Firegirl Tony Abbott Tony Abbott Biography Chapter 1

Firegirl Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott • Biography

Chapter 1 pages 1 -6 • Character Development: Keep a chart of the major characters in the story. Be sure to include character traits, supported with evidence from the text. • Figurative Language

• Character Development Chapter 2 pages 7 -11 • Do you think that Jeff’s uncle really has a Cobra? On what evidence do you base your opinion?

• Character Development Chapter 3 pages 12 -17 • Figurative Language • How does Tom feel about Courtney? Use evidence to support your thinking. • Why do you think the author mentions a new student, Jessica Feeney, in the first few chapters but hasn’t brought her character into the story yet? Explain your thinking.

• Character Development Chapter 4 pages 18 -23 Vocabulary • marauders • plummeting • infested • Figurative Language

• Character Development Chapter 5 • Figurative Language pages 24 -28 • What do you think Mrs. Tracy is going to tell the class about Jessica? Explain your thinking. Vocabulary • primary

• Character Development Chapter 6 pages 29 -34 • Figurative Language • Imagine how Jessica must be feeling, walking into a new class being as badly burned as she is. What thoughts are going through her mind? Write a paragraph from her perspective about being introduced to the class.

• Character Development Chapter 7 pages 35 -41 Vocabulary • singeing • acrid • Figurative Language • Why did the author choose to include this scene in the story? What impact does it have on you? Explain in context of the story.

• Character Development Chapter 8 pages 42 -47 Vocabulary • undergoing • graft • Figurative Language • Do you think Tom’s feelings about Jessica are realistic? Would other kids, like you, feel and react the same way? Explain. • How do you think Jessica came to be burned?

• Character Development Chapter 9 pages 48 -55 Vocabulary • wince • prosperous • stern • Why does Tom not want to talk about how Jessica got burned? • Tom holds Jessica’s hand in the prayer circle, but Jeff does not. Is one boy right and the other wrong? Explain how both of the boys might be feeling. Do you have any evidence to support your thinking?

• Character Development Chapter 10 pages 56 -66 Vocabulary • harsh • slogan • Jeff says that he won’t touch Jessica because you can pick up diseases from touching sick people. Is Jessica sick? What would you tell Jeff? Explain. • How is Jeff feeling about his parent’s divorce? Use evidence to support your thinking. • Explain the campaign slogan, “A vote for Tom is a vote for TOMorrow!” • At the end of the chapter Tom says something else happened? What do you think happened Explain.

• Character Development Chapter 11 pages 67 -72 Vocabulary • inaudible • What is the regular thing that the class discovered about Jessica? • How do you think Jessica’s sister, Anne, died?

• Character Development Chapter 12 pages 73 -80 • How and why do rumors get started? What rumor was started about Jessica? How would you feel if you were Jessica and you heard the rumor that people were spreading about you?

• Character Development Chapter 13 pages 81 -93 Vocabulary • salve • glint • indestructible • Why did the author spend so much time describing Jessica’s room? • What super power would you want and why? How would you use it to help people? • Why do you think Jessica asked Tom if he wanted to touch her face, but then she closed her bedroom door without letting him?

• Character Development Chapter 14 pages 94 -101 Vocabulary • garbled • Why would Jessica lie about having a sister who died? • Explain how Jessica was burned.

• Character Development Chapter 15 pages 102 -110 • Why do you think Jessica hates her mother? • Do you think Tom should have agreed to go with Jessica, or should he count on Jeff and riding in the Cobra on Saturday? Explain your position.

• Character Development Chapter 16 pages 111 -118 Vocabulary • marauders • How would you characterize Jeff? List some attributes and provide evidence from the text to support your thinking. • Do you think Tom’s dream is important? Explain

• Character Development Chapter 17 pages 119 -127 • Why do you think Jessica nominated Tom for class president? • Why did Tom feel like he should nominate Jessica for class president? • Why do you think Tom wouldn’t talk on the phone to Jeff, but he did talk to Jessica?

• Character Development Chapter 18 pages 128 -131 • Why did Tom not go with Jeff in the Cobra? Isn’t that what he has been waiting forever? Do you think he made the right decision? Explain.

• Character Development Chapter 19 pages 132 -138 • What did Tom learn from his time with Jessica? What do you think she learned from him?

• Character Development Chapter 20 pages 139 -145 • Why do you think that Tom and Jeff couldn’t go back to having the same kind of friendship they had before Jessica arrived? • Explain the impact Jessica had on Tom. What did he learn as a result of knowing her? How did his life change?

Novel Projects • Persuasion: Write a letter to the class persuading them to vote for Jessica for class president. • Narrative: Write another chapter to the story from Jessica’s point of view. Explain what she does and where she goes after leaving St. Catherine’s. • Research: • Contact your local fire department and request information on fire safety. Create a poster for the class based on what you learn. • Research the recovery process for burn victims.