Signposts and Character Change Worksheet

Which signpost is identified in the quotation: “I watched him go off the first morning with the older girl next door, seeing clearly that an era of my life was ended, my sweet-voiced nursery-school tot replaced by a long-trousered, swaggering character who forgot to stop at the corner and wave good-bye to me”?

• Words of the Wiser (WW)

• Contrasts and Contradictions (CC)

• Memory Moment (MM)

• Aha! Moment (!)

What does the mother realize about her son in the first signpost response?

• He is not ready for school.

• He is growing up and changing emotionally and physically.

• He is afraid of new experiences.

• He wants to stay at home.

Which of the following is NOT listed as a signpost in the directions?

• Contrasts and Contradictions (CC)

• Words of the Wiser (WW)

• Memory Moment (MM)

• Flashback (FB)

Based on the mother’s response, why might Laurie’s emotional change be difficult for her to handle?

• She is worried about his grades.

• She is seeing him as different than he once was.

• She does not like his new friends.

• She wants him to stay in nursery school.

If you were to identify a “Contrasts and Contradictions” signpost in a story, what would you look for?

• A character repeating the same action

• A character acting in a way that is very different from how they usually act

• A character asking a wise person for advice

• A character remembering something from the past

Which signpost is used to identify when a character acts in a way that is different from what you would expect?

• Contrasts and Contradictions (CC)

• Words of the Wiser (WW)

• Memory Moment (MM)

• Aha! Moment (!)

What does the quotation on page 3, “‘Charles was so good today the teacher gave him an apple,’” suggest about Charles’s behavior on that day?

• He behaved well and was rewarded.

• He was absent from school.

• He got into trouble.

• He was ignored by the teacher.

According to the table, which signpost would you use if a character remembers something important from the past?

• Memory Moment (MM)

• Aha! Moment (!)

• Tough Questions (?)

• Words of the Wiser (WW)

On page 4, what is surprising about the teacher’s response when asked about Charles in the kindergarten?

• The teacher says there is no Charles in the kindergarten.

• The teacher says Charles is the best student.

• The teacher says Charles is always in trouble.

• The teacher says Charles is absent.

If you were filling out the “Your Response” column for the quotation on page 4, what might you write to show your understanding of the situation? (Choose the best answer.)

• I am confused because the teacher says there is no Charles, even though he was mentioned before.

• I think Charles is a new student.

• I believe the teacher forgot about Charles.

• I think Charles is in another class.