Acknowledgements
The Board of Trustees and staff of The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc. would like to
express their sincere gratitude and appreciation to those individuals and organizations that, since
1991, have given so generously of their time, talent and energy to make these guides possible.
Guide Authors
Martha Gillis
Louisa Birch
Mary Alyward Stewart
Kelly Keyes Smith
Sarah Beck
Jennifer Jerome Underhill
Teri West
Sophie Degener
Mairead Nolan
Julie Wood
Dr. Marcia Harris
© 2013 The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc. Edited by Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao and Liz Connolly
About The Max Warburg Courage
Curriculum, Inc.
The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc. is a year-long language arts program dedicated to
strengthening the character development and literacy skills of students. Since the organization’s
founding, the Courage Curriculum has positively impacted the academic performance of more
than 150,000 students in the Boston Public Schools and surrounding communities. Our
programs are taught locally in sixth and ninth grade classrooms, and our reach has expanded to
include a national essay contest and an international program taught in Thailand, Cambodia,
Mozambique, and beyond.
The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum was founded in 1991 to honor the life of Max Warburg,
a courageous young boy who maintained steadfast determination and heartfelt hope in the face of
his battle with leukemia. After his death, Max’s parents, Stephanie and Jonathan Warburg,
believed that Max’s story could be an example for other children. They worked with the Boston
Public Schools and experienced educators to develop The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum.
The program’s sixth grade curriculum, Courage in My Life, features carefully selected novels
whose main characters are courageous young people. As students become familiar with Max
and the literary characters featured in each novel, they come to understand their own capacity for
courage. Their personal stories are shared in the essays they write as the culmination of this
year-long curriculum. Each spring, The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum honors students
whose work, chosen from thousands of essays, is published in an anthology titled The Courage
of Boston’s Children.
www.maxcourage.org
About The Max Warburg Courage
Curriculum’s Guides for Educators
The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Guides for Teachers provide suggestions for teachers
on how to help students understand and appreciate literature, while engaging in meaningful
classroom discussions and activities. Immersion in literature becomes a bridge for the
development of students’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Using these guides,
teachers can help students acquire and refine the skills they need to be effective communicators
and excellent readers and writers.
The Boston Public Schools English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum Frameworks and Common
Core State Standards (CCSS) have also been integrated into these Guides for Educators by
incorporating the ELA educational principles of the frameworks, by embedding student products
from the Student Requirements, and by helping students to explore the key concepts and
questions in the Content Objectives. In addition the Guides for Educators employ a variety of
pedagogical approaches for developing literacy and social skills.
ELA Educational Principles
The following education principles from the ELA Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core
State Standards (CCSS) have guided the development of The Max Warburg Courage
Curriculum’s Guides for Educators.
Reading
Reading is an active, constructive and creative process that involves distinctive cognitive
strategies before, during and after reading. Good readers access prior knowledge, establish
purpose, preview the text, generate questions, make predictions, confirm and revise predictions,
locate and clarify concepts that cause confusion, take mental or written notes, organize
information into categories, and use text features such as illustrations and headings to acquire
meaning from print.
Writing
Writing is a process involving planning (pre-writing), context (drafting), reading aloud and
reflecting on the product, collaborating with others (peer editing), revising (rewriting) and
sharing the final product with others (publishing). Good writing reflects and stimulates thinking
and allows students to find their own voices and to express themselves in an articulate, coherent
manner.
Social skills and values
While students develop their reading and writing skills, they can simultaneously develop their
social skills and values. One important way for students to express themselves and become
aware of other people’s points of view is by developing strong perspective-taking skills. The
development of students’ perspective-taking sills contributes to the development of their conflict
resolution skills. These social skills-- together with learning to value trust, respect, love, peace,
self-esteem, courage, perseverance and freedom-- help students to develop healthy relationships
while, at the same time, support the development of students’ literacy skills.
ELA Student Requirements
Students are expected to complete specific products for each grade level by the end of the school
year. The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Guides for Educators may include one or more
of the following student products: reading review, autobiography, letter, essay, perspectivetaking exercise, and conflict resolution exercise. The completions of these products may be used
to satisfy the BPS ELA Student Writing Product Requirements.
ELA Content Objectives
Key questions are challenging, thought-provoking, age-appropriate, and generally open-ended.
They are designed to engage students’ interest before, during, and after reading. Key questions
direct students’ exploration of the most important topics, themes, characters, events, values,
perspectives, and literary conventions. The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Guides for
Educators explore key concepts and questions through whole class, small group, partner, and
individual discussions and activities.
Dear Teachers,
This guide has been written according to current research and best practices in literacy
instruction. There are many ideas and activities that will help you to explore the themes of the
novel, deepening students’ comprehension, motivation and enjoyment. There are also activities
designed to deal with specific instructional goals, such as writing skills and vocabulary
development.
As part of The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, this guide focuses significantly with the
theme of courage. Students are encouraged to think about examples of courage in their own
lives, and make connections between Max’s story and Number the Stars. This guide has been
written to reflect the Boston Public Schools’ English Language Arts Standards and Requirement
for sixth graders. Many of the questions, activities and projects are designed to help you meet
these requirements. Throughout the guide, you will find activities which relate to the standard
requirements in one of four ways:
 Activities that fulfill the sixth grade Language Arts Student Requirements (these can be
found in the post-reading section);

Writing assignments throughout the book which can become part of students’ writing
portfolios;

Research activities that require students to read other text genres, such as newspapers,
which help to satisfy the requirement to read ten other genre pieces; and

Activities and questions throughout the guide that directly relate to the focus themes and
questions. The goal is to help prepare students on an ongoing basis for their final key
questions essay(s).
In addition, you will find in this guide important updates pertaining to the Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts, reflecting current shifts in text complexity, evidence-based
analysis, and more. This guide has been revised to align with these Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) shifts. The mini-lessons, long-term projects and extension activity labels
highlight the CCSS anchor standards.
Best wishes for a wonderful school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Marcia Harris
Dear Teachers,
Welcome to a world of compassion, optimism and courage. In the face of great adversity, Max found a
way to rise about his struggles and send us a message of inspiration and hope. In the face of intense
danger and fear, Annemarie drew on her inner strength to help triumph, in one small way, over one of the
greatest tragedies of the world’s history. Both Max’s Story and Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars leave the
reader with renewed inspiration that one person, driven by compassion, optimism and courage, can make
a difference.
In this guide we explore the powerful ideas behind these stories through a wide range of activities that
reflect current research and best practices in literacy instruction. Some of the activities address specific
instructional goals, such as vocabulary development, while others serve to enrich the reading experience,
increase motivation and deepen comprehension.
As we wrote the curriculum guide for Number the Stars we were influenced by three guiding factors: 1.
The story itself; 2. The themes of courage that relate to Max’s story; 3. The Boston Public Schools’
Citywide Learning Standards and Curriculum Framework. In order to make this guide a true partner to
you, we have molded all three factors into a particular emphasis on helping students prepare for key
questions. In the Post-Book Activities section of the guide, you will find five focus themes that reflect
the three curriculum influences and many key questions that relate to each of these themes. You will be
able to select the themes and key questions from those we provide, write your own key questions, or
allow students to choose which key question(s) they would like to address.
Many of the activities and projects throughout the guide have been designed to help you and your
students complete the key questions and Boston Public Schools Language Arts Students Requirements.
As you look through the guide, you will see activities that relate to the requirements in one of four ways:

Activities that fulfill the sixth-grade Language Arts Student Requirements (these can be found in
the Post-Book Activities section)

Writing assignments that can become part of students’ writing portfolios

Research activities that require students to read other genres, such as newspapers, which help to
satisfy the requirement to read ten other genre pieces

Activities and questions that directly relate to the focus themes and key questions. The goal is to
help prepare students on an ongoing basis for their final essay(s) based on key questions.
This guide is not meant to be followed as a strict prescription. Instead, it is a compilation of suggestions
and ideas from which you can pick and choose. Ultimately, you will chart your own course through the
literature, drawing from this guide, your past experiences and your own ideas. We have provided an
abundance of activities so that you have many options. You should choose these activities based on your
own teaching style and interest, your students’ interests and school-specific programs and curricula.
In the Guide Preview we introduce you to the main components of the curriculum. We wish you luck as
you embark on your journey of learning with your students. Enjoy!
Jen Underhill
Author, Curriculum Guide
Teri West
Author, Curriculum Guide
Dear Teachers,
In these mini lessons, I have attempted to pull out the teaching points in the many activities that
have been so thoughtfully planned in the original curriculum. The mini lessons are based on
author’s craft, story structure and good reading habits. It is my hope that by pulling out the
teaching point for these mini-lessons, teachers will be better able to use the curriculum within a
workshop model.
I based these mini-lessons on the idea that teachers may teach the books in any order.
Occasionally some of the mini-lessons are repeated in multiple books. This repetition is
deliberate in order to provide more practice with the skill. I envisioned the curriculum being used
in a classroom which allows opportunities for students to do a majority of the thinking involved
in reading a text. Many curriculums provide guiding or discussion questions for students.
However, when students read for enjoyment they may not have a list of discussion questions to
help them discuss the book with a friend or lead them to understand the bigger concepts.
Explicitly teaching students to create these questions on their own, to make connections, notice
character traits, recognize authors craft, etc. will make reading a more enjoyable and efficient
process for them. Allowing conversations within small groups around their own questions and
ideas about the books will prove to be satisfying for all. As they share opinions, debate character
motivations, discuss connections and ask questions of their peers they will become more and
more authentically engaged with the text.
This type of independence and group work does not come naturally to all children. In order for
this type of learning to work well there needs to be a lot of up front teaching around the
expectations, routines and group dynamics before students are to be set free. I have found the
Literature Circle model described by Harvey Daniels to be very helpful in establishing book
clubs in the classroom.
As you already know, providing a variety of reading opportunities the classroom is essential to
effective reading instruction. At times you may read these or other books aloud to the class,
have students read in pairs, or independently if the book is on their reading level or you may also
provide some students with a listening center, where they can listen to the book on tape. I found
that many of the books in this curriculum are available on tape or CD at local libraries.
As you use these mini lessons and the initial curriculum to provide explicit reading instruction
and establish a classroom of enthusiastic, critical, independent readers, I wish you many
animated conversations focused around great literature and the compelling topic of courage.
Enjoy,
Kelly K. Smith
Author, Mini Lessons
Guide Preview
Chapter Summaries
The summary provides an overview of the main events and ideas from the chapter.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
For each chapter, there will be a set of suggestion questions designed to develop comprehension
of the story and stimulate discussion of the themes and the way in which they story relates to
your students’ lives, particularly with respect to courage.
In addition, some of the questions and activities will also provide ideas for linking Number the
Stars to the Boston Public Schools’ Key Questions and Close Reads with corresponding concepts
from the Boston Public Schools Standards and Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core State
Standards (CCSS). There will also be Key Questions in the “Post-Reading” section. As with all
activities and questions, it is not necessary to answer or complete all questions. When you
preview the guide, it may be helpful to make a preliminary list of those questions which you feel
will most benefit your students. . If you decide to use some of the Key Questions and Close
Reads to stimulate group discussion, you may want to jot down some ideas or comments made
by students on large chart paper. Students can refer to these at a later date if they are
independently working on a Key Question, particularly one from the Post-Reading questions.
You may wish to vary the placement of questions using some before and others after reading.
Although questions during a story can be an important means of assessing comprehension, you
may find that you do not want to interrupt the flow of this dramatic book. Before reading you
can ask the entire class to reflect upon what you read aloud or you may give different questions
to pairs of students. After reading, give your students time to discuss the questions with their
partners and then ask them to share their responses with the class. If two pairs of students reach
dissimilar conclusions, elicit further information from on why they feel the way they do.
A Special Note about Journal Writing: Dialogue Journals
In addition to providing students with the opportunity to reflect and share their feelings with their
classmates, you may also want to ask students to keep a daily journal of their reactions to the
day’s reading. Allow students to choose between the optional writing prompts provided in this
guide and writing their own unsolicited feelings or responses. In addition, encourage students to
write about examples of courage found in the story and in their own lives. One means of
focusing students on a particular chapter and assessing their comprehension of the plot is to ask
them to create a title for each chapter as they begin their journal entry. Encourage students to
reflect on their own comprehension. If they realize that they are unable to summarize the chapter
or recognize its main points, they may wish to reread it on their own or ask you or a classmate
for assistance.
Before beginning journal writing, assure students that their entries will not be graded and that
unless they choose to share what they have written, their writing is private. One effective
technique in journal writing is a dialogue journal in which students write and their teacher
responds in the journal to the content (not to grammar or spelling) of the entry. In this way,
dialogue journals can foster conversations between student and teacher. One strategy for making
this project more manageable for a large class is to ask three students a day who would like a
written response to volunteer to share their writing with you. Questions which may be
particularly appropriate for a dialogue journal will be marked with {Dialogue Journal}.
You may also wish to provide time for students to share their writing with another student or
with a small group of students. If you choose to pair students as “journal partners,” have
students write only on the right hand pages of their journal, reserving the left hand pages for their
journal partner’s response.
Sharing your own writing about the story with your class could be a way of enabling students to
become more comfortable with this activity. Before asking students to share with one another,
you may wish to discuss appropriate ways of listening and responding to others’ work. Remind
students to begin their response by first offering a positive comment such as: I like the way you
___________. The responder can then state how he or she feels about something specific in the
reader’s entry. Allow the reader to respond to the comment if he or she chooses to do so. Other
students may also want to join in the conversation or read aloud parts of their journal that relate
to the discussion.
After several sessions of modeling appropriate, positive responses to students’ sharing and
providing opportunities for students to practice as a whole group, students will be able to share
with a partner or small group. Sharing written responses to literature will not only encourage
your students to continue writing, it will also enrich and deepen their understanding of this
moving story.
Vocabulary Development: A Key to Current and Future Reading
Comprehension: (Lexile 670, Readability Average)
Decades of research have demonstrated that strong vocabulary knowledge is necessary for
reading comprehension (Lipson and Wixon). Though many debate the best methods for teaching
vocabulary, it may be helpful to think about two goals for vocabulary instruction: 1. Teaching
strategies to help students learn vocabulary words independently; and 2. Providing instruction
about specific words or concepts necessary for students to understand this selection.
Accordingly, the vocabulary section in each chapter will include activities which will address
both these goals. At the beginning of each section, there will be a short list of tier 2 and 3
vocabulary words that you may wish to review with your students before beginning to read. *
Definitions from Merrian-Webster Online: Dictionary and Thesaurus
Mini Lesson
At the end of each chapter, you will find a mini lesson based on author’s craft, story structure
and good reading habits, supporting teachers using the Courage Curriculum within a workshop
model. We envision the curriculum being used in a classroom which allows opportunities for
students to do a majority of the thinking involved in reading a text. Many curriculums provide
guiding or discussion questions for students. However, when students read for enjoyment they
may not have a list of discussion questions to help them discuss the book with a friend or lead
them to understand the bigger concepts.
Explicitly teaching students to create these questions on their own, to make connections, notice
character traits, and recognize authors craft will make reading a more enjoyable and efficient
process for them. Allowing conversations within small groups around their own questions and
ideas about the books will prove to be satisfying for all. As they share opinions, debate character
motivations, discuss connections and ask questions of their peers they will become more and
more authentically engaged with the text.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Activities will be provided for each chapter as an additional means of extending comprehension
and relating literature to students’ lives. Many build toward and prepare students for Boston
Public Schools student requirements, key questions and writing portfolios. Many require
students to take different perspectives or to make personal connections to the story. There are a
range of activities which include traditional writing exercises as well as more interactive and
engaging multi-modal, experiential and cross-curricular projects. Students will be challenged to
comprehend at both a practice and analytical level. Some activities will also encourage students
to apply their understanding and awareness to different situations.
A number of activities will be provided for each chapter. As with all materials presented by The
Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, these activities are optional, and are designed to be adapted
as needed. Please select those which you feel will most benefit your students and allow them to
deepen their understanding and enjoyment of Number the Stars. It may be helpful to preview the
activities for all chapters and make a preliminary list of those you plan to use before beginning.
The Max Connection
At selected chapters there will be in-depth activities that relate the literature to Max’s experience.
These activities will explore the themes of courage that are central to both stories: the courage to
help others and the courage to do what is right in the face of adversity.
Author’s Craft
Number the Stars provides fertile ground for exploring the rich use of language. In select
chapters, different literary devices such as metaphor, similar and imagery will be identified. You
will find several activities in the book that tap into this rich vein and allow students to explore
and play with these language devices.
Guide to Flagged Activities
Key Questions
Key Questions from the Boston Public Schools’ Curriculum Framework and Citywide Learning
Standards
Close Reading
Build critical thinking via re-reading, and analysis of a passage. {Resource}
Author’s Craft
Discussion of a literary technique used by the author
Dialogue Journal
Signals a question or activity that lends itself to the dialogue journal method described in the
Guide Preview
Resources
Refers you to our website [www.maxcourage.org], where you will find a list of suggested
resources, by topic. These resources may be helpful in completing questions or activities, or in
connecting your students with this novel and its themes.
Oral Reading, Silent Reading
Identifies questions or activities which ask students to read passages aloud our silently, either
independently or with a partner
About the Author: Lois Lowry
As an author and photographer, Lois Lowry has always tried to create a visual scene when she
writes. The idea for her Newbery Award-winning novel, Number the Stars, came from the
experiences of a childhood friend, which she combined with the historical facts of the Holocaust.
Lois Lowry says that when she was a child she was quiet, shy and introspective. She writes for
adolescents in order to help them break through some of the loneliness they are experiencing at
that point in their lives. She says, “When I write, I draw a great deal from my own past. There is
a satisfying sense of continuity, for me, in the realization that my own experiences fictionalized,
touch young readers in subtle and personal ways” (Kovacs and Preller, 113).
Ms. Lowry has written over 40 books, including The Giver, which also won the Newbery Medal.
In addition to these awards, Ms. Lowry has received the International Reading Association’s
Children’s Literature Award and an American Library Association Notable Book citation. Louis
Lowry was born on March 20, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has four children and lives in
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Background Information:
Number the Stars
The Holocaust is an extremely sensitive topic worthy of a curriculum unto itself. In this guide
we cannot do justice to the depth or breadth of this topic. Instead we provide basic information
for your reference: Five Questions about the Holocaust (courtesy of the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum) and a timeline (Courtesy of Facing History and Ourselves and Time Lines
on File). For more information about the Holocaust, please visit our website,
www.maxcourage.org, for a list of highly recommended resources.
Five Questions about the Holocaust
What was the Holocaust?
The Holocaust was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European
Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. In 1933 approximately
nine million Jews lived in the 21 countries of Europe that would be occupied by Germany during
World War II. By 1945, two out of every three European Jews had been killed. Jews were the
primary victims of the Holocaust- six million were murdered. Roma (Gypsies), the handicapped
and Poles were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic or national reasons.
Millions more, including Soviet prisoners of war, political dissidents, homosexuals and
Jehovah’s Witnesses, suffered grievous oppression and death under Nazi tyranny.
Who were the Nazis?
“Nazi” is a short term for the National Socialist German Workers Party, a right-wing political
party formed in 1919 primarily by unemployed German veterans of World War I. Adolf Hitler
became head of the party in 1921, and under his leadership the party eventually became a
powerful political force in German elections by the early 1930s. The Nazi party ideology was
strongly anti-Communist, anti-Semitic, racist, nationalistic, imperialistic and militaristic.
In 1933, the Nazi Party assumed power in Germany and Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor.
He ended German democracy and severely restricted basic rights, such as freedom of speech,
press and assembly. He established a brutal dictatorship through a reign of terror. This created
an atmosphere of fear, distrust and suspicion in which people betrayed their neighbors and which
helped the Nazis to obtain the acquiescence of social institutions such as the civil service, the
educational system, churches, the judiciary, industry, business and other professions.
Why did the Nazis want to kill large numbers of innocent people?
The Nazis believed that Germans were “racially superior” and that there was a struggle for
survival between them and “inferior races.” Jews, Roma (Gypsies) and the handicapped were
seen as a serious biological threat to the purity of the German (Aryan) race and therefore had to
be “exterminated.” The Nazis blamed the Hews for Germany’s defeat in World War I, for its
economic problems, and for the spread of Communist parties throughout Europe. Slavic people
(Poles, Russians and others) were also considered “inferior” and destined to serve as slave labor
for their German masters. Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals and Free
Masons were persecuted, imprisoned and often killed on political and behavioral (rather than
racial) grounds. Sometimes the distinction was not very clear. Millions of Soviet prisoners of
war perished from starvation, disease and forced labor or were killed for racial political reasons.
How did the Nazis carry out their policy of genocide?
In the late 1930s the Nazis killed thousands of handicapped Germans by lethal injection and
poisonous gas. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, mobile killing units
following in the wake of the German Army began shooting massive numbers of Jews and Roma
(Gypsies) in open fields and ravines on the outskirts of conquered cities and towns. Eventually
the Nazis created a more secluded and organized method of killing enormous numbers of
civilians; six extermination centers were established in occupied Poland where large-scale
murder by gas and body disposal through cremation were conducted systematically. Victims
were deported to these centers from Western Europe and from the ghettos in Eastern Europe
which the Nazis had established. In addition, millions died in the ghettos and concentration
camps as a result of forced labor, starvation, exposure, brutality, disease and execution.
How did the world respond to the Holocaust?
The United States and Great Britain as well as other nations outside Nazi Europe received
numerous reports in the 1930s about the persecution of Jews. It was not until 1942 that the
governments of the United States and Great Britain had confirmed reports about “the Final
Solution”- Germany’s intent to kill all the Jews of Europe. However, influenced by antiSemitism and fear of a massive influx of refugees, neither country modified their refugee
policies. Their stated intention to defeat Germany militarily took precedence over rescue efforts,
and therefore no specific attempts to stop or slow the genocide were made until mounting
pressure eventually forced the United States to undertake limited rescue efforts in 1944.
In Europe, rampant anti-Semitism incited citizens of many German occupied countries to
collaborate with the Nazis in their genocidal policies. There were, however, individuals and
groups in every occupied nation who, at great personal risk, helped hide those targeted by the
Nazis. One nation, Denmark, saved most of its Jews in a nighttime rescue operation in 1943 in
which Jews were ferried in fishing boats to safety in neutral Sweden.
Timeline of Events
1933 Nazi party takes power in Germany. Adolph Hitler is appointed Chancellor.
1934 “Night of the Long Knives” takes place in Germany.
1935 Jews are deprived of their citizenship and other basic rights.
1936 Nazis boycott Jewish-owned businesses. The Olympic Games are held in Germany; signs
barring Jews are removed until the event is over.
1938 On Kristallnacht, the “Night of Broken Glass,” Nazis terrorize Jews throughout Germany
and Austria. 3,000 Jews are arrested, 91 are killed. Thousands of shops and businesses are
looted and over 1,000 synagogues are set on fire. Jewish children are expelled from schools in
Germany and Austria. Nazis take control of Jewish-owned businesses.
1939 World War II begins as Britain and France declare war on Germany. The Nazi party
requires Jews to wear armbands or yellow stars.
1940 Jews are forced into ghettoes. Germany conquers Denmark, Norway, Belgium,
Luxembourg and France.
1941 Germany declares was on the United States immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
1942 20%-25% of the Jews who would die in the Holocaust have already been murdered. The
United States, Britain and the Soviet Union acknowledge that Germans are systematically
murdering the Jews of Europe.
1943 Denmark helps more than 7,000 Jews escape to safety in Sweden.
1945 Close to defeat, Hitler commits suicide; Germany surrenders.
1946 An international military tribunal is created by Britain, France, the United States and the
Soviet Union. At Nuremberg, Nazi leaders are tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity
Synopsis of Number the Stars
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johnson lives with her family in Nazi-occupied Denmark. She and her
best friend, Ellen Rosen, try to go about their days as they once did, but life is different with the
war going on. Nazi soldiers stand on every street corner, there are food shortages and now, all of
a sudden, the Jews are being relocated. When Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Rosen learn that the
Nazis will be sweeping through the neighborhood on the Jewish New Year looking for Jews,
they must act fast. Ellen spends the night at the Johansens’, and her parents spend the night at
the home of another friend. In the middle of the night, the Nazis barge into the Johansens’
house, but Mrs. and Mr. Johansen is able to convince them that Ellen is his daughter.
The next day, Mrs. Johansen takes Ellen, Annemarie and Kirsti to visit Uncle Henrik, a Danish
fisherman. At Uncle Henrik’s, the girls take in the peace and beauty of the Danish seascape
while Uncle Henrik and Mrs. Johansen make preparations for the night’s activity. Annemarie
does not know exactly what is going on, but she realizes that something is happening. Her
mother tells her that a fictitious great-aunt Birte has died and that many people will be coming to
the house. At the vigil that night, the Nazis come to the house and ask why so many people have
gathered and why the casket is closed. Mrs. Johansen convinces the Nazis not to open the
casket. After the Nazis leave, the people who are gathered are given clothing and blankets from
the casket. They leave with Mrs. Johansen and Uncle Henrik to go to his fishing boat. Although
no one has told her as much, Annemarie realizes that Uncle Henrik is going to take the people to
safety in Sweden.
Mrs. Johansen returns just before dawn, but she is injured. As Annemarie helps her up the stairs,
she notices a small packet that is critical to the success of the mission. With her mother injured,
Annemarie volunteers to take the packet to the boat. On the path, she encounters Nazi soldiers
and their dogs, but she musters up all her courage and convinces them that she is just a silly girl
bringing lunch to her forgetful uncle. Annemarie delivers the packet, and in so doing, helps save
the lives of the people on the boat.
When the war is over, the Danes celebrate in the streets while Annemarie, more mature and
aware of the world around her, reflects on the events of the past few years. She realizes that the
world is a much-changed place and in her realization, she too has changed. She learns the truth
about the death of her sister, and of Peter. In a final moment of symbolic solidarity, Annemarie
decides to wear Ellen’s Star of David necklace until Ellen returns home.
Pre-Reading Activities
The Holocaust is a highly sensitive topic that may be deeply troubling to students. We
encourage you to support your students’ exploration of this topic with meaningful, ageappropriate resources. We recommend setting aside a significant amount of time for discussion
during this unit to allow students to process their emotional reactions in a safe, supportive
environment.
Research has shown that reading comprehension is greatly enhanced when students activate their
prior knowledge before beginning to read.
The goals of pre-reading activities are to:
 Bridge the gap between student and literature
 Activate existing prior knowledge
 Evaluate what is already known about a topic
 Add pertinent background information
 Uncover and correct misperceptions
 Develop a personal point of entry into the text
 Create a “need” or desire to discover more
 Increase motivation
For all of these reasons, it is critical to invest time in pre-reading activities. The following
activities are designed to meet these needs and to prepare students to reach a higher level of
understanding and enjoyment of the literature.
K-W-L The Holocaust
This pre-reading activity will help activate students’ existing schemata, evaluate what is already
known and uncover biases and misperceptions. This can be a whole class or small group
activity. Divide a piece of flip chart paper into three columns labeled: Know, Want to know and
Learned. Ask students to record in the first column what they already know about the Holocaust,
and what they want to know about the Holocaust in column two. Be sure to return to this chart at
the conclusion of the book to complete column three with what they learned. Based on what
students already know about the Holocaust, you may decide to spend more or less time building
their background knowledge in this area. There may also be misperceptions that need to be
clarified.
Jewish Culture Celebration
Plan a day to introduce and celebrate the rich culture of the Jewish people. The following
aspects of the Jewish culture are particularly relevant to Number the Stars: Star of David, Rosh
Hashanah, the Sabbath, Synagogue and the Hebrew language. You can draw on a wide variety
of resources to make this day meaningful for your students. You may want to set up a miniature
festival in your room with different stations focusing on different aspects of the Jewish culture.
In your cultural exploration, you may wish to include food, holidays, fairy tales, music, Hebrew
language and prayers.
Mini Lesson: Exploring Nonfiction
What you might say: Before we begin this novel we need to know some background about the
Holocaust. As you already know reading non-fiction texts require very different skills than
reading fiction texts. In order to read non-fiction texts it is important to be very active readers.
Sometimes teachers give you guiding questions that you are always trying to answer as you read,
which can help you be active. If you do not have those questions you can create your own. In
order to help them continually check their own understanding, readers of non-fiction come up
with big idea questions on their own. I often do this by looking at the title of the book, the title
of the chapters and the headings and subheadings non-fiction texts so often offer. As you read
those ask yourself the following questions:
 Do I know what the word(s) in the title/heading mean?
 After reading what do I know about the event, person, idea, etc. mentioned in the
title/heading?
 Have I pulled out the important information in each of these sections, enough so that I would
be able to tell a neighbor, in my own words, what the section was about?
If you cannot answer the above questions you will want to go back and reread to clarify.
Occasionally you may even need to consult another resource to gain a better understanding.
Journal/Discussion: What are some of the big questions I should be answering as I read?
Research The Holocaust
Divide students into small groups and give each group a research topic from the list below.
Review with your students the five “W” questions and ask them to gather information from
nonfiction sources that will enable them to answer these questions about their topic. When
students have finished their research, provide time for them to present their information to the
class. You may want to provide any critical information they have missed or correct any critical
misunderstanding. If you did the K-W-L activity, you can return to it now and add in
information in the Learned column.
Possible Research Topics may include Hitler, Nazi Occupation, Resistance Movement in
Denmark from 1940-1945, the Holocaust, Nazism and the geography of WWII Europe.
Geography of WWII Europe
After students have located a map of Europe during WWII have them remake the map so
Denmark is in the center and the proximity to the other countries is clearly delineated. They do
not have to fit the entire countries of Germany and Norway on their maps. They should colorcode the map to reflect Nazi-occupied countries during 1943. These maps should be displayed
on the wall as a visual aid while reading the story. You can also use them to track the route
taken by the Johansens.
Chapter 1:
Why Are You Running?
Summary
Pages 1-10*: On their way home from school, Annemarie, Kirsti and Ellen Rosen are abruptly
stopped and interrogated by a Nazi SS officer. Both Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Rosen are alarmed
by the event. These are difficult times in Denmark; the country is occupied by Nazis and daily
essentials such as butter and sugar have not been available for a long time.
* Please note that the page numbers in this guide refer to the Houghton Mifflin Company
hardcover edition, 1989
Teacher Suggestion
There is a dramatic shift in mood when Annemarie turns the corner and comes face to face with
the two Nazis. You might want to emphasize this shift when reading aloud by shouting the
word, “Halte!” or dropping a heavy object on the floor to startle your class.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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What mood does the author create at the start of the chapter and how is it different from the
mood at the end of the chapter? Identify the points at which the mood shifts in the chapter.
{Close Read}
What does Annemarie’s reaction to the soldiers tell you about the situation in Denmark and
about the relationship between the soldiers and the Danes?
What is the difference between what Annemarie thinks about the soldiers and what she
actually says to them? How would you describe her attitude?
Why do you think the neighborhood woman was, “standing silently watching” while
Annemarie was being questioned by the soldiers?
Why did the shopkeeper move, “quietly back into the shadows of the doorway, out of sight”
when Annemarie was being questioned by the soldiers?
Why do you think Ellen stayed back when Annemarie was being questioned by the soldiers?
If you were Annemarie, how would you have reacted? {Dialogue Journal}
How does Kirsti respond and react to soldiers? Why does she react this way?
Why do Ellen and Annemarie decide not to tell their parents about their experience with the
soldiers? Do you agree or disagree with their decision?
How do the Danes get their news now that the Nazis have occupied Denmark and have
control of all the media? {Key Question}
Why do the Johansens burn the newspaper as soon as they have read it? {Key Question}
Why do the Danes have a Resistance Movement? What is the purpose and function of the
Resistance? Do you think they are right in what they are doing? Explain. {Key Question}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Civilized (p. 1) refined
Rucksack (p. 1) backpack
Skirted (p. 2) moved around outside of something
Halte (p. 2) command used to make somebody stop
Contempt (p. 3) attitude of utter disgust or hatred
Sneering (p. 3) feeling or showing scorn
Defiantly (p. 4) disobediently
Obstinate (p. 4) stubborn
Trudged (p. 6) walked wearily
Incident (p. 7) event
Edgy (p. 7) intense
Sabotage (p. 8) action to hinder
Industrial (p. 8) relating to or involving manufacturing
Impassive (p. 10) devoid of feeling
Fostering Independent Vocabulary Learning: Using a Dictionary
Remind students that while they should always use context clues as an aid in understanding new
words, there might be words whose meaning they cannot discover out of context. In addition,
they might want to gain a more precise meaning of the word whose general meaning they
derived from the reading. In these cases, they should be encouraged to get in the habit of using a
dictionary.
Toward that end, ask students to find the vocabulary words in the text and write down an
educated guess about each word’s meaning. Then ask students to find each word in the
dictionary and write down the meaning most appropriate to its context in the story. You may
wish to do the first one or two together to remind students of the following: locate words
through alphabetical order, use the pronunciation key, use guide words, identify the correct
entry for different word forms, and determine which of several definitions is correct.
Developing Vocabulary Knowledge: Semantic Mapping
Have students work independently or in teams to organize the vocabulary words into groups
based on categories that relate to the story. It may be helpful to have students write the
vocabulary words on Post-it Notes, so that categories can be easily changed through discussion
or debate. This activity can be continued throughout the novel. Students should be encouraged
to change or create categories as they interact with new vocabulary words from the novel.
CCSS: RL2, RL4, RL5, W4, SL1C
Mini Lesson: Visualization
What you might say: As you begin reading this book you will find that the author gives a great
deal of description to help you visualize the setting and events in the beginning of the story. To
be able to put yourself in the characters’ shoes and really feel the emotions they are feeling, you
may want to occasionally stop and truly try to visualize all that the author is giving you. Having
the background knowledge from the research we have done as a class will really help you to
visualize. Effective authors make this job easy for the reader by providing us with a great deal of
description, and good readers take the time to utilize this information.
Journal/Discussion:
1. Draw scenes from the book and share the different visions each person had.
2. Discuss the feelings you had as you put yourself in the characters’ shoes.
3. Notice the way in which the author provided you with the details necessary to visualize.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Experiencing the Invasion
Gather a collection of video clips depicting Nazi occupation and invasion. You may want to
consider scenes from documentaries, clips from the internet and sections of films such as
Triumph of the Will or Sound of Music. Use the clips to help students understand life in the
countries occupied by Nazi Germany.
Chapter 2:
Who is the Man Who Rides Past?
Summary
Pages 11-17: As they lie in their bed, Annemarie tells Kirsti a bedtime story about a king, a
queen and a princess, but Annemarie’s thoughts take her to the real king of Denmark, Christian
X, who is so beloved by his people that, “any Danish citizen would die to protect him.”
Annemarie recalls the reasons why King Christian surrendered to the Nazis. Her thoughts then
take her to her sister, Lise, who died several years ago, and to Peter, the man who was to be
Lise’s husband. Annemarie falls asleep aware of how much people have changed since the Nazi
occupation.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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In regards to King Christian X, a Danish boy remarks, “all of Denmark is his bodyguard.”
What does this mean? {Close Read}
Why didn’t Denmark fight the Nazis? Do you agree with Denmark’s decision not to fight?
Explain. {Dialogue Journal}
What other countries were defeated by the Nazis? Compare the size of Denmark with the
size of these other countries.
Which country had not been conquered by the Nazis?
Annemarie compares the fairy tale king to the real King Christian X. How is King Christian
X different?
Papa says that any Danish citizen would die for King Christian X in order to protect him. Do
you know anyone else who has died for something they believe in? Is this courageous? {Key
Question}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Suitable (p. 12) right for purpose
Dim (p. 13) not well lit
Solemn (p. 13) having or showing no joy or humor
Crocheting (p. 14) type of knitting
Trousseau (p. 14) bridal clothes and linen
Intricate (p. 14) with many parts artfully combined
Mourned (p. 16) expressed sadness
Fiancé (p. 17) engaged to be married to
CCSS: RL2, RL5, W4, SLC1
Mini Lesson: Characterization- Static v. Dynamic
What you might say: We have learned a great deal about how authors develop characters
through dialogue, action and internal thought. Today I want to teach you about two specific
types of characters an author might choose to portray in their stories. They are static and
dynamic characters. (See definitions below)
In a story, a dynamic character is someone who undergoes an important, internal change because
of the action in the plot. Ebenezer Scrooge, from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, is a
classic example. When we first meet him, he is mean, bitter, and avaricious. As a result of his
experiences with the three ghosts, he becomes generous, kind and beloved.
A static character is one whose personality does not change throughout the events in the story's
plot. For example, the evil stepmother in the fairytale, Cinderella, is manipulative and cruel at
the beginning of the story, and continues to be an evil character the close of the story.
As we read Number the Stars, you want to be aware of the characters and be noticing how the
events in their lives change or do not change them as people.
Journal/Discussion: Use a characterization chart to keep track of the characters traits
throughout the book. Occasionally reference it to notice any changes. (You may even want to
assign one group the job of being the character detectives. They will remind the class to look for
this as they notice it happening in this or other books.)
See Appendix Chapter 2 Mini Lesson for handout
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
King for a Day
In pairs, have one student play the role of the King of Denmark and one students play the role of
the King of Norway. Ask students to role play a scene where the two kings meet to discuss their
reasons for making their respective decisions about fighting Germany.
The Royal Parade
As a critical viewing activity, have students look at pictures of King Christian X and make
observations about his character based on the photos. You may want to present students with
pictures of other royalty or political figures, contemporary or historical, and have them complete
the same task. Discuss with students the importance of loyalty to the crown in some countries
such as Denmark or England. Also discuss the differences between a king or queen and an
elected official like a president. Have students compare their analysis of King Christian X from
the photos with what they learn about him from the text. {Resources}
Chapter 3:
Where is Mrs. Hirsch?
Summary
Pages 18-26: Mrs. Johansen sends Annemarie to Mrs. Hirsch’s button shop to replace a button
on Kirsti’s winter coat. Annemarie returns and informs her mother that the shop is closed and
that a swastika and a sign written in German are hanging on the door. This news deeply worries
Mrs. Johansen, who quickly goes to talk to Mrs. Rosen. That night, Peter pays a visit to the
Johansen household and informs them that many Jewish-owned stores have been ordered closed.
Annemarie realizes the danger that the Jews face and remarks that Denmark must now protect
the Jews.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Why is Mrs. Johansen worried when she learns that Mrs. Hirsch is not in the shop?
How is Annemarie sure that the sign on Mrs. Hirsch’s shop is written in German?
Why do you think Mrs. Johansen runs to see Mrs. Rosen when she learns that Mrs. Hirsch is
missing?
Why do you think Peter visits the Johansens so late at night?
What gifts does Peter bring to the Johansens?
Who do you think has imposed the curfew on Copenhagen?
What do you think would happen to Peter if the Nazis found out that he went out after
curfew? Is going out after curfew a courageous act? {Key Question}
What does Annemarie learn about the closing of shops in Copenhagen?
What does Annemarie realize about the Rosens that puts them in danger?
Annemarie says, “All of Denmark must be a body guard for the Jews” (p. 25). {Close Read}
What do you think she means by this? Where in the book have you heard this before? Do
you think it will be difficult for Denmark to protect the Jews? Why? {Key Question}
Why will the winter be particularly difficult for the Danes? How are they preparing for the
winter?
Annemarie questions her ability to die for someone else. Have you ever protected someone
who was being bullied or picked on? What made you stand up for that person? {Dialogue
Journal}
Has anyone ever protected you or stood up for you when you were being picked on? How
did that make you feel? {Key Question}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Dawdled (p. 18) moved slowly; wasted time
Dim (p. 19) not well lit
Haughtily (p. 19) behaving in a superior or arrogant way
Kroner (p. 20) money
Sarcastically (p. 21) mockingly
Curfew (p. 22) restriction on people’s movement
Torment (p. 24) inflicts pain on somebody; torture
Drawn (p. 24) tired-looking and haggard
Cocoon (p. 26) something that provides protection or a sense of safety
CCSS: RL1, RL4, W4, SL1C, L5A
Mini Lesson: Symbols and Symbolism
What you might say: Authors use symbols throughout their story to provide meaning to the
reader. Some symbols an author uses are not explicit; instead you have to infer what they are
symbolizing. As we continue reading this book I want you to pay close attention to the Star of
David necklace Ellen wears. As we continue to read we will focus on what the symbolism
behind that necklace might be (hope, faith friendship, etc.)
Journal/Discussion: Discuss other symbols students can think of in their day to day life.
Consider discussing common symbols used in literature and their possible meanings. You may
even hold up images of the symbols mentioned below and see what thoughts and ideas the
students have around each one.
Examples:
1. Dove: peace
2. Spring: youth, birth, life
3. Water: birth, rebirth
4. Eagle: freedom, liberty, strength
5. Rose: love, beauty
6. Crown: wealth, royalty
7. Sunrise: new start, beginning
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Symbolic Design
Have students create symbols or logos to express the following emotions and ideas:
Fear
Hatred
Happiness
Peace
Anger
Courage
Danger
You may want to present students with the different symbols cultures across the world use for
one or more of these ideas.
Pen Pal
Have students write a letter from Annemarie to an imaginary friend in Sweden explaining what
is happening to her country.
History and Meaning of the Swastika:
In this chapter we read about the swastika being left on the door of Mrs. Hirsch’s button shop
door. The swastika was used as a Nazi symbol during this time. Prior to being used as a symbol
of Nazi Germany, the swastika was used by many cultures to represent positive ideas such as
life, sun, strength and good luck. Have students research what the swastika has meant to
different people at different times. How does a symbol have meaning? How does the meaning
of symbols change? Do you know any other symbols that currently represent ideas different
from the original meaning? {Resources}
Max Connection
Before she goes to bed, Annemarie says that she is, “glad to be an ordinary person who would
never be called upon for courage” (p. 26). How do you think Max would respond to Annemarie?
Can an ordinary person be courageous? How?
Chapter 4:
It Will Be a Long Night
Summary
Pages 27-38: While the Rosens are in synagogue celebrating the Jewish New Year, they learn
that the Nazis are planning to take all the Danish Jews away that night and relocate them. In
order to protect the Rosens, Ellen will spend the night with the Johansen’s while her parents go
elsewhere.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Why must the Rosens suddenly leave? Why will Ellen stay with the Johansens?
What special holiday are the Rosens preparing for? What does this holiday involve? What is
the significance of this holiday? {Resources}
One night the Johansen’s saw the sky ablaze with light. Kirsti believes it was the result of
fireworks for her birthday. What was actually happening? Why?
Why do you think Mama lied to Kirsti about the fireworks? Do you think she should have
told her the truth? Why?
Do you think King Christian X made the right decision to destroy his own fleet? Was this
decision cowardly or courageous? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
Why did Mr. Johansen say he was, “proud to have three daughters again”? {Close Read}
What words, event and descriptions in this chapter create a mood of danger?
How does Annemarie feel about the Jewish religion? Cite evidence from the book to support
your answer.
What do the Johansens know about the current situation in Denmark? What don’t they
know?
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Sprawled (p. 27) sat or lying in disordered way
Sophisticated (p.27) knowledgeable and cultured
Exasperated (p. 28} angry
Disdainfully (p. 29) in a manner of looking down on somebody or something
Designated (p. 30) chosen for a particular purpose or position
Belligerently (p. 31) hostile or aggressively
Submerged (p. 32) to have plunged something in liquid
Awed (p. 33) mixture of wonder and dread
Tense (p. 33) worried and nervous
Dismay (p. 34) feeling of discouragement
Dubiously (p. 34) unsure of outcome
Congregation (p. 35) group of worshippers
CCSS: RL1, RL5, W4, SL1C
Mini Lesson: Cause and Effect
What you might say: In a story characters often react to a situation. We can look at this as a
cause and effect relationship. For example, I am out of food so I will go to the grocery store.
The cause is “I am out of food” the effect or action I take is “I will go to the grocery store”.
Understanding this relationship is very useful when reading non-fiction texts. Events in history
follow this organization as do actions or reactions in science. In fiction or historical fiction it is
also helpful to recognize this organization. When you understand cause and effect, you are much
better to prepared to predict an action a character will take, or understand why a character took a
particular action. As we know when we predict, we are being active readers, and being active
readers helps us to understand and remember the events in a story.
Journal/Discussion: Create a T-chart on cause and effect in your journal. Begin filling in one
event and its cause for each chapter which can briefly be discussed as a group during Literature
Circles.
See Appendix Chapter 4 Mini Lesson for handout
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Dear Diary
Write about the way in a diary entry from Kirsti’s point of view. How does she see the war?
Editorial
Write or present a television or newspaper editorial in which you defend or criticize King
Christian X for blowing up his fleet.
Experiential Learning: Theme of Relocation
The following activity may bring up strong emotions in your students. Be sure to schedule
ample time for discussion after the activity. You may choose one of three variations of this
activity. Make your decision based on what you feel is most meaningful and appropriate for
your students.
1. Choose a group of students according to an arbitrary characteristic (i.e., all students wearing
stripes)
Variation 1: Ask the group of students to stay or sit in a separate part of the room. Do not tell
them why they are being separated. Insist that they remain in the corner. Carry on your lesson
as planned. Watch for how this variation brings out resistance as well as fear.
Variation 2: Send the group of students to a disciplinary administrator’s office. Let this
administrator know you are doing this. This person should treat these students like any other
students who might be sent to his/her office. He or she should ask the students why they were
sent there and doubt them when they insist that they do not know.
Variation 3: Arrange with a school security guard from the school to take this group of students
out of the room. Do not tell the students why they are being called out. Have the guard sit with
the students in the principal’s office. Students should not be told what is going on.
2.
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After a brief period of time (5-10 minutes) the group of students should rejoin the rest of the
class. Discuss:
Why did you think you were being singled out?
What did it feel like to be separated from the rest of the class?
Did you do anything about the situation?
Did you talk about what was going on with other people in the group?
Encourage the students to consider how they would have felt if different figures of authority
were present. For example, what if students brought to the administrator’s office were
brought to the principal’s office? The superintendent’s office? What if a police officer was
present during the separating of the groups? What if a police officer stayed in class while the
separated group was taken to another location? Would students be more or less likely to
question the process? Would students be more or less afraid?
How did the people who were not separated behave? How did they feel? What were they
thinking about? Did they want to know why the students were being asked to leave?
Can anyone figure out on what basis these students were chosen?
How is this situation similar to and different from the relocation of the Jews during the
Holocaust?
Chapter 5:
Who is the Dark-Haired One?
Summary
Pages 39-49: In the middle of the night, Ellen and Annemarie are awakened by Nazi soldiers
pounding on the front door. Peeking through a crack in the bedroom door, the girls learn that the
Nazis are looking for the Rosens and demanding to search the house. Just before the soldier
barges into the girls’ room, Annemarie yanks off the Star of David necklace that Ellen is
wearing. Mr. Johansen convinces the Nazis that Ellen is his daughter and the Nazis leave.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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At the beginning of the chapter, Annemarie says the Nazis are “… always threatening stuff.
They just like to scare people.” Can you think of examples of this from this chapter and
others?
What happened to Lise?
What necklace was Ellen wearing? What does it symbolize? Why was it so important to
take it off when the soldiers came? {Close Read} {Resources}
Why do the Nazis suspect that Ellen might not belong to the family?
Why did Mr. Johansen rip the photo out of the album?
What was the scariest part of the chapter for you? What words made you feel scared? What
did the author do to make you feel scared? {Dialogue Journal}
Do you think the conflict between the Nazis and the Johansens was resolved peacefully? Did
the Johansens have any other options?
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Imperious (p. 39) arrogant
Gesture (p. 39) action communicating something
Intoned (p. 39) to have said something in solemn tone
Contentedly (p. 43) happy and satisfied
Holstered (p. 44) put a gun into its holster
Harsh (p. 44) difficult to endure
Winced (p. 47) made a pained expression
Sneer (p. 47) to feel or show scorn
Unwavering (p. 48) steady and firm in purpose
CCSS: RL5, W4, SL1C
Mini Lesson: Climax
What you might say: We have discussed the structure of a story plot. You know that the
conflict leads up to the height or climax of the story and then drops to the resolution. As a reader
you always want to be anticipating the climax and recognize it when you get there. We are only
in chapter 5, yet there are some exciting things happening in this story.
As we read this fictional story it is important to understand that authors have a system to the way
they write. They have a plot or structure to their story. When we understand this structure we
have a much better chance of understanding the story. We can be looking for specific elements in
the story. The elements of a plot are as follows:
Exposition: The start of the story, the setting, before the action starts
Rising Action: Series of events and conflicts that set the stage for the climax
Climax: The turning point, the most intense moment
Falling Action: All of the events that follow the climax
Resolution: Conclusion, ending, tying together all of the pieces
Journal/Discussion: Do you think we have reached the climax yet? Why or why not? If so,
why do you think the author would put the climax so close to the beginning of the story?
See Appendix Chapter 5 Mini Lesson for handout
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Courageous Characters
Many characters have shown courage in the last two chapters. Describe how one of the
following characters has faced danger, and how he or she managed this danger. Consider: Mrs.
Johansen, Mr. Johansen, Annemarie, Ellen, Mrs. and Mr. Rosen.
Author’s Craft {Close Read}
When Lise died, Annemarie had thought that the rain, “made it seem as if the whole world was
crying” (p. 41). Ask students to think about and discuss in small groups what this might mean.
Chapter 6:
Is the Weather Good for Fishing?
Summary
Pages 50-59: The situation for the Jews in Denmark is much worse than anyone had imagined.
The Johansens decide that Mrs. Johansen will take the girls to see her brother, Henrik, who is a
fisherman on the coast. Mr. Johansen calls Henrik on the phone and Annemarie thinks they are
speaking in code. She then realizes that her father is talking about Ellen. Although they
encounter a Nazi on the train, Mrs. Johansen and the girls arrive safely in Gilleleje.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Why do you think Ellen values her education? How do you know this?
After the night raid, Mrs. and Mr. Johansen grow more concerned that Ellen may be
discovered. What do they decide to do?
Why is Mr. Johansen talking in code?
When Mr. Johansen and Uncle Henrik are talking about the carton of cigarettes, what are
they really talking about?
How does Annemarie figure out that her father is talking in code?
How do the soldiers try to pick on Mama when she is on the train?
What is the mood when they arrive in Gilleleje? {Close Read}
Do you think it is possible to go on a vacation or get away from violence during a war? Why
or why not? {Dialogue Journal}
Why is Gilleleje special? {Key Question}
On the train Annemarie says the Nazi soldiers are everywhere. Where have we seen them in
the story so far? Where might you expect them to appear next in the story?
Is Mrs. Johansen escorting Ellen on the train a courageous act? Why or why not? {Key
Question}
How did this chapter make you feel? Why? {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Suspicious (p. 50) suggesting doubt
Tentatively (p. 50) uncertain
Eased (p. 50) caused something to become less strong or intense
Reluctantly (p. 52) not eager
Distorted (p. 55) to have made something unclear or unrecognizable
Sprawling (p. 56) sit or lie awkwardly
Massive (p. 56) bulky
Exasperation (p. 57) anger
Skirted (p. 58) moved around the outside of something
CCSS: RL1, SL1C, W4
Mini Lesson: Symbolism in the Title
What you might say: In Chapter 3 we discussed the use of symbolism. What do you think the
necklace the Ellen wore could symbolize? What did ripping it off symbolize? Now that we have
a deeper understanding of the story I want you to think back to the title, as we discussed when
reading non-fiction. What is Lowry referring to in the title Number the Stars? What or who are
the stars, and why are they being numbered? Again the author is using symbolism to make you
think in a different way about a topic. In order to understand the symbolism you must have a
strong understanding of the concepts in the book.
Journal/Discussion: Focus on the meaning of the title in both journal writing and
discussions.
*Encourage students to use symbolism in their own writing.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
X Marks the Spot
Using a map of Denmark, track the route taken by Mrs. Johansen, Annemarie, Ellen and Kirsti
on their way to Uncle Henrik’s house. Calculate the distance between Uncle Henrik’s house and
Sweden. Equate that information to a distance in your community. {Resources}
Chapter 7:
The House by the Sea
Summary
Pages 60-66: At the Danish coast, the girls are in awe of the spectacular beauty of the landscape.
Annemarie and Ellen look across the channel toward Sweden and imagine two Swedish standing
on the Swedish coast looking toward Denmark. The girls play quietly, but Mrs. Johansen warns
them to stay away from all people while they are there. That night, Ellen misses her parents and
wonders where they are. Annemarie recalls happier times as she listens to her mother and Uncle
Henrik speaking.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Why hasn’t Ellen been to the ocean?
How does Ellen’s mother feel about the ocean?
Why do you think Mrs. Johansen wants the girls to stay away from people while they are at
Uncle Henrik’s? Why do you think this?
How is this night at Uncle Henrik’s different than other nights for Annemarie? What
changes has she noticed? {Close Read}
What has Annemarie done with Ellen’s necklace? Why do you think she has done this?
Do you have a piece of jewelry or a treasure that is very special to you? How would you feel
if you had to entrust it to someone else for safe keeping? {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Awe (p.60) mixture of wonder and dread
Gnarled (p. 60) knotted and twisted
Hazy (p. 62) visually obscured
Wade (p. 63) walk through
Darted (p. 64) move swiftly
Appliquéd (p. 65) decoration made by attaching small pieces of cloth
Tidy (p. 65) neat in appearance
CCSS: RL1, SL1C, W4
Mini Lesson: Diverse Set of Characters
What you might say: In order to make stories more interesting, to create more opportunity for
conflict as well as to give readers more opportunities to connect with the story authors include a
variety of characters in their writing. In this book there are many different types of characters
beyond simply the protagonists and the antagonists. There are characters who are victims,
characters who are helpers, characters who are brave, characters who are logical and characters
who act on emotion. It is likely that you connect with one character more than others. It is also
likely that you can think of someone in your life that is like one or more of the characters.
Authors do this to add complexity to their stories.
Journal/Discussion: Have students focus on who they are most like. Make a graph charting
which characters the students in your class relate to the most. When doing this activity
encourage students to focus on personality traits rather than physical characteristics.
Students should defend their reasoning in their Literature Circles.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Dear Diary
Imagine you are Ellen, suddenly separated from your family, in a strange home, unsure of where
your parents are, or if they are safe. Write a journal entry describing your feelings about your
situation.
Message in a Bottle
Ask students to pretend they are Ellen and Annemarie standing on the shore looking toward
Sweden. They find a bottle on the shore and decide to send a message to Sweden. With a
partner, have students compose the letter they would write.
Change of Scene
This chapter presents a change in scenery and mood; it is quiet and somber, but there is
underlying tension. Ask students to use the information in the text to identify some of the fears
below the surface.
Guided Visualization: A Place to Escape to
Ask the class to close their eyes and imagine that they have to escape from their city during a
time of war. Ask them to imagine the answers to the following questions: Where would you go?
What does this place look like? What colors do you see? Is it light or dark? Are you inside or
outside? What sounds do you hear? What smells do you smell? What are you feeling? Who is
with you? What is going on around you?
Chapter 8:
There Has Been a Death
Summary
Pages 67-73: Ellen and Annemarie spend the next day playing outdoors. That evening,
Annemarie hears her mother and Uncle Henrik talking in a coded language again. Annemarie is
told that her great-aunt Birte has died and that she will be laid out in the house that night.
Annemarie has never heard of this aunt, and although she is certain she never existed, she does
not say anything.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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What name has Kirsti given to the kitten? Why does Annemarie think this is so funny?
What is different about breakfast at Uncle Henrik’s and breakfast in Copenhagen?
What do Ellen and Annemarie do together on this day?
Henrik says, “Tomorrow will be a good day for fishing.” Does he really mean this? What do
you think he really means? How do you know? {Close Read}
Where is Uncle Henrik going to sleep this night? Does this seem normal?
What are some of the problems with Uncle Henrik’s house? {Key Question}
Why is Annemarie confused about the news of Aunt Birte’s death? What do you think is
really going on? {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Haze (p. 67) vague obscuring factor
Pitcher (p. 69) single-handed jug
Ruefully (p. 69) regretful
Darted (p. 69) fast movement
Specter (p. 69) unpleasant prospect
Gesturing (p. 69) body movement
Timidly (p. 70) unassertive
Scampered (p. 70) run playfully
Bouquets (p. 70) bunch of flowers
Untidy (p. 70) not neat
Mock dismay (p. 71)
To lie at anchor (p.72)
Arched (p. 72) curved structure
CCSS: RL1, RL6, W4, SL1D
Mini Lesson: Point of View
What you might say: Authors often tell stories from different points of view. Point of view is
the way the author allows you to "see" and "hear" the action in the text. Skillful authors can fix
their readers' attention on exactly the detail, opinion or emotion the author wants to emphasize
by manipulating the point of view of the story. There are three types of point of view:
First-person point of view is in use when a character narrates the story. This type of perspective
is easy to recognize because the character will use I-me-my-mine in his or her speech. The
advantage of this point of view is that you get to hear the thoughts of the narrator and see the
world depicted in the story through his or her eyes. However, remember that no narrator, like no
human being, has complete self-knowledge or, for that matter, complete knowledge of anything.
Therefore, the reader's role is to go beyond what the narrator says.
Second-person point of view, in which the author uses you and your, is rare; authors seldom
speak directly to the reader. Most times, second-person point of view draws the reader into the
story, almost making the reader a participant in the action.
Third-person point of view is that of an outsider looking at the action. The writer may choose
third-person omniscient, in which the thoughts of every character are open to the reader, or thirdperson limited, in which the reader enters only one character’s mind, either throughout the entire
work or in a specific section. Third-person limited differs from first-person because the author's
voice, not the character's voice, is what you hear in the descriptive passages.
Number the Stars is told in third-person limited point of view through the mind of Annemarie.
Journal/Discussion: How do you think the story would differ if it was told from the point of
view of Ellen or Kirsti, etc.?
Chapter 9:
Why Are You Lying?
Summary
Pages 74-81: Still curious about who Aunt Birte is, Annemarie confronts her Uncle Henrik and
asks him why she is being lied to. Uncle Henrik explains to Annemarie that sometimes it is
easier to be brave when you do not know everything. Uncle Henrik admits that there is not Aunt
Birte, and although Uncle Henrik does not explain anything else to Annemarie, this information
makes her feel older. The hearse arrives and soon after many people come to the house. Among
them are Peter and Mrs. and Mr. Rosen.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Who is the God of Thunder in this chapter?
How does Annemarie know that Uncle Henrik and he rmother are lying to her?
What reason does Uncle Henrik give to Annemarie for lying? Does Annemarie agree
with his reasons? Do you agree with his reasons? Why? {Key Question}
What arrives at Uncle Henrik’s house?
Why doesn’t Annemarie tell Ellen the truth about the casket?
Who arrives at the house as darkness begins to set in?
How does Mama understand that Annemarie knows what is going on?
Why have all these people arrived at Uncle Henrik’s house?
What clues make Annemarie believe this is not an ordinary mourning ceremony?
Why does Ellen utter a, “sharp, low cry”? {Close Read}
Have you ever had to lie to protect yourself or someone else? Is it okay to lie to protect
yourself? Have you ever been lied to? How did it make you feel? {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Alertly (p. 74) attentively; watchfully
Poised (p 74) steady in readiness
Deftly (p. 75) skillfully
Pulse (p. 75) rhythmic beat
Frothy (p. 75) foamy
Affectionately (p.75) feeling or showing
love
Dismayed (p. 76) loss of courage
Cocked (p. 76) tilted position
Hearse (p. 77) vehicle used to carry a coffin
Mourning (p. 77) feeling or showing
sadness
Gleaming (p. 78) bright and clean looking
Reluctantly (p. 78) unwillingly
Sulking (p. 78) bad-tempered silence
Trudged (p. 78) slow weary steps
Gnarled (p. 80) knotted and twisted
Urgency (p. 81) pressing importance
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Aunt Birte’s Funeral
Have students illustrated the scene in the living room when all the guests have gathered around
the casket. Encourage students to work closely with the text to find information about the
characters in the room.
Metaphor Practice
Lois Lowry uses a metaphor to describe the cow: “Blossom looked up… and moved her
wrinkled mouth like an old woman adjusting her teeth” (p. 74). Ask students to create metaphors
to describe the behavior of another animal.
Max Connection
Uncle Henrik explains to Annemarie, “It is much easier to be brave if you do not know
everything.” Ask students to reflect on this statement and on what they think Max would say in
response to this statement. Have students write the dialogue that Max and Uncle Henrik would
have about courage if they were to meet.
Chapter 10:
Let Us Open the Casket
Summary
Pages 82-87: After everyone arrives, Uncle Henrik leaves to spend the night on his fishing boat
and the “mourners” sit quietly around the coffin. During the vigil, the Nazis arrive and demand
to see what is inside the casket, but Mrs. Johansen is able to dissuade them from opening the lid.
After the Nazis leave, Peter reads a psalm and then opens the lid of the casket.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Who is in the living room? Why are they sitting around?
Annemarie refers to a recurring nightmare. What is she talking about?
How do the Nazis try to intimidate the Danes? What examples do we have of their cruelty?
{Key Question}
Why does Annemarie find is hard to be brave? {Key Question}
At one point, Peter reaches slowly with one hand toward his side. What do you think he is
doing?
How does Mama react when the Nazis suggest opening the casket? Does her behavior
remind you of any other character?
How does Mama trick the soldiers? Can you think of other times when she has been clever?
When Peter was reading the psalm, how may it have given strength and courage to those who
were listening? {Key Question}
Why do you think the book is called Number the Stars? {Key Question} {Close Read}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Surge (p. 82) increase suddenly
Recurring (p. 83) repeated
Staccato (p. 83) quick and clipped
Custom (p. 84)
Gleamed (p. 84) shine brightly
Condescending (p. 84) snobby
Coffin (p. 85) box for corpse
Psalms (p. 86) biblical book
Gradually (p. 87) happening slowly
Typhus (p. 85) infectious fever
Linger (p. 85) wait around
Staggered (p. 85) to move unsteadily
Diseased (p. 85) specific disorder
Spattered (p. 86) splash with liquid
Mantel (p. 86) fireplace frame
Random (p. 86) without pattern
Cruel (p. 87) merciless
CCSS: RL1, RL5, W4, SL1C
Mini Lesson: Suspense
What you might say: In this chapter there is a great deal of suspense. Authors use mood and
foreshadowing in order to build the suspense or anticipation of something happening. We have
listened to Annemarie’s thoughts about what is going on, there have been many secretive, coded
conversations and now finally the Nazis are in the room with them. Will they make them open
the casket and what would be there if they did? I want to teach you today that suspense along
with conflict and characterization is another way that authors draw their readers in.
Journal/Discussion: What mood did the author set? Did you notice any foreshadowing? Going
back to previous lessons what part of the story do you think is the climax?
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Dear Diary
Have students write a journal entry from Ellen’s point of view. What is she thinking and
feeling? What are her fears?
Uncovering Symbolism
Read the psalm Genesis 15:2. Discuss the symbolism of the psalm and the title of the book with
your class. Some ideas to consider:
 Hitler required Jews to wear the Star of David so they could be easily identifiable;
 At concentration camps Jews were tattooed with identification numbers; and
 The expansiveness of trying to save all the Jews and the expansiveness of the stars in
the sky.
You might present the following quotation to students and ask them to consider the title in light
of it: “I looked up to the sky, I saw the stars, and I counted each star one of my family.”
–Hellmuth Szpycer
{Resources}
Chapter 11:
Will We See You Again Soon, Peter?
Summary
Pages 88-94: Peters distributes the blankets and clothing that were in the casket to the people
who have gathered at the house. A small baby is given a drug to make it sleep. Peter hands a
packet to Mr. Rosen and explains that is it critical that Henrik receive this packet. Peter takes
one group of people to the boat and then Mrs. Johansen takes another group. Although no one
has said as much, Annemarie realizes that Uncle Henrik is helping the Jews escape to Sweden.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Why was the funeral a good cover-up?
Where are the Rosens going?
Given what we know now about Gallileje, why is it so special?
What special preparations are made for the baby? Why?
Annemarie reflects that Peter, “had moved beyond his own youth and taken his place in the
world of adults.” What does this mean? Can you think of any examples? {Close Read}
Has there ever been a time in your life when, like Peter, you had to take on adult
responsibilities? What roles and duties did you take on? How did you feel about this?
{Dialogue Journal}
What is pride? What are potential sources of pride? What does Annemarie learn about
pride?
Annemarie reflects, “So there were other sources, too, of pride, and they had not left
everything behind.” What was still with them? What do you think this means? {Key
Question}
What are you proud of? {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Peering (p.88) to look at
Rummaging (p. 88) to search through
Encased (p. 89) to enclose in
Fluttered (p. 89) to wave or flap in an
irregular manner
Assembled (p. 90) put components together
Protruding (p. 91) jut out
Puzzled (p. 91) confused
Contained (p. 91) have something within
Gestured (p. 91) body movement
Merriment (p. 91) cheerfulness, happiness
Godspeed (p. 93) wishes for safe journey
Commotion (p. 91) noisy confusion
Adjusting (p. 91)change something slightly
CCSS: RL1, RL2, RL4, W4, SL1D
Mini Lesson: Inferring
What you might say: As readers we have used inferences to help us understand a story. Today
I want to point out to you that because the author is telling the story through the limited third
person perspective we can see how the author can help us infer through the clues given to
Annemarie throughout the story. As readers we are working with Annemarie to infer that Uncle
Henrik is assisting the Jews as they escape to Sweden. The author points out the clues to us
through Annemarie and informs us of Annemarie’s suspicions to help guide us to the correct
inference as well. Lowry really wants to make sure we understand what is happening in his
story.
Journal/Discussion: Did you notice that the author was helping you along? Do you think you
will notice this strategy if you see it in another story? Could you use this strategy in your own
writing?
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Escape!
The Rosens and other Jews have to flee their homeland because of persecution. Ask students to
read about the Rosens’ escape and ask them to write about what they might say to comfort them
in their fear and uncertainty.
I am Proud of __________ .
Have students make a drawing, illustration or collage of their sources of pride. Students should
focus on qualities of personality, values and beliefs, rather than on specific accomplishments.
Chapter 12:
Where Was Mama?
Summary
Pages 95-100: Annemarie spends the night alone with her sister as her uncle and mother escort
the Jews to the escape boat. Annemarie dozes off and wakes at daybreak to find her mother is
still not home. Worried, she looks out the window and sees her mother lying on the path that
leads to the coast.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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What happened to Mr. Rosen when he walked out of the house?
Why are Peter, Henrik and Mrs. Johansen taking huge risks? {Key Question}
Why is Annemarie worried when she wakes up? {Close Read}
What does Annemarie see when she looks out the window?
Why will the path be dangerous?
What does Annemarie do while waiting?
What do you think it would feel like to wait?
Where is Papa? Why isn’t he here? Do you think Papa is helping or not? Explain.
Jews escaping Denmark had to put their trust blindly into the hands of people they may not
have known. Have there been times in your life when you had to blindly trust a stranger, or
someone you did not know very well? How did you feel about it? What were the risks
involved? {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Gnarled (p. 97) knotted and twisted
Gleam (p. 98) shine brightly
Pried (p. 99) to open using some form of leverage
Dim (p. 99) not well lit
CCSS: RL1, RL4, W4
Mini Lesson: Figurative Language/Personification
What you might say: We have talked about how an author might use a simile or vivid
descriptions to help us visualize a situation. In this chapter Lowry uses personification to
describe a sunrise. She writes, “Dawn would sweep across the Swedish farmland and coast; then
it would wash little Denmark with light and move across the North Sea to wake Norway.”
Personification is when you give a non-living thing or idea the qualities of a person. In this case
the dawn, which is a time of day, is sweeping, washing, moving and waking, all things that a
living human might do.
Journal/Discussion: How does this example of personification help you to visualize the setting?
Why do you think relating an object or idea to a person would help us understand or visualize it
better?
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Goodbye, My Friend
Neither Annemarie and Ellen, nor their mothers, have much of a change to say goodbye to each
other. Have students role-play the goodbye scene, or write and good-bye letter between
Annemarie and Ellen, or between Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Rosen.
My Sunrise
Lois Lowry uses a metaphor to describe the sunrise: “Dawn would sweep across the Swedish
farmland and coast; then it would wash little Denmark with light and move across the North Sea
to wake Norway.” Ask students to write their own metaphors of their experience of sunrise in
their homes and communities. In a city environment, students might also focus on sounds.
Chapter 13:
Run! As Fast as You Can!
Summary
Pages 101-105: Annemarie runs out of the house to her mother, who has fallen and broken her
ankle. As they come back to the house, Annemarie notices the packet lying on the ground that
Mr. Rosen was supposed to give to Uncle Henrik. Annemarie realizes that the packet is crucial
to the survival of the Rosens and the others on the boat. Understanding the seriousness of the
situation, Annemarie volunteers to take the packet to Uncle Henrik. Mrs. Johansen packs it in a
basket with food and tells Annemarie that if anyone stops her, she should say that her uncle
forgot his lunch and she is bringing it to him.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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What happened to Mrs. Johansen on the way back from the boat?
What time of day is it when Mrs. Johansen returns to the house?
Have you ever had to take care of a parent? What did you have to do? Was this dangerous?
Scary? Risky? {Dialogue Journal}
What will Mrs. Johansen tell the doctor about her broken ankle? Why?
What does Annemarie find in the grass by the steps of the house?
Mrs. Johansen does not answer Annemarie’s question about the content of the envelope, but
Annemarie knows that it is important. {Close Read} How does she know this?
How do you think Mrs. Johansen feels when she sees that the packet was left behind?
What does Annemarie offer to do about the packet? Do you think she is brave?
What plan does Mrs. Johansen come up with to get the packet to Uncle Henrik?
How does Mrs. Johansen tell Annemarie to act if anyone should stop her on the path? Why
do you think she does this?
Do you think Annemarie would have been as brave if she knew what was in the packet?
Why do you think she risks her life to carry out this mission? {Key Question}
In what way was it fortunate that Mrs. Johansen broke her ankle?
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Faltered (p. 101) stumble
Winced (p. 101) to make pained expression
Mends (p. 101) restore something to satisfactory condition
Wry (p. 102) amusing and ironic
Proper (p. 102) correct
Discolored (p. 103) change color
Stricken (p. 104) deeply or badly affected
Tense (p. 104) worried and nervous
Chapter 14:
On the Dark Path
Summary
Pages 106-112: Annemarie tells herself the story of Little Red Riding Hood as she walks along
the cold, dark path. Many thoughts of her friends and family fill her mind as she musters up the
courage to carry out this important task. Suddenly, Annemarie hears a noise on the path. As she
turns a corner, four armed soldier and two large dogs approach her.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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What does Annemarie do to relieve her fears? Do you think it is an effective strategy? Why
or why not?
What do you do to make yourself feel less afraid? Do you ever remember having to talk
yourself through a scary or frightening experience? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
Both Annemarie and Max use their imaginations as a source of courage. In what ways does
Annemarie’s imagination help her to be courageous? In what ways did Max’s imagination
help him to be courageous? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
Think about the story of Little Red Riding Hood and also of Annemarie’s experience on the
path. What do you think the dog/wolf might symbolize? What might the woods symbolize?
What might the basket of food symbolize? What might the path itself symbolize?
What is the most suspenseful moment in this chapter? What techniques did the author use to
create this suspense? {Close Read}
Who does Annemarie meet on the path?
What are the different sources of courage that Annemarie calls up to help her face her fears?
What are some other sources of courage? {Key Question}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Dawn (p. 106) daybreak
Donned (p. 106) put on
Peered (p. 106) look closely
Bulky (p. 106) awkwardly large
Latticed (p. 106) crisscross framework
Populated (p. 108) inhabited
Vivid (p. 108) bright or intense
Churning (p. 110) splash violently
Segment (p. 110) component part
Brusque (p. 110) abrupt
Shimmering (p. 111) flickering light
Herring (p.111) North Atlantic fish
Suspense (p.111) uncertainty; anxiety
Tantalize (p.111) tease
Taut (p. 112) stretched tightly
CCSS: RL1, RL4, SL1D
Mini Lesson: Literary References and Allusions
What you might say: During this section Annemarie compares herself to a character in a
commonly known children’s story, Little Red Riding Hood. Lowry assumes that her readers will
understand this reference. You will find as you continue your lives as readers many authors do
this and often times with literature that you may not have been exposed to previously. In this
case it is helpful to look up the reference. You might read the literature referenced, or you may
ask someone who might have already done so to clarify the connection for you. Regardless I
urge you to take the time to do this as you continue reading.
In this case there are many versions of Little Red Riding Hood and depending on where or when
you grew up you might have heard different versions or none at all. Today as a group of active
and curious readers we are going to read the western version of the story, Little Red Riding Hood
to ensure that we all have the same story in mind. {Resources}
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Comic Strip
Have students draw or illustrate the chapter in comic strip format. Underneath this, they should
draw or illustrate the story of Little Red Riding Hood to parallel Annemarie’s story.
Director’s Cut
Ask students to imagine that they are Annemarie walking down the path. What would they do if
they saw the soldiers and dogs in front of them? Ask students to write the scene immediately
following the end of Chapter 14.
Chapter 15:
My Dog Smells Meat!
Summary
Pages 113-119: The soldiers interrogate Annemarie about where she is going and what is in her
basket. As the soldiers pull each item out of the basket, they make rude comments and throw the
food to their dogs. The dogs are pulling at their chains and the soldiers insist that there is meat in
the basket. Annemarie pretends that she is a silly little girl and manages to get away with the
important packet still intact. She gets to the boat and successfully delivers the basket to her
uncle.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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Why does Annemarie will herself “with all her being” to behave as her sister would? What
does she hope to gain as a result of this? {Close Read}
What does Annemarie tell the soldiers she is doing on the path?
How do the soldiers treat Annemarie? What do they do with Uncle Henrik’s lunch?
How do the dogs react to the envelope at the bottom of the basket?
How do you think you would have reacted if you were in Annemarie’s shoes? {Dialogue
Journal}
Why do you think Uncle Henrik is smiling at the end of the chapter?
Look at the scene you wrote at the end of Chapter 14. How close were you to telling the
story that was told in Chapter 15? What clues from the story directed your decision?
Do you think Annemarie could have been as brave as she was if she had known what was in
the envelope? Explain. {Key Question}
On page 119, Henrik says to Annemarie, “Because of you, Annemarie, everything is all
right.” {Close Read} Do you think is it possible for one person to make a difference?
Explain. {Key Question}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Enrage (p. 114) make somebody very angry
Consumed (p. 115) eat or drink something
Exasperated (p. 115) make angry
Impatiently (p. 115) annoyed and waiting
Disgust (p. 115) impatient irritation
Insolently (p. 116) disrespectful
Implored (p. 116) beg earnestly
Scornfully (p. 116) feeling or expressing
contempt
Contempt (p. 116) attitude of utter disgust
Glared (p. 117) stare stonily
Lunged (p. 118) sudden forward movement
Subsided (p. 118) diminished intensity
Strident din (p. 118) loud
Quavering (p.118) tremble slightly
Evident (p. 119) obvious
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Sources of Courage
Encourage students to think about what Annemarie’s source of courage is. In their journals,
have students list Annemarie’s role models and how she draws courage from each of them in
different chapters.
Courage Connection
Cut out strips of paper about 1 inch by 6 inches in three different colors. One color will be for
Max, another for Annemarie and the last for the student. Have students write an action that the
person or character did on the first piece of paper. Think about what happened as a result of that
action. Write the result on another strip of paper. Connect the two strips so you have two
interlocking strings of paper. Think of something that has occurred because of the second action.
Write that on another strip of paper and connect it to the second action. If two things occurred as
a result of something, you can connect two strips to one strip and start another branch.
Encourage students to continue making the chain.
Chapter 16:
I Will Tell You Just a Little
Summary
Pages 120-127: Annemarie asks her uncle many questions about the events that have occurred
during the last few days. She learns that her Uncle Henrik and Peter are part of the Resistance,
and that her sister, Lise, was killed because of her involvement with the Resistance. Annemarie
also finds out why the handkerchief was so important. Uncle Henrik commends Annemarie for
her bravery and tells her she helped save the life of her friends.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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According to Henrik, what does it mean to be brave?
What secret do we learn about Peter?
What clues in the book point to Peter’s participation in the Resistance?
How are Jews being smuggled out of the country?
What was special about the handkerchief?
What do the fishermen do to present the soldiers from finding Jews on the boats?
What was the purpose of the handkerchief that Annemarie had to deliver to Henrik? Why
was it so important?
Why did the Nazis start using dogs?
How does the handkerchief affect the dogs?
When Annemarie got to the boat, where were the Rosens?
What were the conditions like under the deck of the boat?
Do you think it was safer for Annemarie not to know all this information? Would you have
wanted to know? {Dialogue Journal}
Many people were part of the Resistance. Who were they? (Help your students think
through the answer to this question. Consider Peter, Henrik, Mama and Papa; people who
planned, housed, fed and transported the Jews; scientists, doctors and local fishermen.) What
kind of courage did it take to be part of this effort? Ask students what they think motivated
these individuals to help the Jews? {Key Question}
How were “ordinary people” able to use their daily lives to contribute to the Resistance and
fight for freedom? {Close Read} Do you think this was their responsibility/duty or an
extraordinary and uncommon choice? Were the people truly ordinary? Did they have a
larger vision? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
Annemarie asks herself many “what if” questions. What if she had not found the packet?
What if she had not run through the woods? What if she had not reached the boat in time?
What do you think would have happened?
Could you ever choose to contribute to a larger cause or a better world if it meant making
sacrifices or taking risks? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
How did Max use his ordinary life to contribute to a bigger cause? {Key Question}
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Annemarie doesn’t think she was brave, she was only “thinking of the Rosens.” How is this
similar to Max’s philosophy?
Give an example of one person in the story who made a difference. {Close Read}
Earlier in the book, Annemarie thinks that ordinary people are not called upon to be
courageous. What do you think she thinks now? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Hastily (p. 120) done in hurry
Warily (p. 120) cautious
Rarely (p. 124) almost never
Concealed (p. 124) hide person or thing
Shelter (p. 126) structure that protects or covers
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Reunited
In pairs, have students improvise a scene between Annemarie and Ellen as they meet years after
the war. What do they say to each other? How has each changed?
Defining Bravery
Ask students to write the definition of bravery as it appears in the dictionary, according to Uncle
Henrik in Chapter 16 and their own. Ask students to write about which definition best describes
Max, Annemarie and themselves. Why?
Chapter 17:
All This Long Time
Summary
Pages 128-132: The war is over and Annemarie stands by the window watching the celebrations
in the street. Although this should be a happy event, she reflects on the people in her family who
have lost their lives in the way. Annemarie reaches into her pocket, pulls out the Star of David
that she has kept safe for Ellen, and decides to wear it herself until Ellen comes home.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing
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What happened to Peter? How did he face his death? What kind of man was Peter?
What secret do we learn about Lise? {Close Read}
Annemarie learns the truth about Peter’s work and Lise’s death. If you were Annemarie,
would you be glad to know the truth about Lise?
In this chapter, we learn that the war has ended. How do you feel? Did you expect the
characters to be happier when the war was over?
The entire Johansen family was part of the Resistance. Was this a special family? What did
they all have in common that made them willing to be part of the Resistance?
Do you wish Lise hadn’t been part of the Resistance and was still alive? Explain. {Dialogue
Journal}
Were the sacrifices made worth it? Consider Peter, Lise, the Johansens and the Rosens.
What does Annemarie plan to do with the Star of David necklace that belongs to Ellen?
What does this tell us about Annemarie?
Share real news clippings that announce the end of the war. What mood do the clippings
reflect? What is the mood of the chapter? Why do you think that Lois Lowry focuses on
somber reflections rather than on the post-war celebrations? {Key Question}
On page 133, Lois Lowry talks about, “the integrity of the Danish people.” What do you
think this means? Do you agree with her opinion or not? Why? Use examples from the
book to support your response. {Key Question}
Do you think the Danes would have shown the same kind of courage if the situation had not
been so extreme, for example, if their country had not been occupied by Nazis? {Key
Question}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Recall (p. 129) remember something
Devastating (p. 129) damaging
Executed (p. 129) put to death
Raided (p. 130) sudden attack
Amid (p. 131) within or among
CCSS: RL1, RL5, W4, SL1C
Mini Lesson: Author’s Purpose
What you might say: Why do you think Lois Lowry chose the Holocaust to write about? We
have discussed the fact that authors often write books to teach a lesson or moral or to make the
world more aware of a specific idea, event, or place. What lesson(s) do you think Lowry wanted
to teach through this book?
Journal/Discussion:
You may want to take time to go over the big ideas discussed throughout this book including
symbolism, characterization and climax.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life
Dear Diary
Ask your students to imagine they are Annemarie and to write a journal entry about the war,
about the Resistance and about Lise and Peter. What was most surprising? What was inspiring?
What was sad?
Goodbye
Ask students to write the letter Peter wrote to the Johansens the night before he was executed.
Join the Resistance!
Max made a television commercial to spread the word about bone marrow donations. It would
have been impossible for Peter and Lise to advertise for the Resistance on television. What
techniques do you think they may have used? Create a pamphlet or other advertising product in
which you try to recruit people to join the resistance. Be sure to include the philosophy and
goals of the Resistance.
Afterword
Summary
Pages 133-137: The Afterword provides information about the historical context and events of
the novel as well as insight into Lois Lowry’s inspiration for several of the characters.
Teacher Suggestion
The afterword provides a good opportunity to discuss the historical fiction genre with your
students. Remind your students that though the characters or story in Number the Stars may not
be real, it is based on true facts and events. You may want to discuss with your students what in
the book is fact, and what is fiction.
Extending Comprehension
Lois Lowry introduces two historical figures who were involved in the Jews’ escape from
Denmark. One of these was a German man named D.F. Duckwitz. Students should consider the
kind of bravery and courage Duckwitz exhibited. Why does Lowry consider him to be
courageous and compassionate? Another historical figure was Kim Malthe-Bruun. Students
should think about the ways in which the character Peter is modeled after him.
Post-Reading
Theme: Courage
Key Questions
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What is courage?
How do different people (fictional and real characters from the book, Max, people in your
community) exhibit courage in everyday situations and special circumstances?
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What is the source of courage? Is it different for different people or circumstances?
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What have you learned about courage from reading Number the Stars?
Have students find an article in the newspaper that describes the courageous actions of ordinary
people, political figures, athletes, entertainers, etc. Students should write a brief essay about the
courageous action the person took, and why they believe this action was courageous.
Theme: Standing Up for Your Beliefs
Key Questions
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Why do “ordinary people” stand up for their beliefs? Consider real and fictional characters
from the book, Max’s Story and your own life.
What are the costs and rewards of standing up for your beliefs? Consider the characters from
Number the Stars and the letter from Kim Malthe-Bruun.
What have you learned about standing up for your beliefs from reading Number the Stars?
Theme: One Person Can Make a Difference
Key Questions
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Do you believe one person can truly make a difference? Consider real and fictional
characters from the book, Max’s Story and your own life.
How has Lois Lowry made a difference in your life, or the lives of others, by writing this
book?
Think about people who have made a difference. What qualities do they all share?
How has Max made a difference in this world? Consider his donor drive and this
curriculum?
Have students write a thank you letter to one person who has made a difference in their lives.
Theme: Impact of War
Key Questions
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How does war affect the daily lives and behavior of ordinary people.
Annemarie and Max both fought in a war. One was a personal battle, one was worldwide.
What was similar and different about their struggles?
What is Lois Lowry’s message about hope and compassion during the ugliness of war?
What does her message mean to you?
Appendix: Number the Stars
Number the Stars
Chapter 2 Mini Lesson
Name __________________________________________________________
Directions: Use the characterization chart to track a character’s traits throughout the book. After you
finish reading, use your chart to label the character dynamic or static.
Character:
Trait
What Makes Me Think This
This character is a ________________________________________ character because:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________ .
Number the Stars
Chapter 4 Mini Lesson
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Directions: Use the T-chart to identify the cause and effect of three events in this chapter.
Event:
Cause
Effect
Cause
Effect
Cause
Effect
Event:
Event:
Number the Stars
Chapter 5 Mini Lesson
Name: ______________________________
Directions: In the space provided, note the events and conflicts that make up each part of the
story plot of Number the Stars.
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
Boston Public Schools ELA Key Questions
Topic
 What is this book or chapter about?
Theme
 What lessons is the author trying to teach?
 Do you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view?
Plot
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What are the most memorable or significant events? Why these?
What role did they play in developing the theme?
What’s going to happen next? Did it?
Characterization
 Who are the most important characters? What makes them so important?
 How do they help develop the theme?
 What are their key characteristics?
Conflict
 What challenges are the key characters wrestling with?
 How are they responding to them?
 How should they respond? How would you respond?
Setting
 How do location, time, and culture affect the characters and plot?
 What role do they play in developing the theme?
 Would the story be different in another location, time, or culture?
Language
 How does the author’s use of language enhance the story?
Connections
 What comparisons can you make between the characters and events in the book/chapter, yourself,
and contemporary characters/events you’re familiar with?
Significance
 Why is this book important?
 Is there anything unique about this book? Is there anything difficult or challenging?
 Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
General
 What are the most interesting things you learned?
 What surprised or amazed you?
 How would you change any part of this book/chapter? How would this affect the story?