imagination important to each of them?