Summer Reading Study Guides for Seventh Grade TP

Summer Reading Study Guides for Seventh Grade TP

Study Guide for Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

When school begins in August, you will be tested over the summer reading books. You will not have to present the answers to this study guide in class. Its purpose, however, is to guide your reading of the book and prepare you for the test. This becomes your study guide; it will not be reviewed or discussed before the summer reading test. Be sure that you answer these questions in such a way that you can study from them. You may edit these pages to add more answer space.

SETTING-______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Research leukemia and tell me a bit about what you learn - ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CHARACTER LIST

Major Characters – add your own description of these characters (unusual appearance or behavior, occupation, relationship(s) with other characters

1. Steven Alper

2. Jeffrey Alper

3. Annette Watson

4. Renee Albert

5. Mr. Watras

6. Miss Palma

7. Mrs. Galley

8. Samantha

9. Mrs. Alper

10. Mrs. Alper

11. Mr. Stoll

STUDY QUESTIONS

Chapter 1 - 3

1. When did Steven’s life change forever?

2. Why did Miss Palma think Steven’s journal should not be private?

3. What surprise did Mr. W. have for Steven at the end of the Opportunity Period?

4. Why does Steven feel his younger brother is a nightmare?

5. Where were Steven’s special sticks?

6. What was so special about Steven’s special sticks?

7. What is the opportunity period at Steven’s school?

8. What class does Steven always choose during opportunity period?

9. Why was it such a big deal for Steven to be in the All City High School Band?

10. What was Steven’s first emotional relief when his mother told him Jeffrey had leukemia?

11. Why was Steven nicknamed Peasant?

12. Why did Steven feel guilty about his first thought concerning Jeffrey’s illness?

CHAPTER 4-5

13. Describe how Jeffrey looked the morning after he fell of the bar stool?

14. Why did he have this appearance?

15. Annette snickered all the way from the rehearsal. Why?

16. How did Jeffrey so quickly get over how bad his bruises looked?

17. Why was Steven angry at his mother?

18. Why didn’t any of Steven’s friends notice anything was wrong with Steven?

19. What made Steven forget about Jeffrey for a while?

20. Everyone in the family felt guilty after Jeffrey was diagnosed with leukemia. Explain why each family member felt guilt.

21. How did Jeffrey know there was something pretty seriously wrong with him?

22. How old was Steven when Jeffrey was born?

23. There is a saying No news is good news. Explain why this was not the case in regards to Jeffrey’s visit to the specialists in Philadelphia.

CHAPTERS 6-7

24. Why was Steven confused after seeing Annette in the practice room?

25. Why was Jeffrey’s prognosis considered moderate?

26. Where was the awesome piano music coming from?

27. What was Steven’s first clue something was really wrong when he saw him Mom’s car pull into the driveway?

28. What are blasts?

29. Why was Steven’s mother so angry when she got out of the car?

30. What bothered Steven and Jeffrey about the visitors that had started coming to the house?

31. Describe the game Steven came up with to deal with all of the visitors who were coming to see Jeffrey.

32. Though Jeffrey’s prognosis was considered moderate Steven wasn’t too sure what to think about it. Explain why the prognosis seemed positive and not so positive at the same time.

CHAPTERS 8 – 9

33. Why was Annette worried about Steven?

34. Who had told Miss Palma about Jeffrey’s condition?

35. Why did Jeffrey have to stay in the hospital for a simple ear infection?

36. What was strange about the breakfast Jeffrey and his father had together?

37. What did Steven get his teachers to agree to before leaving the meeting?

38. How had Steven underestimated Mrs. Galley?

39. Why did Steven’s mother pick him up from the dance in her sweatpants?

40. How did the E.R. staff react when Steven’s mother mentioned Jeffrey’s leukemia?

41. How did Steven’s plan not to tell his teacher’s about Jeffrey’s leukemia backfire on him?

CHAPTERS 10 – 13

42. How did Renee Albert volunteering to tutor Steven in math “paint a target on his forehead”?

43. Who had been asking Annette about Steven’s absence from school?

44. Describe the symptoms of Jeffrey’s treatment.

45. What upset Steven the most about being shipped away to his grandparents’ house?

46. What did Steven do that made Renee so angry? Explain.

47. What happened when Stephen yelled at his father?

48. Why didn’t Steven respond to his mother’s message to call her ASAP?

49. Why had Steven’s father been crying at the kitchen table?

50. Why was it such a crisis for Steven to get the flu?

51. Why was Steven upset when he was finally allowed to return home?

52. How does Annette prove over and over again that she is truly Steven’s best friend?

53. Why do you think Steven still doesn’t treat Annette as one should treat a best friend?

CHAPTERS 14 -17

54. Why did Steven shave his hair off?

55. Why big idea did Annette and Renee come up with to help Steven’s family?

56. What bad news did Steven and the All-City Band get?

57. How did Mr. Stoll react to Steven telling him he couldn’t take drum lessons any longer?

58. How did Steven’s parents react when he told them about the concert idea?

59. How did Steven make up with Renee?

60. Why did someone besides his mother need to take Jeffrey to the hospital?

61. Describe Steven’s nightmares.

62. What did Mrs. Galley tell Steven to do about his nightmares?

63. Jeffrey is usually pretty optimistic, but when the new boy in his class told him he was bald, he burst into tears. Why would being told he was bald make him cry when all the other horrible things that were happening to him did not?

CHAPTERS 18-19

64. Why was Steven and Samantha staying up all night and talking so strange?

65. What did Steven hear as they were leaving the hospital ward?

66. Why was Jeffrey so excited about going back to the hospital?

67. Who else was reading the book Mrs. Galley had bought Steven?

68. Who was Matt Medic?

69. Where was Matt Medic?

70. What shocked Steven when they entered Jeffrey’s hospital ward?

71. Why did Mrs. Galley buy a book for Steven?

72. Why did Samantha insist Steven promise to always stay with his brother?

CHAPTERS 20 – Epilogue

73. How did the All-City Band honor Jeffrey and his fight against cancer on the night of the benefit concert?

74. How much money did the benefit concert raise for Steven’s family?

75. Why did Steven lose it when he went looking for Samantha?

76. What was the first clue that something was going to go wrong the night of the concert?

77. Why had the doctors agreed to let Jeffrey go home even though he wasn’t doing well?

78. Why didn’t Steven and his father have anything to speak about as his father drove him to school the day of the concert?

79. What did Steven’s father say in his speech to the kids holding the benefit concert for his family?