Lesson Plan 4
SPARROW HAWK RED
by Ben Mikaelsen
activities by L. Stone
CHAPTER 1
Vocabulary Use a dictionary. Write a short
definition for each vocabulary word. (Be sure the definition you
chose fits the word in the context of the story.)
disintegrate - page3
______________________________________________________
heritage - page 5
______________________________________________________
maneuver - page 6
______________________________________________________
1. Why do you suppose Ricky's father was so
hard on him?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Using a World Almanac, look in the section
under "aviation" and write an interesting fact about
aviation.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 2
1. What do the initials "DEA" stand
for?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Why doesn't Benito want to do what the DEA
is asking him to do?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 3
billow - page 22
______________________________________________________
Ricky wants his dad to steal the plane from
the people who killed his mother, but Benito wants no part of
it.
1. Who do you think is right?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Pretend you are the person you chose in
question 1. Put yourself in his position and explain why you
feel that way.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 4
ominous - page 29
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 5
culvert - page 37
______________________________________________________
nonchalant - page 38
______________________________________________________
arroyo - page 38
______________________________________________________
This story places a lot of emphasis on not
being a quitter.
1. What does it mean if a person is a quitter?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
1. What kind of situations might occur where
it is okay to "be a quitter?"
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 6
rebuff - page 43
______________________________________________________
foreboding - page 45
______________________________________________________
On page 44 the author says "Flying the
Baby was Ricky's greatest passion. His escape."
1. What does the author mean when he says "His
escape?"
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Do you have a hobby or something you like
to do so much that it serves as an "escape" for you?
What is that hobby or activity?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 7
1. What could Ricky have done to avoid the
conflict with the four boys?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Make a prediction about what role the girl
will play in the rest of the story.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 8
scrounge - page 63
______________________________________________________
Do you think Ricky is sorry he decided to
steal the plane now?________
Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 9
concede - page 72
______________________________________________________
Ricky's life in Mexico is completely different
than his life in Arizona. List the similarities and differences
between his life in Arizona and his life in Mexico.
Similarities * * * * * * * Differences
_____________________* * * * *______________________
_____________________* * * * *______________________
_____________________* * * * *______________________
_____________________* * * * *______________________
_____________________* * * * *______________________
_____________________* * * * *______________________
_____________________* * * * *______________________
CHAPTER 10
Predict what Ricky will do next.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 12
1. Why was Ricky upset that Soledad asked him to help find food?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. How does Soledad feel about Ricky and his attitude?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 13
chafed - page
103______________________________________________________
meager - page
104______________________________________________________
What do you suppose Ricky is thinking after he sees his own
picture in Dexter Crumm's wallet?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 14
How do you think Ricky felt after stealing Dexter Crumm's
belongings?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 15
Why was Ricky surprised to learn that Soledad had a family?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 16 & 17
Why can't Soledad understand Ricky's kindness to her?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 18
Why did Ricky keep telling himself he wasn't a quitter?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 19
Knowing what we know about how well the plane is guarded, do you
think Ricky's Dad could have stolen the plane any easier than
Ricky?_______
Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 20
See if you can find out more about the arrow weed.
CHAPTER 21 & 22
1. In adventure stories such as Sparrow Hawk Red, the main
character often experiences tense, suspenseful moments. Pick the
situation in this story that made you feel the most tense and
write about it.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Could this story really happen? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Stealing is considered wrong and illegal, yet Ricky stole
the plane from Rancho Comacho. Was his behavior wrong or
illegal?_______
Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
CHAPTER 23
1. Throughout the story, Ricky talks with his mother and she
"replies" through his thoughts. While Ricky flew the
Skyhawk, he talked to his mama, but she did not
"reply." What do you suppose that meant?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Predict what kind of relationship Ricky and his father
will have from now on?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
SPARROW HAWK RED
Vocabulary Key
CHAPTER 1
disintegrate - to break up into parts or fragments
heritage - that which is handed down from previous
generations or the past; tradition; legacy
maneuver - physical movement showing or marked by
agility or skill
CHAPTER 3
billow - to swell out
CHAPTER 4
ominous - like an evil omen; foreboding evil;
threatening
CHAPTER 5
culvert - any structure providing for free flow of
water under passages as roads, sidewalks, railroads....
nonchalant - showing a lack of interest or enthusiasm;
casually indifferent
arroyo - bed of a stream; gully
CHAPTER 6
rebuff - blunt or sudden rejection
foreboding - a feeling that something evil or bad is
going to happen
CHAPTER 8
scrounge - to search, forage, gather with effort or
difficulty
CHAPTER 9
concede - to grant or yield, as a right or a privilege
CHAPTER 13
chafed - to make sore by friction or rubbing
meager - scarcely adequate amount, insufficient
SPARROW HAWK RED
Questions: Chapter 4
l. Why did Ricky want to steal the Skyhawk?
2. Why didn't Ricky like looking at pictures of himself and
what did the picture from the country fair remind him of?
3. What was Ricky's mother wearing when Ricky won the
twenty-five dollars from a pig- wrestling contest and what
happened to it?
4. Who was Benito? How come he didn't look like a gringo?
5. Ricky had an idea that snagged his mind. What was that
idea?
6. Explain Ricky's reaction toward street children from
Mexico. Is this comparison correct?
7. What we Ricky's mother's reaction toward street children
from Mexico?
8. What did Ricky have to figure out after stealing the
Skyhawk?
9. How did Ricky feel about his father?
10. What happened to Ricky when he tried to prove to the
bullies he wasn't a quitter?
11. According to Ricky, how did Mexican rateros dress?
12. Why did Ricky take his photo ID with him?
13. Why did Ricky need his jackknife?
14. What were Ricky's dreams about? (Write a little bit about
the dreams.)
15. What did Ricky and his dad keep in a box and where?
16. Why did Ricky think that roadrunners would go "beep,
beep!"
17. According to Benito, what happens if you don't take care
of the pain and don't let it heal?
18. What did Ricky mean when he told his dad, "I'll get
home on my own."?
19. Why did Benito's eyes flicker a pained look?
20. If you had gone to Mexico, give a brief description of
the border line.
SPARROW HAWK RED Chapter 4 Vocabulary Sentences
1. Benito could cross the border and not stand out like a
_____________.
2. A young_____________ could get close to the Camacho cattle
ranch.
3. For the first time_____________ crept into Ricky's mind.
4. The more he__________________ over the plan, the less
simple it all seemed.
5. No matter what got said, Dad was being
a___________________ .
6. Nor did he dare to_____________________ Dad.
7. In it he stuffed a____________ old pair of blue jeans and
a dirty, ripped T-shirt.
8. A large transport plane released the Bell X-1 rocket plane
from the bay, and Ricky reached forward and___________________
the rocket.
9. Five hundred, five fifty, six hundred, six-fifty,
some________________________ shaking, the rocket roared loudly.
10. And then only smooth and______________________ silence.
11. Big_________________ of money made Ricky feel rich....
12. Benito handed the____________________ out the window.
13. How would he ever sneak a_____________________ and
airplane out of a drug___________________________ if he couldn't
remember a bag of old clothes?
14. A pained look______________________in Benito's eyes.
15. Still breathing hard, Ricky_________________________ with
the handle of his gym bag.
16. Skipping school seemed wrong. And so
did____________________ an airplane.
17. A line of people_______________ to pass through the check
point.
|