Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The celebrated poet Dr. Maya Angelou once said: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” What does this quote mean? What are some examples from stories or real life that suggest this idea is true?

Teaching Suggestion: Through reflection on this quote, students will have an entry point into the theme of Kindness Is a Choice. Readers might benefit from a close analysis of this quote in which they address this question: What are some examples of the categories of action (i.e., 1. things that are said, 2. things that someone did, 3. how you make a person feel) described by Dr. Angelou? For more concrete thinkers, students might pose or respond to hypothetical scenarios; for example, what if a classmate tells you that you are their best friend, but doesn’t invite you to their birthday party? How does kindness play a role, and why is it more memorable than what is done/said? Readers might extend their discussion on this topic by making predictions on how kindness will be a part of the conflict or making guesses based on book cover images about the characters’ traits.