Number the Stars Chapter 4

Number the Stars Chapter 4

It will be a long night

Summary -1-

Annemarie and Ellen spend the afternoon playing paper dolls. The girls pretend the dolls are characters from Gone with the Wind, Mrs. Johansen's favorite novel. Mrs. Johansen and Kirsti soon return from their shopping trip. Kirsti is complaining about the ugly new shoes her mother has bought for her; they are made of fish skin because leather is being rationed.

 

In addition to the fish scales adorning the shoes, Kirsti is distraught about the fact that the shoes are green. Ellen offers to share some black ink to dye the shoes, and Kirsti agrees that black fish shoes will be better than green ones.

Open Ended

What do we learn more about the life in Copenhagen?

Poll

Which theme(s) would best relate to the girls’ game?

• Privilege, Sacrifice, and Solidarity

• Bravery

• Reality vs. Fantasy

• Sisterhood

Poll

Which theme(s) would best relate to Kirsti’s sadness?

• Privilege, Sacrifice, and Solidarity

• Bravery

• Reality vs. Fantasy

• Sisterhood

Summary -2-

Kirsti joins the girls in playing with the paper dolls, and the girls begin to talk about Tivoli Gardens which has been burned by the German forces, but Ellen and Annemarie remember the the good old days.  

Kirsti claims to remember the fireworks, too, but she has been told about the fireworks by her mother. Kirsti says that she heard explosions one night, and her mother said the sound was fireworks going off for her birthday.

 

The next day, the newspaper had reported the truth about the explosions. The Danish navy was

destroying its own ships to keep them from falling into Nazi hands.

Poll

Would you agree with what Mrs Johansen did by lying to Kirsti?

• Yes

• No

• A mother can NEVER lie to her children.

Open Ended

What did you think was happening when you read the explosions first? Were you surprised with what actually was happening?

Poll

Annemarie thinks the King must be sad about the navy while Papa believes him to be proud, who do you agree with?

• Annemarie

• Papa Johansen

Poll

Which theme(s) would best relate to the King’s decision in this chapter?

• Privilege, Sacrifice, and Solidarity

• Bravery

• Reality vs. Fantasy

• Sisterhood

Summary -3-

The Nazis have seized the membership lists from the synagogues. He explains that the Nazis are planning to arrest all the Jews in Denmark and relocate them.  

He adds that the Rosens are taken by Peter to a safe, unknown location. 

If the Nazis come to their apartment during the night, the Johansens hope the Nazis will think that Annemarie and Ellen are sisters so that Ellen will not be taken away.  

Annemarie's father asks the girls to try not to worry about Ellen's parents. He tells the girls not to be frightened. 'Once I had three daughters,' Mr. Johansen says. 'Tonight I am proud to have three daughters again.'

Open Ended

What do you think about how the Jews were located by the Nazis? How do you think getting the list from the synagogues is significant?

Open Ended

What do you think relocation means for Jews?

Poll

Which theme(s) would best relate to Johansens’ decision to take Ellen in?

• Privilege, Sacrifice, and Solidarity

• Bravery

• Reality vs. Fantasy

• Sisterhood