Out of the Dust
By: Karen Hesse
Study and Activity Guide
Name:_____________________________
Ms. Stickle
Period_____
Out of the Dust by: Karen Hesse
During the unit of OOTD, you will be responsible for a few different activities.
A. Characters– you will develop an understanding of character and character traits.
You are responsible for characterizing new characters, which includes personality
traits, physical traits, motivation, etc.)
B. Word Wizard – you will define the vocabulary words for the section. You must
identify the part of speech and correct definition for the way that the word was
used. Think about drawing a picture or coming up with your own sentence to help
understand the word.
C. Discussion Questions – you will monitor your own reading comprehension and
question the text in order to find themes. You must mark a page number down in
which you were confused or had questions. If you are not confused, that does not
mean you do not have questions. Questions will promote discussion amongst our
class, so think of some that can lead to our understanding of the deeper meaning
of the novel.
D. Setting– you will visualize and understand the setting of the novel and analyze
the literary devices that help give readers an image of the scene. Look for similes,
metaphors, imagery, alliteration, etc that help us understand the setting (the time
and place). Scenes and setting change frequently; be aware. This will help you
later on so be thorough.
E. Research – before we begin reading, we will research a number of topics that will
later help us understand the book and what is going on.
F. Connections – you will identify themes in the novel and connect them to our
world today. Remember themes are more than just one word; they are life lessons
that can transfer from our book to our life.
Winter 1934 – pgs. 3-33
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
1. Bawling- 3 2. Riled- 11 3. Dazzled- 24 –
4. Scowl- 29 Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
1. Why did Daddy name his daughter Billie Jo? How might Billie Jo’s life be
different if she were a boy?
2. How does Billie Jo feel about Livie Killian’s moving away?
3. Do you think Billie Jo should be mad at Ma for not allowing her to miss school to
play piano? Why or why not?
4. How does Ma respond to Billie Jo’s scored on the state test?
5. Your own:
6. Your own:
7. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
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Research – Look these terms, events, people up on the internet.
Warm Springs Foundation –
Bounty of 1931 –
Loans from Franklin D. Roosevelt –
Connections – Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?
Spring 1934 – pgs. 37-51
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
5. Dazed- 39 –
6. Wisp- 39 7. Withered- 39 8. Grumble- 40 9. Bittering- 41 10. Quaking- 41 11. Simmering- 41 12. Gripe- 49 Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
8. What doe Billie Jo do for comfort?
9. Why does Ma allow Billie Jo to play with ArleyWanderdale on the road?
10. If you were Daddy, would you “give up on wheat?” Why does he decide to keep
growing it?
11. What are Ma’s ideas for their farm? What does Daddy think of them?
12. In Apples, Billie Jo uses the repetition of the word “and.” What effect does this
have on the poem and what kind of picture does it paint in your mind?
13. Your own:
14. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
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Research – Look these terms, events, people up on the internet.
Madame Butterfly –
Banks following the stock market crash –
Connections– Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?
Summer 1934 – pgs. 55-84
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
13. Kerosene- 60 14. Scorched- 66 15. Squirreled- 67 16. Quench- 67 –
17. Stupor-71 18. Writhed- 73 –
19. Carcasses- 73 20. Cereus Plant- 81 Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
15. Whose fault is the accident?
16. Should Billie Jo forgive her father for leaving Ma to go drinking in Guymon?
17. How does Billie Jo spend her birthday?
18. Why does Billie Jo hide her injured hands from her father?
19. Why does Daddy want to dig a pond now?
20. Your own:
21. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
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Research – Look these terms, events, people up on the internet.
Dionne Quintuplets –
Eruption of Kilauea –
Connections – Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?
Autmn 1934 to Winter 1935 – pgs. 87-116
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
21. Revue- 91 22. Grime- 104 –
23. Forsaken- 104 –
24. Muck- 105 25. Bleary- 113 –
Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
22. Why can’t Billie Jo sand to be in the same room with a piano anymore?
23. How does Mad Dog treat Billie Jo? What would you say to Billie Jo if she were
your friend?
24. What kinds of paintings are shown at the art exhibit? Why do they mean so much
to Billie Jo?
25. In what ways is Billie Jo like her father?
26. Is it right for Miss Freeland to let Buddy Williams and his family stay at school?
27. Billie begins to mention in her entries that her ma is “haunting her.” What does
she mean by that? What do you think she can do about it?
28. Your own:
29. Your own:
30. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
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Research – Look these terms, events, people up on the internet.
Lindbergh Baby –
Government food –
Infantile Paralysis –
Connections – Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?
Winter 1935 – pgs. 117-149
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
26. Migrants- 121 27. Parched- 135 28. Brittle- 148 Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
31. The birth of the baby affects Billie Jo deeply. What are the feelings that she needs
to just “walk off?”
32. How does Billie Jo feel about getting 3rd place in the Palace Theatre competition?
How did her hands feel afterwards?
33. Why was Billie Jo desperate to get home in Dust Storm?
34. Describe how Billie Jo feels about her mother from what she says in Motherless.
How doe this compare to her feelings when her mother was alive?
35. Your own:
36. Your own:
37. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
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Research –
Dust pneumonia –
Connections – Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?
Spring 1935 – pgs. 153-189
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
29. Charred-157 30. Warped- 157 31. Rickety- 161 –
32. Procession- 163 33. Desperation-164 –
34. Hospitality- 165 Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
38. How does Billie Jo feel about Mad Dog Craddock? How do you know?
39. Why is Billie Jo upset with her father about the letter from Aunt Ellis?
40. Do you think Daddy is being a good father to Billie Jo? Why or why not?
41. What are the spots that Billie’s father has on his skin?
42. Billie Jo feels like she let someone down? Who does she feel she let down?
43. Billie Joe says that, “I ought to get our before my own bones turn to stone.” What
does this mean?
44. Your own:
45. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
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Research – Look these terms, events, people up on the internet.
Black Sunday –
Uncle Sam –
CCC –
Connections – Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?
Summer 1935 to Autumn 1935 – pgs. 193-227
Characters– Whom do we meet in this section? Give us details (physical, emotional,
personality traits, etc.)
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Character:
Character:
Character:
Info:
Info:
Info:
Word Wizard- Define the following words from this section. Make sure you write
down the page number, part of speech, and the correct definition of the word.
35. Bitterness- 195 36. Tumbleweed- 202 37. Mottle- 209 38. Diversification- 226 39. Betrothal- 226 Discussion Questions – Use these questions to lead a discussion on this section. You are
not limited to these questions. You should come up with at least three on your own to
facilitate good discussion amongst your group. You do not need to know the answers to
your three questions.
46. If you were Billie Jo, would you have run away?
47. How does Billie Jo’s father compare with the man she meets in the boxcar of the
train?
48. Why do you think Billie was able to call her father Daddy for the first time since
her mother died?
49. How is Billie’s decision to come a turning point in the story? Why do you think
she came home?
50. How do you know that Billie Jo has accepted Louise?
51. Does anything on Billie’s Thanksgiving list surprise you?
52. Describe Billie and her father’s new relationship.
53. What do you think will happen to Billie Jo, Daddy, and Louise?
54. Your own:
Setting– What time and place does this section take place in? Describe everything you
can for us. What is the weather like? How are the conditions?
________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Connections – Your job is to come up with ways that this novel can connect to our own
lives. Take 3 events that happen and connect it to the world or teenage lives today.
What happens in the section?
How does this relate to our lives today?