Pre-Reading Questions

1. What do you think, "Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry" means or refers to?  Make a prediction, and then Google it to see if you can find out what it means.

2. This story takes place in 1932 in rural Mississippi.  What kind of conflicts do you predict may come across in this story?  What do you already know about this time period?

3.  Do you know what the Jim Crow laws are?  If not, look them up and summarize them.  Give an example of one.

4. This book has a lot of foreshadowing in it.  What is that?  Why would an author do that?

5. This book used some "bad words" for what they call African Americans.  Why would the author put those kinds of words in a novel for kids and teenagers?  Do you think those bad words should be used, or should the author find an alternative?

6. Who wrote the book?  When did she write it?  Does she have any other famous youth novels?

Chapter 1 Vocabulary and Questions

Each group member pick a vocab word to define AND a question to answer AND an answer from someone else you can comment on.  Make sure you aren't repeating someone else's answer.  Also make sure to write the number (V1 or C1) and answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES using the question!!!

Vocabulary: Write the page number and context of the word, and then a definition in your own words (use a dictionary or dictionary.com to help you!).  You may need to read over the vocab words BEFORE you read so you don't have to spend as long hunting them down.

1. amiably -
2. dubious -
3. flounced -
4. morosely -
5. penchant -
6. raucous -
7. reverberated -
8. temerity -
9. Other difficult word not listed -

Comprehension Questions:
1. Who is Harlan Granger?
2. Why do you think the children's father has to go away and lay track?
3. What does the land represent to Cassie's father?
4. What is a sharecropper?
5. What is the relationship between TJ and Stacey?
6. What was "the burning" and who was burned?
7. What indignity do the children suffer from the school bus and the bus driver?
8. Explain who the Simms are: (What does the family do?  Who are the kids?  What are the kids like?)
9. Why is the school only in operation from October to March?
10. Why are Little Man and Cassie upset by the books they are given at school?
11. What does mama do about the books and what happens after she does that?
12.  Give examples of the dialect from the story (dialect is the style of speech that the characters use):

Chapter 2 Vocabulary and Questions

Vocabulary:
1. chiffonier -
2. ebony -
3. formidable -
5. sinewy
6. Free choice - find your own word to add!

Questions:
1. Find a simile in this chapter -
2. Who is Mr. Morrison and why did he come home with Cassie's dad?
3. Why did Mr. Morrison get fired from his old job?
4. Can you infer any other reason why father brings him home?
5. Why do the parents want the children to avoid going to Wallace's Store?
6. Free choice - Write your own question and answer it!

Chapter 3 Vocabulary and Questions

Make sure you find the page number and context along with definition!

V1. adamantly -
V2. flippantly -
V3. haggard -
V4 - relent -
V5 - resiliency -
V6 - sodden -

Q1. Why do you think Jeremy Simms never rides the bus no matter how bad the weather is?
Q2. What is Stacey's plan for getting even with the school bus?
Q3. Why does Stacey make it appear the road was washed out?
Q4. Who are night riders?  Why are they out?
Q5. Why does Christopher John panic?
Q6. What are some predictions for the next chapters?

Chapter 4 Vocabulary and comprehension

V1 - admonished
V2 - aloof -
V3 - emphatic -
V4 - patronize -
V5 - proprietor -
V6 - wizened -

Q1 - Why is Cassie moping around like she's sick?

Q2 - What happened to Sam Tatum?  Why?

Q3 - Why is Stacey upset that Mr. Morrison is at their place?

Q4 - What happened with Stacey at school?  Then what does Stacey do after school?

Q5 - Who is Mr. Jamison?  Why does Harlan hold a grudge?

Q6 - Why does mama take the kids to see the Berrys?

Q7 - Why is do the black families shop at the Wallace store even though they know they are being cheated?

Chapter 5 Vocabulary and Questions

Find the page #, context, and definition!

V1 - ambled -
V2 - malevolent -
V3 - promenading -
V4 - sullen -
V5 - veranda -
V6 - wheedle -

C1 - Why does Big Ma have to go to Strawberry?  Any predictions about what she's doing?
C2 - Why does TJ long for the pearl-handled gun?
C3 - What happened in the store?  Why did Cassie act that way, but Stacey didn't?
C4 - Explain the incident with Lillian Jean and Cassie after the store.
C5 - Why does Big Ma make Cassie apologize?
C6 - What does this scene in Strawberry, Mississippi portray?

Chapter 6 Vocab and Questions

V1 - Indignant -
V2 - Languidly
V3 - Spindly
V4 - Free choice
V5 - Free choice

C1 - Describe Uncle Hammer.
C2 - Why does Big Ma try to stop Cassie from telling Uncle Hammer about what happens with Mr. Simms?
C3 - Why is Uncle Hammer determined to go to the Simms' House?
C4 - How does Mama explain Mr. Simms' racism to Cassie?
C5 - Explain what happened with Stacey's new coat.
C6 - What is the foreshadowing at the end of the chapter?