DISCUSSION DIRECTOR

Your job is to ask six meaningful, thinking questions to the group, the answers to your questions, and the page and paragraph. You really want to make your group think and reflect on the reading. Your questions should require students to discuss their interpretations of the text and connect background experience and knowledge with the text. All students should be involved in the discussion.Where the answers are found (if possible). Ask good thinking questions! Ask the following:

1 Compare/Contrast

1 Setting

1 Problem/Solution

1 Cause and Effect

1 Prediction

1 “Thinking” Question on your own

Setting – p.30 par.2

What is the setting of the new house that the Small family moves into?

“It loomed out of the mist and murky sky”. It is huge and built on a high hill. It is spooky and gives Thomas the chills.

Problem/Solution – p.22 par.3

What problem is there with the house and why will Mr. Small not share the information with his wife?

There is a legend that the house is haunted. Nobody has lived in the house in years because of their belief in the legend. Mr. Small did not want to tell Mrs. Small because she probably would hestitate to move there. His solution is to not tell her.

Cause/Effect – p.19 par.3

Why were the slaves killed on Dies Property?

The Drear house was an Underground Railroad and the slaves were making an attempt to escape to Canada. Slaves were killed in the 1800’s for trying to runaway.

Prediction – p.25 par.1

Do you think that Thomas’ dream is connected to the experience that he is about to have when he moves into the new house?

I don’t know. The dream from the first 3 pages might be about a ghost, Mr. Pluto or Dies Drear. I predict that it is Mr. Pluto that is the character in his dream.

Compare/Contrast – p.32 par.4

Compare Mr. Smalls’ impression of the new house to Mrs. Smalls impression.

Mrs. Small is not enthusiastic about it. She feels that it will never change and manifest into a beautiful home. It is too big and spooky. Mr. Small is very excited about it because it is an historical mark of the slaves and the Underground Railroad. He can barely wait to explore it.

Thinking Question

Do you think that the spirits of the ghosts still remain on the property or in the tunnel that Thomas falls into?

Yes, it has a spooky overtone and Thomas hears someone say Ahhhhh, but noone is to be seen. There are many eerie descriptions that are used to promote a haunted feeling in the house.