Paired Passage: The Day I didn't go to the Pool & The Whirlwind

What is the primary theme of both the poem and the story?

• The power of nature and human resilience

• The importance of responsibility and leadership

• The struggle for survival in extreme weather

• The fear of losing material possessions

How does the poet create a sense of urgency in The Whirlwind and the Children?

• By describing the children's laughter

• By using fast-paced imagery and action words

• By including dialogue between characters

• By focusing on the aftermath of the storm

What lesson does the narrator of the story learn by the end?

• It is important to always check the weather forecast.

• Family and safety matter more than material things.

• Tornadoes always strike without warning.

• Older siblings should not have to babysit.

What literary device is used in the poem's line: The world spins wild in a wicked dance?

• Simile

• Metaphor

• Personification

• Hyperbole

How does the author build suspense in the short story?

• By starting with the tornado's destruction and moving backward

• By gradually revealing the storm's approach and increasing tension

• By having the narrator explain tornado safety facts first

• By describing the mother's perspective in the car

How are the settings in the poem and story similar?

• Both take place in a suburban neighborhood.

• Both depict a family experiencing a tornado.

• Both involve a school setting during a storm.

• Both settings show the immediate aftermath of destruction.

What does the phrase 'somebody tooked our wading pool' reveal about Dougie?

• He doesn't fully understand the seriousness of the tornado.

• He is angry about losing his pool.

• He blames someone for taking his things.

• He is trying to make a joke to calm his siblings.

What best describes the tone of the last paragraph in the story?

• Bitter and regretful

• Hopeful and grateful

• Angry and resentful

• Fearful and uncertain

How does the narrator's perspective change from the beginning to the end of the story?

• He begins self-focused but becomes more family-oriented.

• He is confident at first but becomes fearful.

• He starts out hopeful but ends feeling hopeless.

• He is responsible in the beginning but careless later.

What structural element is similar in both the poem and the story?

• Both use flashbacks to reveal past events.

• Both have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

• Both switch between different narrators.

• Both end with a tragic loss.