COMMON CORE

NOVEL STUDY

A LONG
WAY FROM
CHICAGO
By: Richard Peck
CREATED BY: TARYN SCHROEDER

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

About the Author

Who is Richard Peck?
1. What would you like to learn about Richard Peck?
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2. After researching, what have you learned about Richard Peck?
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3. What is the most interesting fact about Richard Peck that you have learned?
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4. Which website, book, or other resource did you get your information from?
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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 1
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

privy
obliged
prohibit
forage
disperse
ransack

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 1
1.

Do you think the title of Chapter 1, Shotgun Cheathams Last Night

Above Ground is an good title? Does it grab your interest? Why or why
not?

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2.

Describe the setting of Chapter 1.

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3.

What two things about staying with Grandma Dowdel annoy Mary Alice?

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4.

According to Grandma, how did Shotgun really get his name?

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CONNECTIONS
TEXT

TO
THE

Describe a time you had to stay with a relative.

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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 2
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

sulk
jaunt
culprit
lament
consolation
glower

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 2
1. On page 26: Predict what Grandma is up to? What is she planning?
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2. Is Grandma predictable? Why or why not?
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3. Why did this chapter receive the title The Mouse in the Milk? What
happened?
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4. Why did Mrs. Wilcox come see Grandma?
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5. What would Grandma let the two kids do at night?
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CONNECTIONS
TO
TEXT
THE

Describe a time you forgot to do something

really important. What happened because of
it? ___________________________________________

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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 3
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

mirage
tragic
scuffle
waft
liable
woozy

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 3
1. Look at page 38. Predict: What do you think the cheese was for?
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2. What does this chapter reveal to us about the Great Depression? Use
examples from the text.__________________________________________________
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3. Describe Grandma (use page 40). Then draw a picture below using this
description.
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CONNECTIONS
TO
TEXT
THE

During their visit in 1931, Joey and Mary Alice realize

that Grandma Dowdel runs illegal fish traps. Why is it
important to have hunting and fishing laws?

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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 4
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

heifer
repealed
averted
consoling
occupy
singed

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 4
1. In your own words, explain what Mrs. Weidenbach is referring to in her
conversation with Grandma on page 63.
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2. What did the family do to prepare for the fair?
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3. Who should have won the pie contest? Why?
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4. How do Joey and Mary Alice change during this chapter? What do they
believe at the end of the chapter that is different than the beginning?
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CONNECTIONS
TO
TEXT
THE

Describe how you felt when you visited an

amusement park or fair. If youve never gone,
how might you feel?

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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 5
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

poise
hunker
taut
gesture
shrivel
skittish

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 5
1. How old is the main character and what does he want to be called?
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2. What does the phrase she went at the tabletops like she was killing rats
mean? __________________________________________________________________
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3. How do Vandalia and Junior sneak away?
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4. What does Ms. Eubanks try to do?
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5. What is the story Grandma tells? Why does she tell it?
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CONNECTIONS
TO
TEXT
THE

Have you ever had a nickname or a name you

would rather be called? What is it and what
special meaning does it have for you?
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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 6
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

transfix
cadaver
belfry
gallivant
bogus
confound

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 6
1. Why wouldnt anyone have bought a car in over two years? What is
happening?______________________________________________________________
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2. Who is Uncle Grady?
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3. Mary Alice wears a unique dress. What makes it unique?
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4. What do the characters have to wear this year?
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5. Describe the scene between Uncle Brady and Mr. Weidenbach. Use words
from the book.
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CONNECTIONS
TO
TEXT
THE

What is your talent? How did you discover it?

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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

VOCABULARY
Chapters 7 - 8
Use a dictionary to define the words and complete the chart below.

WORD

DEFINITION

PART OF SPEECH

centennial
haunches
conspire
throng
clodhopper
churn

SENTENCES
Pick 4 words from above and write your own sentence each word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

READING TO LEARN
Comprehension Questions - Chapters 7 - 8
1. What did Mrs. Weidenbachs nephew read at the talent show?
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2. Who did Grandma honor in the parade and why?
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3. What did Grandma make during the centennial celebration? What did she
make it with?
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4. What was popular on womens dresses during the centennial celebration?
Describe it. ______________________________________________________________
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5. Describe how the town celebrates the centennial.
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6. What did Joey send to his Grandma at the end of the story?
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7. What is a troop train? _____________________________________________________

CONNECTIONS
TO
TEXT
THE

Have you ever been to a parade? What types

of things did you see? ________________________

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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

AFTER READING
CHARACTER WEB: JOEY

ACTIVITIES

JOEY

SETTING WEB: GRANDMAS TOWN

GRANDMA'S
TOWN

Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

Compare and contrast Joey and Grandma. How are they alike and different?

Find four metaphors or similes the author uses in the book. What do they mean?
What page did you find them on?
1.

2.

3.

4.
Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

RESPONDING TO CHALLENGES:
How does Joey, Mary Alice, Grandma, or other characters respond to different
challenges in the book? What are other (good or bad response) examples from
the book? Complete the chart below.
EVENT

CHALLENGE

RESPONSE TO CHALLENGE

Grandma has
entered a pie
contest.

Grandma wants to
win.

Grandma switches name tags with a

competitor and ends up losing the
blue ribbon.

The Theme: What BIG lesson did Joey and Mary Alice learn in the book?
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If A Long Way from Chicago was told from Grandmas point of view, how
would the book be different? Write several examples.
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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

THE COVER:
How does the cover accurately represent the story? List
some details that you see that support your answer. What
other parts of the story could you add to the cover?
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IN SUMMARY:
1. Which part of the book was your favorite and why?
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2. Draw and color your own version of
the cover and write a brief summary of
the book below.
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Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

COMMON CORE STANDARDS

Grade 4 and 5

Grade 4: Literature
RL.4.1 - Refers to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
and when drawing inferences from the text.
RL.4.2 - Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the
text.
RL.4.3 - Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on
specific details in the text.
RL.4.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
those that allude to significant characters found in mythology.
RL.4.6 - Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated,
including the difference between first- and third-person narrators.
RL.4.10 - By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range.

Grade 5: Literature
RL.5.1 - Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
RL.5.2 - Determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including
how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem
reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
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.
RL.5.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
RL.5.6 - Describe how a narrators or speakers point of view influences how events are
described.
RL.5.7 - Analyze how multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a
text.
RL.5. 10 - By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.

Created by: Taryn Schroeder

NAME: ______________________________________

Date: ______________________________

Created by: Taryn Schroeder