Great+Gilly+Hopkins+~+Home

Plot Summary //The Great Gilly Hopkins// tells the __ story __ of a lonely foster child, who covers the __ pain __ of moving around from home to home with a tough, mean exterior. Despite her best efforts to block out anyone who tries to reach out to her, Gilly soon comes to love her __ unusual __ family, composed of an obese, illiterate woman, a skittish child, and a blind old man. The book was banned in some __ schools __ because of its rough language, but was acclaimed by critics and earned its author many __ awards __. Gilly Hopkins moves in with a new foster mother, Maime Trotter, and a new foster __ brother __, William Ernest. This is her fourth family in several years. Initially, Gilly is skeptical about __ life in __ Thompson Park. She has never associated with people whose skin is different from hers, but suddenly.....

=Introduction:= Gilly Hopkins is a foster kid, tossed from home to home, always hoping that her mother will come back for her. Her latest home seems intolerable to the great Gilly: she can't get a rise out of Trotter, her obese foster mother; her foster brother, William Ernest, is so terrified that he barely speaks; and the blind next-door-neighbor comes over for supper everynight—and he's black. Gilly has lots of prejudices to overcome and a very hard heart to soften. This book is about redemption, the need to be wanted, and the ability to change one's heart.

=Materials:= =Before Reading:= Click under each of the following sentences to listen to an explanation of two important concepts that you will read about in this book. What does it mean to be a foster child? media type="file" key="foster child.wma" width="28" height="28" What does the word prejudice mean? media type="file" key="predjudice.wma" width="28" height="28" In your reading journal, write what it means to be prejudice in your own words. Next, explain what it means to be a child in foster care. Once you have completed this writing, show your teacher before going on to the next part. It's is very important that you understand these concepts! =During Reading:=
 * netbook with internet access
 * reading journal
 * pen or pencil
 * copy of __The Great Gilly Hopkins__

Day 1
Meet the characters in order of appearance:

** Miss Miriam Ellis ** Miss Ellis has been Gilly's caseworker for five years, and cares deeply about the girl. However, she is discouraged by what she sees as Gilly's unwillingness to make an effort. She is professional and dedicated, though not particularly endearing to kids. ** Galadriel "Gilly" Hopkins ** Bounced around from foster home to foster home, Gilly has constructed emotional barriers to protect herself from getting attached to anyone. She is sassy and scheming, and excels, when she puts her mind to it. ** Maime Trotter ** Trotter is an obese, poorly educated, deeply religious woman, who opens her loving home to neighbors and foster children. She teaches her children respect, love, and reverence for education and Christianity. She is a devoted and experienced foster mother. Miss Ellis helps Trotter to realize that she has the tendency to get extremely attached to her foster children, and that this can hinder Trotter's perception on what is best for them. ** William Ernest (W.E.) Teague ** William Ernest is a naive little shrimp of a boy, with thick glasses and no self-confidence. He is terrified of Gilly, until she begins to soften toward him. Then, he quickly becomes attached to her. Thriving on the attention she gives him, he gains confidence. As Gilly notes, "the boy was not as dumb as he looked." ** Mr. Randolph ** Mr. Randolph is a shriveled old blind man, who lives next door to Trotter. He joins Trotter and her kids every night for dinner, and attends weekly church service. An educated and spiritual man, he grows very attached to the smart, funny Gilly Hopkins. He is the first black person that Gilly befriends and considers as 'family.'

Click on the Great Gilly Hopkins ~ Vocabulary page to learn about words and phrases from the //Day 1// section.

Read the first two chapters, "Welcome to Thompson Park" and "The Man Who Comes to Supper" on pages 1 - 15. Answer the following question in your virtual reading journal. Please save it as //Gilly Hopkins Day 1.// What does Gilly do to frighten William Ernest? Why did she do it?

Day 2
Meet some new characters:


 * **Agnes Stokes** is a girl at Gilly's school. She comes from a troubled background herself, having been abandoned by both of her parents, and lives with her grandmother. She hangs around Gilly and tries to win her friendship. Gilly dislikes her, but uses her to help steal Mr. Randolph's money.
 * **Miss Barbara Harris** is Gilly's sixth-grade teacher. She is African-American and initially Gilly has a very difficult time interacting with her. Eventually, she learns to like Miss Harris and begins to do well in school.

Click on the Great Gilly Hopkins ~ Vocabulary page and take a look at today's words. Read the next two chapters, pages 16-41. Post the answer to the following question on our class blog. Why was the last chapter called //Sarsaparilla to Sorcery?//

Day 3
Click on the Great Gilly Hopkins ~ Vocabulary page and take a look at today's words. Read the next two chapters, pages 42-59. Answer the following questions in paragraph form in your reading journal. **What is written on the note Agnes gives to Gilly when they walk home from school together? Why did she write that? Do you think Gilly is a good friend? Why or why not?**

Day 4
Click on the Great Gilly Hopkins ~ Vocabulary page to read through the challenging words in this section. Read the next two chapters, pages 60-92. Answer the following questions in your reading journal: Do you think Courtney, Gilly's mother, will get the letter she wrote? Do you think she would be concerned if she did? What did Gilly say that would make Courtney worry about her?

Day 5
Read the next two chapters, pages 93-113 Respond to the following on the class blog: Why did Gilly's Grandmother whisper, "I'll get you out of here soon. I promise you I will."

Day 6
Read through the newest vocabulary words. Read the next two chapters, pages 114-129. There is an old saying that reads, "Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true." Write about the relevance of this saying to the last couple chapters in your virtual reading journal.

Day 7
Read the last three chapters, pages 130-148. =After reading:= Take a multiple choice quiz about the book by clicking on the following link and then following directions: []

=Beyond Reading:= You can play some fun games like concentration, matching and flash cards that are all about __The Great Gilly Hopkins__ at the following site: [] =Just for Teachers:= Websites: [] [] [] GLEs: R—5—2.1 Using strategies to unlock meaning (e.g., knowledge of word structure, including prefixes/suffixes and base words; or context clues; or other resources, such as dictionaries, glossaries; or prior knowledge) (State) 5–4.1 Identifying or describing character(s), setting, problem/ solution, major events, or plot, as appropriate to text; or identifying any significant changes in character(s) over time (State) 5—4.3 Generating questions before, during, and after reading to enhance recall, expand understanding and/or gain new information. (Local) • R–5–5.1 Making logical predictions (State) EXAMPLE: Which event is most likely to happen next? NETS for Students:

** 2. Communication and Collaboration ** Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. ** 6. Technology Operations and Concepts ** Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students: a. understand and use technology systems. b. select and use applications effectively and productively. c. troubleshoot systems and applications. NETS for Teachers: