Number the Stars

Number the Stars

Reflection Journal

By: Kaitlyn Kish

Building Background
Knowledge

Learning Target: I can compare and contrast two or more
characters, settings, or events in a story, drawing on specific
details in the text.

Background of this Story:
In some countries around the world the government is

called a dictatorship. In a dictatorship, one person or a small
group of people have complete control of the country. In many
cases the military enforces the control. If a person does not
follow the rules, they may be arrested, threatened, scared, or
tortured. The citizens of that country are not allowed to talk or
act against the dictatorship. A person can be rewarded if they
tell the dictatorship about other people who are against the
government.

Interpretive Question: How does the dictatorship
system of government in the story affect Pedro, his
family, and the citizens it governs?

R Restate the Question (green) Mrs. Rodriguez’s Example
- Read the question or prompt In the book, The Composition,
- Underline keywords Pedro, his family, and their entire
- Rewrite the question as a community are negatively affected by
statement using your own words the dictatorship government. One
example from the text of the problems
A Answer the Question (green) that the dictatorship caused can be
- Answer the question found on page 8. Don Daniel was
*If there is more that one part of dragged down the street by two men
the question, make sure to answer who were “pointing machine guns at
ALL parts. him.” This clearly shows that the
dictatorship is treating the people in
C Cite Evidence (yellows) the community poorly by threatening
- Use evidence from the text to them with weapons. Pedro’s parents
support your answer. lived in fear that they would be caught
-Include both paraphrased going against the government. They
evidence and direct quotes had to turn their radio down very low
so that they wouldn’t be caught
Possible evidence starters: listening. Pedro’s mom was so scared
According to the text… that she “cried silently at the table.”
For example… This is further evidence that the
On page ___ it says… government was making the people
Further support can be found... live in fear and even their daily tasks
In the article/ chapter it states... are being impacted. Finally, Pedro
himself was negatively affected by the
E Explain (reds) government. He was put in the
- Explain how each piece of text position of having to lie on his
evidence supports your answer. composition so that his parents
wouldn’t be caught. The dictatorship
Possible explain starters: tried to turn children against their
This clearly shows that… own parents. Obviously, the
This means that… dictatorship created fear and
This further supports the idea that… hardships for everyone that Pedro was
close to in his life.
S Sum it Up (green)
- Conclude your answer
- Link back to the topic sentence
using different words

Possible summary starters:
Clearly Definitely Certainly
To sum up In fact Obviously

Building Background
Knowledge

World War II and
the Holocaust

Learning Target: I can provide a summary of the text that
includes the main ideas and key details, as well as other
important information.

Summary of the article:
The article “World War II and the Holocaust” showed

how Adolf Hitler set out to rule the world. He came into power
in 1933 and began to harass the Jews. Starting in 1941,
Jewish people were sent to Concentration Camps. In these
camps over 6 million people died. He joined forces with Japan
and Italy. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
on December 7, 1941, the United States entered the war and
fought against the Axis Powers until September 2, 1945 when
the war ended.

Building Background
Knowledge

Underground
Movements

Learning Target: I can explain the relationships or interactions
between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a
historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific
information in the text.

How have underground movements affected events
Undergrou Not all

throughout history? nd undergrou

movement nd

s to help movement

Underground the Jews s are

Railroad escape “good

guys’

Underground
Movements

Passagew Not an World
ay to the actual War II
North for railroad
Slaves

Building Background
Knowledge

Learning Target: I can compare and contrast two or more
characters, settings, or events in a story, drawing on specific
details in the text.

Background of this Story:
“For centuries, the Star of David was a symbol of Jewish

pride. But during World War II, Nazis used the Star to
segregate and terrorize the Jewish people. Except in
Denmark. When Nazi soldiers occupied his country, King
Christian X of Denmark committed himself to keeping all
Danes safe from harm. The bravery of the Danes and their
king has inspired many legends. The most enduring is the
legend of the yellow star, which symbolizes the loyalty and
fearless spirit of the king and his people.”

Source: Peachtree Publishers

Interpretive Question: How did King Christian X’s
response to the yellow Star order in the story
affect the citizens of Denmark?

R Restate the Question (green) Team Response:
- Read the question or prompt
- Underline keywords In the book The Yellow Star, it shows that King
- Rewrite the question as a Christian's response to the Yellow Star order
statement using your own words was a good thing for the people of Denmark.
According to the text The King called his tailor to
A Answer the Question (green) the palace. He had him sew a yellow star on to
- Answer the question his uniform and said “You do understands what
*If there is more that one part of this means?”
the question, make sure to answer The king was respected and powerful. If he was
ALL parts. willing to wear the yellow star and standby the
Jews, all the people would know they should do
C Cite Evidence (yellows) the same.
- Use evidence from the text to On the last page of the book, we see that the
support your answer. people are all wearing yellow stars.
-Include both paraphrased This supports the idea that King Christian's idea
evidence and direct quotes was good because the Nazis couldn’t tell who
was a Jew.
Possible evidence starters: Clearly, King Christian's idea was a good one.
According to the text…
For example…
On page ___ it says…
Further support can be found...
In the article/ chapter it states...

E Explain (reds)
- Explain how each piece of text
evidence supports your answer.

Possible explain starters:
This clearly shows that…
This means that…
This further supports the idea that…

S Sum it Up (green)
- Conclude your answer
- Link back to the topic sentence
using different words

Possible summary starters:
Clearly Definitely Certainly
To sum up In fact Obviously

Number the
Stars

Interpretive
Question
Responses

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Chapter 1

How are the characters’ lives
different than ours?

R Restate the Question (green) The characters lives are very different
- Read the question or prompt than ours in many different ways.
- Underline keywords On page number 2 it says, “Laughing,
- Rewrite the question as a she skirted an elderly lady in black who
statement using your own words carried a shopping bag made of string.
We don’t have shopping bags made of
A Answer the Question (green) string. We have plastic bags to carry our
- Answer the question groceries.
*If there is more that one part of the For example on page number 7 it says
question, make sure to answer ALL “Although she pretended to be absorbed
parts. in unpacking her school books,
Annemarie listened, and she knew what
C Cite Evidence (yellows) her mother was referring to De Frie
- Use evidence from the text to Danske - The Free Danes - was an illegal
support your answer. newspaper; Peter Neilson brought it to
-Include both paraphrased them occasionally, carefully folded and
evidence and direct quotes hidden among ordinary books and
papers, and Mama always burned it
Possible evidence starters: after she and Papa had read it.”
According to the text… We don’t have any illegal newspapers
For example… and we also we don’t have to hide
On page ___ it says… newspapers from anyone.
Further support can be found... On page 2 it says, “Halte! The soldier
In the article/ chapter it states... ordered in a stern voice.”
We don’t have soldiers on the street
E Explain (reds) giving children orders.
- Explain how each piece of text Clearly, this shows that the characters
evidence supports your answer. lives are very different than our lives
now.
Possible explain starters:
This clearly shows that…
This means that…
This further supports the idea that…

S Sum it Up (green)
- Conclude your answer
- Link back to the topic sentence
using different words

Possible summary starters:
Clearly Definitely Certainly
To sum up In fact Obviously

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Chapter 2

How does this picture relate to the chapter?

My Thoughts:

● On page 13 it says “Who is the man that rides past here
every morning on his horse? the German soldier had asked.”

● On page 14 it says “It is true. Any Danish citizen would die
for King Christian, to protect him.”

● On page 13 Annemarie is telling her younger sister Kristi a
fairytale about a king, queen, and daughter.

Learning Target: I can determine a theme of a story from details in the text,
including how characters in a story respond to challenges.

R Restate the Question (green) Chapter 3
- Read the question or prompt
- Underline keywords “Now I think all of Denmark
- Rewrite the question as a must be the bodyguard for
statement using your own words the Jews as well.” What does

A Answer the Question (green) this mean?
- Answer the question
*If there is more that one part of Response:
the question, make sure to answer
ALL parts. “Now I think that all of Denmark
should be the bodyguard for the Jews as
C Cite Evidence (yellows) well.” This means that the Jews are
- Use evidence from the text to getting taken away and all of Denmark
support your answer. should protect them.
-Include both paraphrased On page 25 it says “Papa do you
evidence and direct quotes remember what you heard the boy say
to the soldier? That all of Denmark
Possible evidence starters: would be the king’s bodyguard?”
According to the text… This clearly shows that all of Denmark
For example… will be the bodyguard for the Jews as
On page ___ it says… well. Not just be bodyguards for the
Further support can be found... king.
In the article/ chapter it states... On page 26 it says “....,Annemarie
remembered how her father had said
E Explain (reds) three years before, that he would die to
- Explain how each piece of text protect the king. That her mother
evidence supports your answer. would, too. And Annemarie, seven years
old, had announced proudly that she
Possible explain starters: also would.”
This clearly shows that… This clearly shows that all of Denmark
This means that… will be the bodyguards for all citizens of
This further supports the idea that… Denmark.
Clearly, this shows that all of Denmark
S Sum it Up (green) must be bodyguards for the Jews as well.
- Conclude your answer
- Link back to the topic sentence
using different words

Possible summary starters:
Clearly Definitely Certainly
To sum up In fact Obviously

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Chapter 4

How does this picture relate to the chapter?

My Thoughts:

(Can be expressed in bulleted points or paragraph form)
● Fireworks for Kristi’s birthday
● Ellen and Annemarie were going to a ball in a game they were playing
● Ellen is coming over to spend the night

Learning Target: I can compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or
events in a story, drawing on specific details in the text.

Chapter 5

Compare and contrast the Danish Citizens and Nazis.
The first attribute has been chosen for you. Choose at

least two additional attributes to compare.

Danish Attributes Nazi Soldiers
Citizens Being
The Nazi soldiers
The Danish like the Compared want to take all the
Jewish people and Jewish people away.
don’t want the Nazi’s Feelings about the
to take the Jewish Jewish people

people away.

The Danish people Actions to the Jewish The Nazi’s want to
don’t want to know people know everything
everything about the about the Jewish
people so that they
Jewish people. take the Jewish

The Danish people away.
speak English.
The Nazi soldiers
speak German.

Language

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Chapter 6

How does this picture relate to the chapter?

My Thoughts:

(Can be expressed in bulleted points or paragraph form)
● There are no cigarettes in any stores because of the war
● Annemarie’s Papa missed cigarettes the way that her mom missed coffee
● The Nazi’s are now suspicious

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Chapter 7-8
How does war change people?
Why?
Restate the Question (green)
R - Read the question or prompt War can change people in a
A
C - Underline keywords variety of ways. In the text it
- Rewrite the question as a says “In the earlier times, she
E statement using your own words
S
Answer the Question (green) had always overheard laughter.
- Answer the question Tonight there was no laughter

*If there is more that one part of at all.” This clearly shows that
the question, make sure to answer the war has taken all of the
ALL parts.

Cite Evidence (yellows) happiness out of everyone in
- Use evidence from the text to Annemarie’s family. On page
support your answer. 64 it says, “Even though there
-Include both paraphrased

evidence and direct quotes is no sugar, the apples are

Possible evidence starters: sweet.” This means that not
According to the text… having sugar has changed the
For example…

On page ___ it says… ability to have sweet things in
Further support can be found... Denmark for people to bake
In the article/ chapter it states...

things. For example, on page
Explain (reds) 64 it says, ““Where is my
- Explain how each piece of text necklace? She asked. “What did
evidence supports your answer.

Possible explain starters: you do with it?”” This shows

This clearly shows that… that if you are Jewish and you
This means that… don’t want to be taken away
This further supports the idea that…

Sum it Up (green) you have to take off everything
- Conclude your answer that shows that you are Jewish.
- Link back to the topic sentence This really changed Ellen.
using different words Clearly, this shows that war
changes people in a variety of
Possible summary starters:
Clearly Definitely Certainly

To sum up In fact Obviously ways.

Learning Target: I can determine a theme of a story, from details in the text,
including how characters in a story respond to challenges.

Chapter 9-10

Compare and contrast Mama and
Annemarie and how they faced the
challenges when the German soldiers

came to the “funeral.”

Mama Attributes Annemarie
Being

Compared

Mama felt scared but Feelings when the Annemarie felt
she didn’t show it Nazi soldiers came to confused.

until the Nazi soldier the “funeral”
slapped her across

her face.

Mama talked to the Reactions when the Annemarie sat in her
soldiers and came up Nazi soldiers came to seat and did nothing
and offered to open
the “funeral” to react except for
the casket for the wonder why these
Nazi’s to take one people came to the

last look at “funeral”.
Great-aunt Birte.

“Of course we will What they said\think “Why hadn’t these

open the casket! I am people brought food?

glad you suggested -” Why didn’t they talk?”

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

R Restate the Question (green) Chapter 11
- Read the question or prompt
- Underline keywords When is telling the truth
- Rewrite the question as a important? When is not
statement using your own words
telling the truth important?
A Answer the Question (green)
- Answer the question There are many different situations
*If there is more that one part of when telling the truth is important and
the question, make sure to answer when not telling the truth is most
ALL parts. important. In chapter ten on page 84 it
says, “She swallowed “ My Great-aunt
C Cite Evidence (yellows) Birte” she lied in a firm voice.” This
- Use evidence from the text to shows that sometimes you should take
support your answer. what a family member lied about and
-Include both paraphrased tell it to someone else and to make them
evidence and direct quotes think that that thing that you said is
actually true. Further support can be
Possible evidence starters: found on page 77, “You guessed
According to the text… correctly, he told her. There is no
For example… Great-aunt Birte, and there has never
On page ___ it says… been. Your mama lied to you and so did
Further support can be found... I.” This clearly shows that it can be good
In the article/ chapter it states... to not tell the truth so that you don’t
have to be scared when the opposite
E Explain (reds) happens.On page 77 in chapter nine it
- Explain how each piece of text says, “We did so, he explained, to help
evidence supports your answer. you to be brave, because we love you.
Will you forgive us for that?” This
Possible explain starters: clearly shows that when you don’t tell
This clearly shows that… the truth it can help you stay brave in
This means that… scary situations. This clearly shows that
This further supports the idea that… there are many different situations
when telling the truth is important and
S Sum it Up (green) when not telling the truth is important.
- Conclude your answer
- Link back to the topic sentence
using different words

Possible summary starters:
Clearly Definitely Certainly
To sum up In fact Obviously

Learning Target: I can determine a theme of a story, from details in the text,
including how characters in a story respond to challenges.

Chapter 12-13

How does this text relate to Number the stars and
particularly Annemarie in chapter 13?

My Thoughts:

(Can be expressed in bulleted points or paragraph form)
● On page 102 it says “You’re such a good, strong, brave girl.”

Mama is relieved that Annemarie came to help her
● On page 103 it says “I am - safe with you, now. Everything is fine.”

Mama is happy that she is with Annemarie
● On page 104 it says “I will take it she said. I know the way, and it’s almost

light now.”
Annemarie knows that her mother is hurt and is doing nice things to help
her.
● On page 101 it says “I’m alright, really. Don’t worry. And the Rosens are
with Henrick. That’s the important thing.”

Even though Annemarie’s mother got hurt, she still did what
was most important.

Learning Target: I can quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

R Restate the Question (green) Chapter 14-15
- Read the question or prompt
- Underline keywords What is the author’s purpose of
- Rewrite the question as a including the story of Little
statement using your own words Red Riding Hood during
Annemarie’s run through the
A Answer the Question (green) forest?
- Answer the question
*If there is more that one part of Lois Lowry puts the story of Little Red
the question, make sure to answer Riding Hood in Number the Stars to help
ALL parts. readers connect with the story more. On
page 107 it says “One day the little girl’s
C Cite Evidence (yellows) mother said, I want you to take a basket of
- Use evidence from the text to food to your grandmother.” This further
support your answer. supports the idea that this quote from
-Include both paraphrased Number the Stars relates to the story of
evidence and direct quotes Little Red Riding Hood because
Annemarie has a basket of food that she is
Possible evidence starters: taking to Uncle Henrik and Little Red
According to the text… Riding Hood is taking food to her
For example… grandmother. Another example is on
On page ___ it says… page 112 when it says “Then they were
Further support can be found... there, in front of her. Four armed
In the article/ chapter it states... soldiers. With them, strained at taut
leashes, were two large dogs, their eyes
E Explain (reds) glittering, their lips curled.” This clearly
- Explain how each piece of text shows that this relates to the story when
evidence supports your answer. Annemarie faced the soldiers she was
scared that the soldiers were going to lift
Possible explain starters: the napkin which was on top of the
This clearly shows that… packet that was for Uncle Henrik, and in
This means that… Little Red Riding Hood she is scared
This further supports the idea that… when she came face-to-face with the wolf.
Further support can be found on page 114,
S Sum it Up (green) “The soldier reached forward and
- Conclude your answer grabbed the crisp loaf of bread from the
- Link back to the topic sentence basket.” This clearly shows that
using different words Annemarie was not scared when the
soldiers took the bread from the basket
Possible summary starters: which is a relationship to LIttle Red
Clearly Definitely Certainly Riding Hood when the wolf ate her apple
To sum up In fact Obviously she was taking to her grandmother.

Chapter 16-17 and
Afterword
Why does the author include the
“Afterword?” Why is it important
to read the afterword, especially
Restate the Question (green) in historical fiction books?
R
A - Read the question or prompt
C
- Underline keywords
E
S - Rewrite the question as a

statement using your own words The reason Lois Lowry put the
afterword in the book is to give more
Answer the Question (green) information to help understand the
- Answer the question story more. In the text it says “How
*If there is more that one part of much of Annemarie’s story is true?” This
the question, make sure to answer clearly shows that reading the afterword
ALL parts. is important because it will give you
more information about the real things
Cite Evidence (yellows) that happened during the war. If you
- Use evidence from the text to didn’t read the afterword you wouldn’t
support your answer. know what this story was about. On page
-Include both paraphrased 133 it says “So I created little Annemarie
evidence and direct quotes and her family, set them down in a
Copenhagen apartment on a street
Possible evidence starters: where I have walked myself, and
According to the text… imagined their life there against the real
For example… events of 1943.” This clearly shows that if
On page ___ it says… you didn’t know if Number the Stars
Further support can be found... was fiction or nonfiction you could read
In the article/ chapter it states... the afterword and see which parts of the
book are made up or real. Further
Explain (reds) support can be found on page 134 when
- Explain how each piece of text it says “From then on, for five years, they
evidence supports your answer. occupied the country. Visible on every
corner, always armed and spit-shined,
Possible explain starters: they controlled the newspapers, the rail
This clearly shows that… system, the government, schools, and
This means that… hospitals, and the day to day existence
This further supports the idea that… of the Danish people.” This shows that
you should read the afterword to be able
Sum it Up (green)
- Conclude your answer
- Link back to the topic sentence
using different words

Possible summary starters:

Clearly Definitely Certainly to find true information.
To sum up In fact Obviously