Fish in a TreeStudy Guide

Part One- pages 1-91

  1. Why might someone feel as if he or she is a fish in a tree?
  2. Reread the dedication for teachers and for students and be able to explain.
  3. What is grit?
  4. What is a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset?
  5. We talked a lot about analogiesin the novel. List two analogies and explain them.
  6. Define analogy______
  7. ______
  8. ______
  9. What is a simile?______
  10. What does Ally mean on pg 2 when she says , “teachers are like the machines that take the quarters for bouncy balls. You know what you’re going to get. Yet, you don’t know, too.”

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  1. What does Ally mean when she says, “I need attention like a fish needs a snorkel.” (pg 9)

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  1. Find two examples in the novel where Ally shows specifically she cannot read. ______

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  1. Ally has a special relationship with her grandpa. Give two example of evidence of this.

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  1. Ally constantly makes mind movies in her mind. Give an example of one of these and explain the situation in detail. What happened to cause this? The mind movie was an effect.______

Part 2- pages 92-175

  1. Ally struggles with her identity throughout the whole book. On pg 96 is a particularly important quote.

“ And then I think that if someone hung a sign on me that said anything, having that sign there wouldn’t make it so. But people have been calling me ‘slow’ forever. Right in front of me as if I’m too dumb to know what they’re talking about…..Like I’m a can of soup and they can read the list of ingredients and know everything about me…..There’s got to be more to me than just a kid who can’t read well.”

What else do you know about Ally’s character and who she is? ______

  1. Albert, too, is a layered character. How is he like the Flint shirt he wears? What are his challenges? How does he respond to them? How does he protect himself?

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  1. How is Ally brave? ______

Part 3 pg 176-267

  1. How does the friendship bond among Ally, Keisha, and Albert inspire each of them to believe in themselves?

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  1. What do we learn about how Shay’s mother treats her? ______
  2. Why do you think Mr. Daniels does the lesson on famous people and dyslexia? Choose two you were surprised to learn about.

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  1. What do you think are some of the themes of the story?

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  1. What makes Mr. Daniels a terrific teacher for Ally? How does he help her grow from the beginning of the novel until then end of the story? (sequencing) ______-