Part 1: August - St. Clare Catholic Academy

WonderBy R.J. Palacio

Part 1: August

©2016 Nothing but Class

Name ___________________________

1. How old is August? a. Nine years old.b. Ten years old.c. Eleven years old.d. Twelve years old.

2. Does August think he is ordinary or not ordinary? Explain.

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1 ©2016 Nothing but Class

Ordinary

Why I Didn’t Go to School

How I Came to Life6. Describe the reactions of the doctor, the nurse, August’s dad, and August’s mom, when

August was first born.

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7. What stands out to you about August’s mom’s reaction? What does this tell you about her?

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3. Who is August’s best friend?a. Zachary.b. Alex.c. Christopher.d. Via.

4. What do you know so far about August’s mom?

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5. Why has August only been homeschooled so far?

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He thinks he is both ordinary and not ordinary. He thinks he is ordinary because he does things other normal

kids do, like eat ice cream and play video games. He thinks he is not ordinary because he knows it isn’t

normal to get stared at wherever he goes, or to have his big sister have to defend him all the time.

She homeschools August. She was once a children’s book illustrator, but she hasn’t drawn in a long time.

August thinks this is because she is too busy with him and Via.

August has only been homeschooled so far because he has had so many surgeries in his short life. He has

had twenty seven since he was born. Also, he used to frequently get sick when he was smaller.

Everyone got really quiet when August was first born. A nurse quickly took August out of the room, while

August’s dad accidentally dropped the video camera as he hurried after her. August’s mom got upset and

tried to follow her, but another nurse restrained her. The doctor fainted.

What stands out about her reaction is that she wasn’t shocked and horrified by the way her baby looked,

like everyone else was. All she could see was that August had pretty eyes. This tells me that August’s

mom unconditionally loves him, and that she doesn’t define him solely by his unusual physical qualities.

8. How does August react when his mom speaks to him about going to school? Use textual evidence to support your answer.

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Christopher’s House

Driving

Paging Mr. Tushman11. Choose one adjective to describe Mr. Tushman, based upon his first encounter with August.

Use textual evidence to support your answer.

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12. How do you think August feels when he learns that he is taking a tour of the school?

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9. Who is Mr. Tushman?a. The principal.b. August’s parent’s old teacher.c. Via’s teacher.d. Christopher’s dad.

10. What do you think the phrase, “a lamb to the slaughter” means? Why does August’s dad say this phrase?

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Nice Mrs. Garcia13. What is August’s first impression of Mrs. Garcia?

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August is very surprised and upset when his mom speaks to him about going to school. On page 8, the text

says, “‘What school?’ I said. I already felt like crying.” Also, on page 9, the text reads, “‘I don’t want to,’ I

said. I admit I made my voice sound a little babyish.”

I think ”a lamb to the slaughter” means that someone innocent (like a lamb) is going somewhere, and the

poor person doesn’t know that he is going to be harmed when he gets there. August’s dad says this phrase

because he is talking about August going to school, and he is pointing out that kids might be cruel to him

there.

Mr. Tushman is friendly. On page 15, the text reads, “Mr. Tushman looked right at me and smiled and

nodded. He put his hand out for me to shake. ‘Hi August,’ he said, totally normally. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet

you.’”

I think August must feel very nervous and a little frightened when he learns he is taking a tour of the

school. He must be wondering if other kids will see him, and what they will think of him.

August’s first impression of her is that she is nice, but that he doesn’t like her “shiny smile.” He thinks that

smile is fake, and he wishes she would be more genuine.

14. Who does Mr. Tushman introduce to August next? How do they react to August?

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Jack Will, Julian, and Charlotte

The Grand Tour

The Performance Space17. How does Jack try to help August in this chapter? What does this tell you about Jack?

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18. What questions does Julian ask August? How do the other kids react to this?

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15. Where do the kids go first on their tour?a. The music room.b. The science lab.c. Their homeroom.d. The performance space.

16. What is your first impression of Julian? Explain your answer.

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The Deal19. Why do you think August calls Mrs. Garcia’s smile “shiny?”

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20. Why do you think August and his mom leave the school so abruptly?

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Mr. Tushman introduces August to three kids named Jack Will, Julian, and Charlotte. They react to August

at first by avoiding looking at him. Then, when they are introduced to him, the two boys fake a smile and

look down really fast. Charlotte waves at him and smiles.

My first impression of Julian is that he is bossy, abrasive, and he is the kind of kid that wants other kids to

listen to him. He takes charge and talks to everyone about what room is what, and he is a little harsh and

opinionated with his words.

Jack tries to help August in this chapter by first smiling at him, and then telling him that Julian is a jerk,

but that August is going to have to talk. I think this shows that Jack is a nice kid, a much nicer kid than

Julian.

Julian asks August what is wrong with his face. Charlotte tells Julian he is rude, and Jack tells Julian to

shut up. August doesn’t even get the chance to answer, because Jack says they should all go to the library.

I think he is calling it that because he thinks it is a fake and uncomfortable smile.

I think that August is overwhelmed by the tour and the other kids, so he signals to his mom that he is

ready to leave.

21. What is August’s dog’s name?a. June.b. Daisy.c. Fluffy.d. Scarlett.

22. After his school tour, the text says that August “felt very sad and a tiny bit happy at the exact same time, kind of like that laughing-crying feeling all over again.” Why do you think he feels this way? Have you ever felt this way?

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Home

First-Day Jitters

Locks25. Name and describe some of the kids in August’s homeroom.

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26. What does Henry do as soon as he is told to sit next to August? Why do you suppose he does this, and how do you think this makes August feel?

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23. As August gets closer to the first day of school, how do his parents’ opinions about it change?

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24. On the lines below, write a quote from this chapter that supports the following statement: August has supportive parents.

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I think he feels this way, because a part of him is really excited about experiencing school, but another part

of him is sad, because he knows that the school year ahead of him will undoubtedly be filled with challenges.

I feel this way on the last day of school, because I am excited for the summer and for freedom, but I

also feel sad to say goodbye to my teacher and all my friends. (Answers to second question will vary.)

Everyone is still unsure as to whether or not August would go to school, up until a few days before it

starts. August’s parents switch sides. His mom doesn’t think he should go anymore (because of his

experience at the tour), while his dad thinks he should (because he is proud of August for handling Julian).

“Mom and Dad were probably a little nervous, too, but they acted all excited for me, taking pictures of me

and Via before we left the house since it was Via’s first day of school, too.”

Charlotte is a goody two shoes. Jack is friendly and is the only one who dares to sit next to August. Henry

is a big kid who doesn’t want to sit by August. Julian is the cruel kid from the school tour.

Henry drags his feet slowly over to the desk by August, and then he puts his backpack between them, so

that it is kind of like a wall between him and August. I think he does this because he thinks it is “uncool” to

be next to August. I think this makes August feel really bad and sad.

27. What does Julian share about himself? What does Charlotte share about herself? What two things would you share about yourself?

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Around the Room

Lamb to the Slaughter

Choose Kind30. What is a precept? What is Mr. Browne’s September precept? What do you think this

means?

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31. Mr. Browne has a plaque outside of his door that says, “Know Thyself.” What does this mean to you?

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28. What does August not share about himself in front of the class?a. He likes Star Wars.b. He likes science.c. He has a dog named Daisy.d. He has a sister named Via.

29. Explain how Julian was unkind to August in this chapter. What does this tell you about him?

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Lunch32. How does August feel as lunchtime begins? Use textual evidence to support your answer.

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Julian shares that he just got Battleground Mystic, and that he got a Ping-Pong table that summer.

Charlotte shares that she has two sisters, and that she got a new puppy named Suki. I would share that

I have an older sister and a younger brother, and that we have a talking pet parrot. (Answers to the

second question will vary.)

Julian asks August whether he likes Darth Sidious. He is purposely being cruel, because in the Star Wars

movies, Darth’s face gets burned and he becomes very deformed. This tells me that Julian is a cruel kid,

and also that he is sly, and that he thinks it is funny or cool to put other kids down.

Precepts are rules about really important things. Mr. Browne’s September precept is, “When given the

choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” I think this means that it is more important to be

kind to someone than it is to prove that you’re right about something. In other words, kindness is more

important than arguing to make someone believe you, or to make someone be on your side.

I think this means that you should know who you are. Even more than that, know who you are by being

intentional about who you are, and not letting others around you sway what types of qualities that you as a

person strive to have.

August is nervous as lunchtime begins. He feels like everyone is looking at him. On page 49, the text reads,

“I could tell I was being stared at without even looking up. I know that people were nudging each other,

watching me out of the corners of their eyes. I thought I was used to those kinds of stares by now, but

I guess I wasn’t.”

33. Why does August hate the way he eats?

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Lunch (continued)

The Summer Table

One to Ten36. Explain why this chapter is titled, “One to Ten.”

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37. How is August behaving towards his mom? Why do you think he is acting this way?

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34. How and why does lunch improve for August?

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35. What is your opinion of Summer so far? Explain.

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Padawan38. Why do you think August cuts off his braid?

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39. How does this chapter make you, as the reader, feel? Why?

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He hates the way he eats because he knows he looks weird and that he eats really messily. He compares

himself to some prehistoric swamp thing when he eats.

Lunch improves for August because a nice girl named Summer comes to sit with him. They spend lunch

time making a list of people who can sit at their summer-themed table.

I think that Summer is really sweet and nice. When no one else wanted to sit next to August, she came

and sat with him. I am sure the other kids will give her a hard time about it, or wonder why she would do

that. But I can tell that she doesn’t care, and that she just wanted to be kind to August.

This chapter is titled “One to Ten” because August’s mom always asks him how he feels on a scale of one

to ten. One means that he is only hurting a very little bit, and ten means that he is hurting a lot. When

August had surgeries, she would share this information with the doctors. Now, she uses it to ask him

about anything. She asks him this when she picks him up, and August says, “Five.”

August is short with his mom, and he is acting a little bit angry towards her. I think he is acting this way

because he is struggling with the transition to school, and he blames her for it. I also think he is simply

taking out his emotions on her. (Answers to the second question will vary.)

I think August cuts off his braid because of the cruel Star Wars comment that Julian made in homeroom.

This chapter makes me feel so sad, because I feel August’s genuine pain, and his longing for things to be

different. The last sentence really breaks my heart. It says, “She said soft words that I know were

meant to help me, but words can’t change my face.”

40. Why is September so hard for August? Name at least three reasons.

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41. What do you think you would do if you saw August at your school for the first time?

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September

Jack Will

Mr. Browne’s October Precept44. What is Mr. Browne’s October precept? Why do you think this precept might be especially

significant to August?

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42. Why do August and Jack Will laugh hysterically at the end of this chapter?

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43. What do the conversations between Jack and August in this chapter show about their relationship?

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Apples45. Explain what August’s mom means when she says, “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far

from the tree.” Why does she say this?

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September is hard for August because he isn’t used to getting up so early in the morning for school. He

isn’t used to homework, quizzes, and not having free time. Also, school is so hard for him in the beginning

because none of the kids are used to him yet. So he has to deal with kids whispering about him and acting

shocked or horrified when they first see him.

Honestly, I am sure I would be surprised at first. But I would like to think I would be more like Summer,

in that I would look past his physical appearance, and be kind to him in the same way that I would be kind

to any other kid.

August and Will laugh hysterically at the end of this chapter because they are joking around about August’s

face. Jack asks if August will always look that way and asks if he can get plastic surgery. August says

that he already got plastic surgery. Jack Will says that August should sue his doctor (as a joke).

I think their honest conversations show that they have a true friendship, and that they are really

comfortable around each other.

Mr. Browne’s October precept is, “Your deeds are your monuments.” This precept might be especially

significant to August because his whole life, he has only been known for his unusual face. But this precept

is saying that he doesn’t have to only be remembered by that. It is saying that what he could be most

remembered for is the way he chooses to live his life. I think it’s a message of hope for him. (Answers

will vary.)

I think that she means that Julian is like his mom, in that they are both cruel and unkind people. She says

this when she comments that Julian’s mom is the only mom that hadn’t RSVPed for August’s birthday

party.

46. What does Summer really want to dress up as for Halloween?a. A cat.b. A unicorn.c. A hobbit.d. The wicked witch.

47. How is Summer different from the other girls in fifth grade?

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Halloween

School Pictures

The Cheese Touch49. Explain why this chapter is titled, “The Cheese Touch.” How does this chapter make you

feel?

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48. Explain how August feels about having his picture taken.

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Costumes50. What is Charlotte’s Halloween costume going to be?

a. Catwoman.b. Hermione.c. A vampire.d. Tinkerbell.

51. Why is Halloween August’s favorite holiday?

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52. What is August’s original costume, and why does he end up wearing a different one?

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Summer is different from the other girls in fifth grade because she isn’t just trying to be cool and grown

up all the time. She wants to be a unicorn for Halloween, but the other girls say they think costumes are

uncool or babyish. I think she is also different because she is friendly to August. She is the only person

that will sit with him at lunch time.

August does not want to have his picture taken. On page 70, the text reads, “I have an aversion to having

my picture taken.”

This chapter is titled “The Cheese Touch” because the way that everyone treats August reminds him of the

way none of the kids in Diary of a Wimpy Kid want to touch the moldy cheese on the basketball court. No

one at Beecher Prep wants to touch him, because they’re all afraid of him. For example, Ximena panics

when she is about to dance with him, and Tristan freaks out when August touches him in Science.

Halloween is August’s favorite holiday because he gets to wear a costume and a mask and he gets to go

around like every other kid. No one notices him or stares at him because his face is covered up.

His original costume is Boba Fett the man from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. He ends up

wearing a different one because he is in a hurry, he doesn’t have anyone to help him, and it seems like too

much work. So he wears last year’s costume instead: the Bleeding Scream.

53. In detail, explain why this day at school quickly goes from being great to being terrible.

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54. Were you surprised when you found out that it was Jack talking about August, in the mummy costume? Why or why not?

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The Bleeding Scream

Names55. What does August tell the school nurse?

a. He has a fever.b. He has a headache.c. He has a sore throat.d. He has a stomachache.

56. August’s last words in this chapter are, “I was pretty sure I would never go back to school again.” Do you think he should stop going to school? Why or why not?

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At first it is great because he is in his costume, so he gets to be like every other kid in school. It becomes

terrible because he overhears Jack, Julian, and other kids saying terrible things about him. August runs

away when he hears their cruel conversation.

Yes, I was surprised, because I thought that Jack was a genuine friend to him. It seems like he is giving in

to peer pressure to be mean to August.

I think he should go back to school even if it is hard, because I think he shouldn’t let what a couple of

immature kids said interfere with his life. I think he should learn from the situation, choose his friends

wisely, and continue to move forward. I think these tough situations with people will make August stronger

and smarter. (Answers will vary.)

Part 1: August - St. Clare Catholic Academy

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