Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Journal Prompts
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Chapter 1. Mrs. Gorf
If you were Mrs. Gorf what would you turn the bad students into?
Have you ever had a teacher who did strange things?
Do you think Mrs. Gorf got what she deserved?
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Chapter 2 Mrs. Jewls
What would happen if your teacher didn’t come to school for three days?
Would you like to be a chimpanzee? Why or why not?
Why do you think Mrs. Jewls thought the students were monkeys?
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Chapter 3 : Joe
Is there a math concept that you have problems with, or think is difficult?
How many hairs do you think are on your head?
Chapter 4: Sharie
Describe how you sleep. What time do you go to sleep? Do you have your own room, or do you share your bedroom? Describe your bedroom. What do you have to do before going to bed?
Draw a picture of your bedroom.
Chapter 5: Todd
Do you have a friend who gets you in trouble? Do you think leaving school at 12:00 on the Kindergarten Bus would be a punishment, or a reward? Explain.
If you were the teacher what would you do to students who do not follow directions?
Chapter 6: Bebe
What do you think this chapter was trying to teach us?
Did Bebe learn her lesson?
How do you think this relates to your End Of Grade Test?
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Chapter 7: Calvin
Why do you think the builder of Wayside School forgot to build the 19th story?
Why is Miss Zarves not able to meet Mrs. Jewls for lunch?
Chapter 8: Myron
The last sentence said: Myron who was president for only one day, was the best president in the history of Wayside School. It was just that nobody knew it.
What does this mean?
Have you ever done something nice for someone and kept it a secret?
Chapter 9: Maurecia
If you could be a flavor of ice cream which one would you choose? Why?
Is there a flavor you do not like? Why?
If you could create a new flavor ice cream what flavor would you create?
Chapter 10: Paul
Have you ever been tempted to do the wrong thing? What was it? What do you think of Leslie getting Paul sent home on the Kindergarten bus?
Chapter 11: Dana
Have you ever had mosquito bites?
What do you know about mosquitos?
Can you make a word problem using mosquito bites?
Chapter 12: Jason
What is your favorite bubblegum?
Have you ever gotten gum in your hair? How did you get it out?
Can you think of a new use for bubblegum?
Chapter 13: Rondi
What do you think was the joke that Rondi didn’t tell?
What is your favorite joke?
Chapter 14: Sammy
What does it mean to be pretty on the inside?
How is Sammy like a dead rat?
Chapter 15: Deedee
What are some rules at your school?
What is your favorite game?
What was the problem and solution in this chapter?
Chapter 16: D.J.
Do you think a smile is contagious?
What else is contagious?
Can you find examples of personification in this chapter?
What does it mean? “You don’t need a reason to be happy.”
Chapter 17: John
Write your journal entry upside down!
Can you stand on your head?
Chapter 18: Leslie
“I think Louis is pulling your leg,” said Mrs. Jewls.
What is an idiom? Can you give another example of an idiom?
Would you ever sell a body part?
Which one? For how much?
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Chapter 19: No Journal Prompt
Chapter 20: Kathy
How is Kathy like Sammy?
Chapter 21: Ron
What is your favorite thing to do at recess?
What is your favorite sport?
Chapter 22: The Three Erics
Is there another student at our school with your name?
Do you have a nickname? How did you get it?
Chapter 23: Allison
Have you ever shared anything with someone and they lost or broke it?
Chapter 24: Dameon
Would you run up and down 30 flights of stairs?
How are schools and your eyes alike?
Would you like to watch a movie about turtles?
What is your favorite movie?
Why couldn’t they write their name on their pencils?
Chapter 25: Jenny
Would you come to school on a Saturday?
What would you do if you came to school and no one was here?
Chapter 26: Terrence
What makes someone a bad sport, or a good sport?
Chapter 27: Joy
What is your favorite lunch?
Do you know any of our cafeteria workers names?
Has anyone ever taken your food?
What do you think of Joy?
Chapter 28: Nancy
What is your full name?
Where did you get your name?
Trace your hand, trace your foot.
If you could trade names with anyone what name would you choose?
Chapter 29: Stephen
Do you celebrate Halloween?
What do you think of Stephen’s costume?
If you could create the perfect Halloween costume what would it look like?
Draw a picture of it.
Chapter 30: Louis
Now write a book review for:
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
by Louis Sachar.