Wednesday Wars – Teacher’s Edition Chapter Questions
Library Research Topics/Pop Culture
1967 Red Sox
Carl Yazstremski p. 25
Walter Kronkite p. 7
Monkees p. 8
Treasure Island p. 9
Lyndon Johnson p. 31
Shakespeare
Bob Hope p. 68
Mickey Mantle p. 79
Vietnam War
Bing Crosby Christmas Special (85)
John Wayne (89)
Pete Seeger (108)
Mets players Ed Kranepool and Tom Seaver (115)
Beatles (116)
Bobby Kennedy (165)
Jesse Owens (168)
Richard Nixon (186)
Martin Luther King (190)
Eleanor Rigby (240)
Chapter 1 September
What is the setting of the story (1)? 1967, Camarillo Jr. High, Long Island NY,
Nassau County
Who is the narrator? Provide three details about him (first few pages). Holling
Hoodhood (HHH), 7th grader, etc…
Describe Doug Swieteck (1). Provide three details. trouble maker, made list of 410
ways to get a teacher to hate you
What is the 410 list? See above
What happened to Mrs. Sidman (1)? Doug Swieteck pulled prank – her face turned a
mango color – she was assigned to work in office – then retired
What religion are the kids (3)? ½ Jewish, ½ Catholic; HHH is Presbyterian
Describe Holling’s house. Give at least three details (5). Perfect, quotes on page 5
Why does Dad want HHH to be nice to Mrs. Baker (7-8)? Her family’s sporting
goods company (Baker Sporting Emporium) is about to build more stores and Mr. H is
an architect
Describe Meryl Lee (11). Provide three details. In love with HHH, kind of a pain,
flirty, argumentative
What happens during the soccer game (15)? HHH trips Doug Swieteck’s brother
and becomes a hero
Why does HHH think Mrs. Baker hates him (17-18)? Her general demeanor; she
gives him an impossible sentence to diagram
What is HHH’s worst subject? Math
Chapter 2 October
What does HHH do on Wednesday afternoons? Why (23)? Cleans and does
chores for Mrs. Baker – other kids are away at religious services
Which team will never win the World Series (25)? Red Sox
How does Doug Swieteck’s brother act (26)? Provide three details. Acts crazy,
read quote top p. 26
Describe Mr. Petrelli (26). Give at least three details. Geography teacher, strict,
gives lots of handouts, boring
Who is Mrs. Bigio (29)? Lunch lady
What job does Mrs. Baker give Holling (28)? Bring cream puffs from kitchen to
classroom
Who is Mr. Samowitz (30)? Math teacher
What story spreads quickly around town (34)? Chalk on cream puffs; wives of
Vietnam soldiers nearly choked on them
HHH’s sister is a “flower child (36).” What does that mean? Hippie; support
universal brotherhood, peace and love; opposed Vietnam War
What happened at the Pentagon in Washington, DC (36-37)? 50,000 flower children
gathered, protested war
What is the new Wednesday plan (39)? Read Shakespeare together
Describe Sycorax and Caliban (40). Classroom rats, disgusting – read description to
class (top 41)
What goes wrong in the classroom (43)? Rats escape and can’t be caught
What is the principal’s name (45)? What secret does he want to keep? Mr.
Guareschi/escaped rats
How does Mrs. Baker show kindness toward HHH (44)? Takes blame for rats
escaping
What book do Mrs. Baker and HHH read (46)? Merchant of Venice
According to Mrs. Baker, why is the Merchant of Venice a tragedy (48)? Because
Shylock wants to be a certain way and the people around him won’t let him be unique
(read quote to class)
Chapter 3 November
According to HHH, what kind of month is November (50)? You are grateful for any
signs of summer/fall because winter is close
Does HHH like reading Shakespeare’s The Tempest (50)? Yes, he loves it
What is Mr. Vendleri doing (53)? Getting rid of rats with traps and cheese
From pages 53-56, how do you know HHH really likes Shakespeare? He recites
lines constantly
Who is Miss Violet? Chorus teacher
Describe gym class (58-59). Running laps, HHH is in pain because Meryl stomped on
his foot during chorus
What is HHH doing with Mrs. Baker (60)? 150 question Tempest test
What good news does Dad get (62)? Baker Sports is hiring him
Who is Mr. Goldman (63)? Owner of Goldman’s Best Bakery; HHH goes there to buy
cream puffs; doesn’t have enough $$
How does HHH impress Mr. Goldman (64-65)? By knowing Shakespeare lines
What goes wrong with the cream puffs (67)? Rats eat them
Who does HHH play in the Tempest play (68)? Ariel the fairy
What nice thing does Mrs. Baker do (70)? Buys cream puffs for everyone in class
Why is Mrs. Bigio upset (72)? Husband dies in Vietnam War
Chapter 4 December
Describe the school decorations (74). Christmas and Hanukkah decorations
How does Mrs. Baker feel about the holidays (75)? Seems grumpy; takes down
decorations
Why is HHH upset (76-77)? Has to wear yellow tights in play
Who is Mickey Mantle? (79)
Where does Mrs. Baker invite everyone? (80-81) Mantle signing, plus gives XC if
kids attend play
Are HHH’s parents at his play? Why or why not? (85) They are not, they are
watching Bing Crosby Christmas Special
What is the audience’s response to play? Does HHH act well? (86) Standing O
and he does great
How does HHH get to Mantle signing? (89) Dad doesn’t show, bus driver shows
mercy and also gives him baseball (he forgot his at the play)
What goes wrong with Mickey Mantle (92)? MM says he won’t sign for a kid in yellow
tights; MM acts like a jerk
Who supports HHH (92)? Danny Hupfer does; gives signed ball back to MM
What’s up with Mrs. Bigio (95)? Grouchy, upset about husband, upsets Mai Thi (a
student from Vietnam) – read quotes aloud to class
How does Mrs. Baker surprise HHH, Danny and Doug? (97-98) Gives them balls,
gloves, they meet two Yankee players (Joe Pepitone and Horace Clark), receive
opening day tix and Pepitone’s jacket
What happens to #166? (99) Doug backs off
What does President Lyndon Johnson do (100)? Christmas day cease fire in
Vietnam
Chapter 5 January
What photo appears in the newspaper? What is the newspaper headline (101103)? HHH in his yellow tights; read headline aloud to class
What prank does Doug Swieteck’s brother play? (104) Puts newspaper pictures of
HHH all over school
Why is HHH’s sister upset? (107) school dress code
Mrs. Baker explains why Shakespeare is a writer (109). What does she say?
Read quote aloud to class
Describe the setting (110-112). Ice storm, slippery, mad bus drivers, no electricity,
gray, cloudy
What happens as Doug Swieteck’s brother is being pulled by the bus (117-118)?
HHH hits him with a snowball.
What school event is going on during this chapter (119)? New York State
Standardized Achievement Test
What happens in the bathroom (121)? Doug’s brother threatens to kill HHH for
snowball incident
How does HHH save his sister (124)? Tackles her before school bus hits her; bus
hits him in rear as he saves her
What is newspaper headline about HHH (128)? How is he treated at school?
Read aloud; hero
Chapter 6 February
What happens to the ceiling of the “Perfect Home”? (131) Collapses
What is the matter with the ceiling at Camillo Jr. High? (133) tiles collapsing, rats
still up there
What book is HHH reading? Who is the author? (134) Romeo and
Juliet/Shakespeare
What is the external conflict between HHH’s dad and Meryl’s dad? (137-8) They
are competing architects, both bidding for the CJHS contract
What nice thing did Mrs. Bigio do for everyone on Valentine’s Day (141)? What
does she do just for HHH? Baked cupcakes/Romeo and Juliet play tickets
Describe HHH’s Valentine’s Day date (143). It’s with Meryl Lee, he gives her rose,
they go to R&J, they got Cokes at Woolworth’s
What does Mr. Kowalski (Meryl’s dad) steal (146-7)? HHH had told Meryl about
HHH’s dad’s plan for CJHS…he steals the ideas.
How does HHH try to make peace with Meryl Lee (154)? Bring her Coke
Who gets the CJHS architect job (154)? HHH’s dad…Meryl’s dad withdraws his plan.
Who is missing in Vietnam as the chapter ends? (155) “LT T Baker”
Chapter 7 March
How is the Vietnam War going (156)? Poorly for the US…read aloud
What play is HHH reading? (161) Julius Caesar
Who is Mr. Quatrini (163)? What is his role at the school? Cross country coach
Who does HHH’s sister work for? (165) Bobby Kennedy, presidential candidate…she
says he will end war and discrimination
How does Dad feel about Kennedy? (166) How does HHH feel about Kennedy? Dad
hates him, calls him a Communist, HHH likes him
Who helps HHH with his running technique? (167) Mrs. Baker
What do we learn about Mrs. Baker as an athlete (170)? She ran the 4x100 relay at
the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
Who is Mr. Bradbrook (172)? Chairman of school board
How does HHH impress the school board (174)? By reciting Shakespeare lines
What tragedy occurs on page 175? Rats fall from ceiling while school board is there
Who saves the day (176)? Mrs. Sidman grabs the rats and takes them away
Who sets the 3-mile run record for Long Island schools (180)? HHH does…that
includes high school kids
Why is Mai Thi bullied (181)? Who defends her? She is Vietnamese/Danny punches
a bully
What does Mrs. Bigio do for everyone? (183) Makes Vietnamese dessert with
bananas
Chapter 8 April
What announcement is made over PA (184)? Cross country team members,
including HHH
Who is the new principal? How is she dynamic? (186) Mrs. Sidman, she has gone
from meek to strong
What is going on in the presidential race (186)? Johnson says he won’t run…Nixon
and Kennedy are candidates
What happens to Meryl’s dad’s business (Kowalski and Associates)? (187) goes
out of business, Meryl might be moving to Kingston
Who dies on page 190? Where? How? April 4, 1968, Memphis, shot. Riots occur all
over US on p. 190
What goes wrong with the Yankee game trip on p. 192? Dad doesn’t show up to
drive – he has a meeting
Who takes him to the game? (194) Mrs. Baker
What annoys HHH on the trip? (194) Mrs. Baker’s slow driving
Describe the game (195-196). Horace Clarke and Joe Pepitone call boys down to
field…they get three balls during game…the players take them on ballpark tour…they
get to run the bases…
Describe Mr. Quatrini as a coach (200). Very hard on kids, unreasonable
expectations, grumpy
What does HHH’s sister want to do that her dad disagrees with (201)? Go to
Columbia University. He says it’s too dangerous.
What’s the setting for the cross country meet (202-203)? Salisbury Park, Saturday
morning
What happens to Danny during the JV race (204)? He has the lead for much of the
race…in the woods, it is implied that some eighth grade boys beat him up…he finishes
close to last
How does varsity race end (207)? HHH wins…passes 8th graders at end…Mrs. Baker
tell him to pass them, which is key moment of race…Meryl kisses him
Chapter 9 May
What do the kids have to do as the chapter begins (208)? Atomic Bomb drills…for
their safety
What new job does Hoodhood and Associates have? (211) renovate Yankee
Stadium
Describe the contrasting vehicles on p. 212-213. Dad has new Ford Mustang. Chit
has old yellow VW Bug
What note does HHH’s sister leave for the family? Read aloud to class on p. 213
Why is Danny Hupfer nervous (217) Bar Mitzvah approaching, will have to recite
Hebrew in front of family and friends
Where does Mrs. Baker take HHH? (221-222) Field trip to historic sites on Long
Island.
Who got the Yankees to give renovation work to Meryl’s dad so she didn’t have to
move (224)? Mrs. Baker
What does Mrs. Baker reveal about the atomic bomb drills (225)? They are
pointless, everyone will die if a bomb hits
On page 225, Mrs. Baker says something that could be a theme for the book.
What does she say? (read aloud to class)
What does HHH come to realize on page 226? He misses and loves his sister -- read
aloud
How does HHH help his sister (229)? Cashes in his savings bond and sends money
to Minneapolis
How does HHH meet up with his sister? Gets Meryl Lee’s dad to drop him off (her
dad was on way to Yankees game) at Port Authority bus terminal
What good news does Mrs. Baker receive (236)? Lieutenant Baker safe in Vietnam
and will be home soon.
Chapter 10 June
What does the class do to celebrate the end of the year? How does Mrs. Baker feel
about it? (237) Camping in the Catskill Mountains, she hates it
What details do we learn about Lieutenant Baker’s experience in Vietnam (238)?
Read aloud to class
What is happening to HHH’s parents (240)? Growing apart
What happens to Bobby Kenney (240)? Assassinated
What Beatles song does Heather listen to (240)? Eleanor Rigby -- play for class
Describe the setup of the campsite (244-245)
What does Mrs. Sidman tell the kids to watch out for – scaring them (250)?
Snakes
What happens during the night (251)? Rain storm
What difficulty to the kids face (254)? Mosquito swarm
How does Mrs. Bigio show kindness toward Mai Thi (256)? Offers to let her live in
her house instead of return to Vietnam; Mai Thi is thrilled
What does Danny “become” on page 260? Why/how? A man/Bar Mitzvah
What argument do HHH and Dad have on page 260-261? Dad thinks a “man” gets a
good job (architect) and provides for his family; HHH says becoming a man is “about
choosing for yourself”