Gavin's Garden - Making Predictions in Literary Texts (Grade 6)

When Isabel says the broken box was 'a first draft,' what does her dialogue suggest she wants Gavin to do?

• Clean up the broken wood immediately

• Understand that it's okay to fail and he should try again

• Forget about building things and try a different hobby

• Ask her grandpa for help with the next project

Answer explanation

By calling his failure a 'first draft,' Isabel is reframing the mistake as a learning experience, not a final result. This encourages him to see it as a step toward a better second attempt, hinting that he should try again.

What item does Isabel give to Gavin as encouragement?

• A piece of strong wood

• A contest entry form

• An old, heavy hammer

• A book of design plans

Answer explanation

The passage states, 'She then held out a heavy, old hammer with a smooth wooden handle.'

What is the first thing the passage says Gavin regrets?

• Entering the contest

• Talking to Isabel

• Using cheap materials and rushing his project

• Not watering the plants enough

Answer explanation

The first paragraph explicitly states, 'But he had rushed. He used cheap screws and thin boards to finish faster... He regretted his carelessness.'

Based on the end of the passage, what will Gavin most likely do next?

• Throw the hammer away and go home

• Tell Isabel he is not interested in the contest

• Ask Isabel to build the bench for him

• Decide to enter the contest and build the bench

Answer explanation

The end of the passage shows a shift in Gavin's thinking. He holds the 'solid and dependable' hammer, looks at the contest notice without looking away, and has 'a small spark of an idea.' This strongly predicts he will take on the new challenge.

Why did Gavin initially look away from the contest notice?

• He was afraid of failing in front of everyone again.

• He was not interested in building a bench.

• He did not have the right tools for the job.

• The notice was posted too high for him to read.

Answer explanation

The passage states, 'What if he failed again in front of everyone? The thought made his stomach twist.' This shows his fear of repeating his public failure.

Categorize the following details from the story into 'Signs of Gavin's Regret' or 'Hints of His Redemption'.

Groups:

(a) Signs of Gavin's Regret

,

(b) Hints of His Redemption

• He gets a 'spark of an idea' for the new bench.

• His face felt hot with shame.

• The thought of failing made his stomach twist.

• He thinks of the collapsed box as a 'first draft'.

• Isabel gives him the heavy hammer.

• He quickly looked away from the contest notice.

Answer explanation

The items in 'Signs of Gavin's Regret' all describe his negative feelings about his past failure. The items in 'Hints of His Redemption' are all clues and events that point toward him trying again and succeeding.

Match each object or action with the idea it foreshadows or represents in the story.

• Represents past failure and regret

• The old hammer

• Represents a new opportunity

• Gavin's final look at the notice

• Represents the tool for redemption

• The collapsed planter box

• Foreshadows his decision to try again

• The contest notice

Answer explanation

The collapsed box is the source of Gavin's regret. The contest notice offers a path to fix his reputation. The hammer is the symbolic tool Isabel gives him to start his redemptive journey. His final look, unlike his first, signals his change of heart and predicts his next move.

Isabel's words and actions help change Gavin's mind. Based on the passage, how does the author use dialogue and objects to foreshadow that Gavin will find redemption? Support your answer with at least two specific examples from the text.

Answer explanation