Number the Stars- Lois Lowry
Chapter 1- Why are you Running?
Who is Ellen Rosen?
Who is Kirsti?
Why do the Nazi soldiers stop the girls? What are the girls’ different reactions?
How do the mothers react when told about the incident?
What were the girls’ mothers drinking instead of coffee? No coffee, sugar, butter.
Why?
What is meant by Nazi occupation?
What is the Resistance? Read p. 8
Chapter 2- Who is the Man Who Rides Past?
What does Kirsti love to be told? Fairy tales with Han Christian Andersen from Denmark.
Who is King Christian? The King of Denmark whom everyone loved. “All of Denmark is his bodyguard”
Who is Lise? Annemarie’s sister who died. Member of Resistance with Peter. Hit by a car by German soldiers.
Chapter 3- Where is Mrs. Hirsch?
Electricity was now rationed.
What discovery did the girls make when they stopped at the button shop?
Door locked, sign in German with a swastika (p. 20)
Peter visits Johansen’s at night. Why is this frightening to Annemarie?
There is an 8:00 curfew for Danish citizens.
Read p. 23-26. Important question of courage.
Chapter 4- It Will Be a Long Night.
Kirsti’s new shoes- no leather available, so made from fish skin. How does Ellen help?
Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen- Kirsti remembered “fireworks”. Read pp. 31-32
As Jewish New Year approaches, Mr. and Mrs. Rosen leave and Ellen comes to the Johansen’s.
Chapter 5- Who Is the Dark-Haired One?
Annemarie and Ellen talk about Lise- her death, sadness, things stored in trunk.
Who awakened the Johansen’s late that night?
Why had they come?
What does Annemarie take from Ellen and why? Her necklace
Compare soldiers to ones who stopped the girls on the street.
Why are soldiers suspicious of Ellen’s identity? Her hair color
Why does Papa tear photos from the album to show the soldiers?
How does the soldier treat the baby photo of Lise? Why?
After the soldiers left, Annemarie had an imprint of what in her clenched hand?
Chapter 6- Is the Weather Good for Fishing? means A good day to take Jews to safety
When Mr. Johansen calls Uncle Henrik, he speaks in code with what phrase? Why?
One carton of cigarettes.
Why does Mrs. Johansen think it is better for her husband to stay home while she and the girls go to Henrik’s?
On train, how do the soldiers try to trick Mrs. Johansen with their questions? Happy New Year (Jewish New Year)
What is Annemarie afraid that Kirsti will say? (pp. 54-56. )
Arrive at Henriks.
Chapter 7- The House by the Sea.
Discuss- Annemarie and Ellen at shore (what country can they see- Sweden), kitten (what is name) Thor
What warning did Mama give the girls?
Stay away from people, as it is hard to explain Ellen’s presence.
Chapter 8- There Has Been a Death.
Who died? Why is this mysterious to Annemarie? Great-aunt Birte/never met her
Chapter 9- Why Are You Lying?
What reason does Uncle Henrik give for lying to Annemarie? Read pp. 75-77
Who comes to “Great Aunt Birte’s funeral”?
Strangers, Peter, Mr. and Mrs. Rosen.
Chapter 10- Let Us Open the Casket.
Soldiers arrive- How does Mama keep them from opening the casket? Said she died of typhus
In this chapter, we learn where the title of the book originated. (pp. 86-87) Where?
Psalm, Bible
Chapter 11- Will We See You Again Soon, Peter?
What was in the casket? Clothes and blankets
What are the plans? Taking Jews by boat to Sweden- free country.
2 groups are led by Peter and Mama.
Chapter 12- Where Was Mama?
Where was Mama? She fell and hurt her ankle
Chapter 13- Run! As Fast As You Can!
What important task was Annemarie given? Bring package to Uncle Henrik
What doesn’t she know? What was in the package? A handkerchief that ruins dogs sense of smell
What advice did her mother give her? (p. 105)
Chapter 14- On the Dark Path.
Why was Annemarie telling herself the story of Little Red Riding Hood?
How did it fit her situation? She was walking through the woods with lunch
Who/what was the “wolf”? The soldiers
Chapter 15- My Dogs Smell Meat.
What were the instructions Annemarie’s mother gives her in case she is stopped?
(p. 113) Act like a silly girl bringing lunch to her uncle.
How does she do this? Says he doesn’t like fish and asks how he would cook it.
Read pp. 113- 119. (Annemarie/Soldier/Uncle Henrik)
Chapter 16- I Will Tell You Just a Little.
Does Annemarie feel she is brave? Why not? How does Uncle Henrik define bravery? (p. 122- not thinking about the dangers;
just doing what you must do.)
What was in the packet? (p. 125)
Chapter 17- All This Long Time. Discussion Questions (pp. 128-132)
War is over
Peter Neilsen? – dead, executed by Germans.
Truth of Lise’s death- part of Resistance, run down by German military car.
Where was Ellen’s Star of David?
What will Annemarie do with the necklace?
Vocabulary
1-4:
occupation- holding and control of an area by a foreign military force.
resistance- opposition, acting against. (lowercase ‘r’)
Resistance- an underground organization of a conquered country engaging in sabotage and secret operations against
occupation forces. (Nazis) (uppercase ‘R’)
sabotage- destructive action
rationed- available in limited quantities
Number the Stars- Trivia
Authors Name:
Lois Lowry
Title of Book- from where?
A psalm in the Bible
1. What is Annemarie’s last name?
- Johansen
2. What is Annemarie’s mother’s first name?
- Inge
3. What kind of shop did Mrs. Hirsch own?
- Button
4. How old is Annemarie?
- 10
5. What kind of animal did Annemarie and Ellen think one of the soldiers on the street corner looked like?
- Giraffe
6. On what floor in the apartment building did Ellen live?
- 3rd
7. What is the name of the most famous Danish fairytale teller?
- Hans Christian Andersen
8. What is King Christian’s horse’s name?
- Jubilee
9. What is the capital city of Denmark?
- Copenhagen
10. What gift did Peter bring Annemarie and Kirsti?
- Seashells
11. What is Mr. Rosen’s occupation?
- Teacher
12. What is Mama’s favorite book?
- Gone With the Wind
13. At about what time in the morning does Uncle Henrik usually leave to go fishing?
- 5 A.M
14. When the girls stood on the shore at Uncle Henrik’s, what country could they see across the sea?
- Sweden
15. As a girl, Mama had a dog named Trofast. What does ‘trofast’ mean?
- Faithful
16. What did Kirsti name the kitten?
- Thor, the God of Thunder
17. What is Uncle Henrik’s cow’s name?
- Blossom
18. What disease does Mama say Great Aunt Birte died of?
- Typhus
19. What is the baby girl’s name at Great Aunt Birte’s funeral?
- Rachel
20. Who or What was in the casket?
- Blankets and clothes
21. In year does the story take place? 1942
Who said:
21. “It was my birthday. I woke up in the night and I could hear the booms. And there were lights in the sky. Mama said it was
fireworks for my birthday.”
- Kirsti
22. “Any Danish citizen would die for King Christian, to protect him.”
- Papa
23. “Now I think that all of Denmark must be bodyguards for the Jews.”
- Annemarie
24. “It is much easier to be brave if you do not know everything.”
- Uncle Henrik
25. “Of course we will open the casket.”
- Mama