Concept Cards Directions

DAY

BOOK CLUE SEARCH
INFORMATION SOURCE / INFORMATION PROVIDED
Title
Cover
Teasers on the Cover
Reviewers’ Recommendations/ Awards Won
Teacher’s Introduction
Predictions about the book:

CONCEPT CARDS

bafflement / hatch / casualty / cirrus
generator / authentic / storm cells / inseparable
babbling / chaotic / escort / eyesore
musty / meteorologist / frantically / rubble
haphazardly / miraculously / strewn / tremendous

Concept Cards – Directions

Print set of words, cut apart, place in small envelope for distribution to each reading groups. (one set per group)

Students assemble the cards into categories of their own choosing. (Note: Do not tell students a specific number of categories or the number of “word cards” that should be in each grouping.) Encourage students to place words in categories according to their own knowledge of those words or their predictions of how those words might be used in the story.

Have students work within their groups to use the words to create a story of their own that they think will “mirror” the story we are about to read, “Night of the Twisters”.

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters -pages 3-6

“As Told by Dan Hatch” &

“Five O’Clock”

1 / merchandise (3)
2 / cirrus (6)
3
4
5

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

”As Told by Dan Hatch” p.3-6

Write your response to each of the inquiries below. For the first two sections (Points to Ponder & Predictions) answer the questions in complete sentences. Answer the last section (Notable Quotes), with information about what the quote means and/or feelings the quote arises in you. Try to identify figurative language.

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
Why do you think the author included the Associated Press release? Why was it placed before the story?
What is a red letter day?
What is a black letter day?
What was the all-time worst black letter day?
NOTABLE QUOTES
Those BIGGEES, the real blockbusters that mess up your life, aren’t marked on the calendar, either. (p.5)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“As Told by Dan Hatch” p.3-6

Dan wonders what it would be like if people were informed of a really bad day before it happened. Would this be a good thing or a bad thing? Why?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters -pages 7-16

“As Told by Dan Hatch” &

“Five O’Clock”

1 / cogitates (8)
2 / authentic (9)
3 / quadriceps (13)
4 / hibernation (14)
5

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Five O’Clock” – pages 7-16

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
What two other days are described as days you never forget?
What hints about the weather let you know something might happen?
PERDICTION
What are some of the worst things that could happen to Dan and his family? Remember you have read the Associate Press Release.
NOTABLE QUOTES
Suddenly I realized I was as hungry as a bear out of hibernation. (p.13)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Five O’Clock” – pages 7-16

Why do you think people can remember all the little details about black-letter days?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Six O’Clock” – pages 17-26

1 / inseparable (18)
2 / frazzles (19)
3 / dismal (20)
4 / mallet (22)
5 / deadpan (24)
6 / paregoric (24)
7 / milo (25)
8

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Six O’Clock” – pages 17-26

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
How were Arthur and Dan alike? Different? (You may choose to compare these two characters by creating a Venn Diagram on the back of this paper.)
How had the baby changed Linda Hatch’s and Dan’s life?
Do you think the dad was unreasonable when he said Dan should help around the house and babysit? Why or why not?
NOTABLE QUOTES
“The sun doesn’t rise and set with you!” (p. 26)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Six O’Clock” – pages 17-26

What one event that happened to you, or your family, has really affected your life? Describe and explain how it affected you.

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Seven O’Clock” – pages 27-37

1 / observant (32)
2 / habitat (33)
3 / parentheses (33)
4 / eyesore (34)
5 / chaotic (35)
6 / hunkered (37)
7

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Seven O’Clock” – pages 27-37

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
What do we know about Aunt Goldie?
Is your family more like Dan’s or Arthur’s? Why?
PERDICTION
What do you think the statement, “Nobody knew for sure where Aunt Goldie was that night…or the next…or the next means. (pg. 37)
NOTABLE QUOTES
Overhead, clouds boiled so low you could almost jump up and grab them. (p. 31)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Seven O’Clock” – pages 27-37

What is the setting of the story?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Eight O’Clock” – pages 38-50

1 / accelerating (39)
2 / peer (39)
3 / suffocate (39)
4 / precautions (41)
5 / meteorologist (42)
6 / mellow (43)
7 / Strand (40)
8

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Eight O’Clock” – pages 38-50

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
What are some ways the author builds suspense in this chapter?
What direction do tornadoes move?
When signs that a bad storm is on its way grow, Dan gets a little worried. Arthur, on the other hand doesn’t seem bothered at all. If you had been at Dan’s house that night, would you have reacted like Dan or like Arthur? Explain.
NOTABLE QUOTES
[strange sounds] They were coming from the bathroom and the kitchen. Sucking sounds. The drains were sucking!!

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Eight O’Clock” – pages 38-50

What descriptions did the author use that were very effective in helping you get involved with the story.

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Nine O’Clock” – pages 51-60

1 / lull (53)
2 / tremendous (54)
3 / buckshot (57)
4 / strewn (58)
5 / clenched (58)
6
7

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Nine O’Clock” – pages 51-60

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
How did Ryan make Dan feel better?
What do you think was the smartest thing the boys did?
The boys could not stay in the basement. Where will they go? How will they find their parents?
NOTABLE QUOTES
The roaring had started somewhere to the east, then came bearing down on us like a hundred freight trains. (p.54)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Nine O’Clock” – pages 51-60

Why do you think the author included the details of Ryan caught in the mobile? (pages 51-52) What do these details add to the drama?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters – Part One

“The Next Hour or So”–pages 61-69

1 / boomerang (62)
2 / miraculously (62)
3 / haphazardly (63)
4 / barricaded (63)
5 / partition (63)
6 / hoist (66)
7 / probing (66)
8 / threshing (68)
9 / wrenched (68)
10 / racked (69)
11
12

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“The Next Hour or So” – pages 61-85

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
Why is smelling gas a problem?
What do you think of Dan’s mother’s decision to send the three children to help Mrs. Smiley? What would you have done?
PERDICTION
How will the young people rescue Mrs. Smiley?
NOTABLE QUOTES
“Pickup sticks, Arthur said quietly. (p.62)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“The Next Hour or So” – pages 61-85

Describe what the town looks like. Have you seen first hand destruction like this? Explain.

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters,part 2

“The Next Hour or So”–pages 70-85 ,

1 / wail (70)
2 / rubble (71)
3 / frantically (74)
4 / hulking (74)
5 / helter-skelter (75)
6 / welt (76)
7 / hypothermia (81)
8 / clincher (84)
9 / armory (84)

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“The Next Hour or So” – pages 61-85

Write your own questions, perdictions and notable quote. to each of the inquiries below. For the first two sections (Points to Ponder & Predictions) answer the questions in complete sentences. Answer the last section (Notable Quotes), with information about what the quote means and/or feelings the quote arises in you.

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
PERDICTION
NOTABLE QUOTES

STORY MAP

Setting: / / Characters:
Problem: / / Event 1:
Event 2: / / Event 3:
Event 4: / / Solution or Conclusion:

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Later On” – pages 86-100

1 / incredible (89)
2 / loomed (87)
3 / harebrained (88)
4 / musty (89)
5 / devastated (95)
6 / hefty (95)
7 / chortled (98)
8 / escort (98)
9 / intact (98)
10 / psychedelic (98)
11 / perished (100)
12 / tantalizing (100)
13

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Later On” – pages 86-100

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
How did the kids find Mrs. Smiley? What was she doing?
How did the kids get Mrs. Smiley out of the cellar?
PERDICTION
How will Dan find his father?
NOTABLE QUOTES
I follow him around an old dresser, past a spidery, wooden high chair, then down an aisle of storage boxes, the beam bouncingahead of us in the direction of the noise.

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Later On” – pages 86-100

Why do you think the young people and Mrs. Smiley laughed at such a terrible time? What is comic relief and why is it important in literature and life?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Eleven O’Clock” – pages 101-111

1 / congestion (102)
2 / buffeted (102)
3 / barrage (103)
4 / miraculously (108)
5 / babbling (108)
6 / assessment (108)
7 / grimacing (109)
8 / keeled (111)
9

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Eleven O’Clock” – pages 101-111

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
Why did Kelly decide to go to headquarter rather than K-mart?
Was it all right for Officer Kelly to let Dan drive the patrol car? Why or not why not?
PERDICTION
How will Dan find his Mother, Dad and Ryan?
NOTABLE QUOTES
“The few of us who couldn’t get on the minibus were herded into police cars.” (p. 101)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Eleven O’Clock” – pages 101-111

Would you describe Dan as a hero? Why or why not? What do you think defines a hero?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Midnight” – pages 112-130

1 / massive (113)
2 / glowered (114)
3 / sarcastically (115)
4 / jouncing (117)
5 / storm cells (124)
6 / squall lines (124)
7 / tranquilizer (128)
8 / auxiliary (129)
9 / generator (129)

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Midnight” – pages 112-130

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
Why did Arthur, Dan and Stacy stay at the police headquarters?
Why do you think Ma’m Darlington thought quoting scriptures was “like taking a tranquilizer”? What effect did the Twenty-Third Psalm have on Dan?
PERDICTION
What will everyone do when they wake up after this very scary night?
NOTABLE QUOTES
Arthur! Bull-roarers don’t cause tornadoes! He was lots smarter than me. How could he ever think that?
What is superstition?

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Midnight” – pages 112-130

Do you know someone who is superstitious? What kind of things are they superstitious about? Find a Bible text you could share with them to provide them with peace of mind.

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“Early Morning” – pages 131-142

1 / welterweight (134)
2 / casualty (138)
3 / accelerating (139)
4 / choreographed (140)
5 / pivots (140)
6
7

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister –

“Early Morning” – pages 131-142

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
Why did Dan have problems finding his family?
How did Dan’s family finally reunite? Explain where each member was after the tornado had passed.
Why was it so important that Grandpa’s farm had not been destroyed by the tornadoes?
NOTABLE QUOTES
“I had always wondered what Grandpa meant when he said he could smell tornado weather.” (p.141)

Journaling

Night of the Twister –

“Early Morning” – pages 131-142

Why were things worse in the daylight?

______

DAY

VOCABULARY –

Night of the Twisters

“As Remembered One Year Later” –

pages 143-153

1 / consolation (145)
2 / bafflement (146)
3 / velocity (146)
4 / menacing (146)
5 / atmospheric (150)
6 / insignificant (152)
7
8

Questions & Quotes

Night of the Twister – pages 143-153

“As Remembered a Year Later”

INQUIRY RESPONSE

POINTS TO PONDER
What were some good points about staying on the farm most of the summer?
What caused the Grand Island tornadoes to be labeled “a first class freak”?
What did this statement mean, “What happens after a tornado is the real”?
NOTABLE QUOTES
You can’t put a 6.6 liter engine in a little old compact and not expect something to blow. (p. 152)

Journaling

Night of the Twister – pages 143-153

“As Remembered a Year Later”

What do you think is the most important lesson Dan learned from his ordeal? Why is this the most important?

______

DAY

15/16

Vocabulary Review

Night of the Twisters

Choose two vocabulary words from previous lessons and complete the following attribute webs.

DEFINITION OF THE WORD: / WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH WORD:
SYNONYMS: / VOCABULARY CHOICE: / ANTONYMS:
SENTENCE USING THE WORD: / PICTURE ILLUSTRATING THE MEANING:
DEFINITION OF THE WORD: / WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH WORD:
SYNONYMS: / VOCABULARY CHOICE: / ANTONYMS:
SENTENCE USING THE WORD: / PICTURE ILLUSTRATING THE MEANING:

Vocabulary Review

Night of the Twisters

Choose two vocabulary words from previous lessons and complete the following attribute webs.

GENERAL EXTENTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM FOR CONCLUDING ACTIVITIES:

Make a collage or “blogster” of important events in the book.

Invent a comic strip using the characters and events in the book.

Write a letter if appreciation to the author of the book telling him or her why you enjoyed it.

Design and produce a puppet show or reader’s theater based on the book. You may wish to videotape the show for others to enjoy on our collaborative website.

Make an illustrated time chart of the six most important events in the book.

Locate and read a relevant magazine or newspaper article about something that happens in the book and report on your findings to the class.

Project of choice, approved by the teacher.