Warm Up Activities:
What is meant by “Things are not always what they seem”?
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-cooney-caroline.asp
This website has a bio on Caroline Coonie for you to share the main ideas
with your students.
Give One/Get One:
Step 1: Have each student write 3 answers to the
question, “How do your parents treat you like a child?”
Students have 2 minutes to complete this task.
Step 2: For the next two minutes, students are to go
around the room giving and getting responses to the
question, so that at the end of two minutes, each
student will have a total of 6 responses to the initial
question. Students are to return to their seats.
Step 3: Ask students to share dynamite responses. It
doesn’t matter if the response was one of their original
ones or one they got from a classmate. Write 6 of these
fabulous responses on the overhead as the students are
sharing them with you.
FYI: Similes and metaphors are
written throughout this novel. You
may want to bring them to the
attention of the students
periodically and then have the
students bring them to your
attention.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 1
You may want to post a giant
replica of the two column notes
chart on page 18 of this lesson
plan. Students will be able to
preview some of the problems
that will occur in their reading.
As students read the solutions,
a volunteer could fill in the
class chart.
Parent letter: Distribute some form of letter to inform parents of title
of the novel, the themes, and activities you plan to share with students.
To the parent(s) of ____________________,
Your student will be reading The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney (beginning
May 3, 1999), which is a contemporary, heart-wrenchingly believable novel that will intrigue
even the most disinterested reader. This is a story of a 15-year-old teenager who sees her
baby picture on a milk carton one day at school. The roller-coaster ride Janie experiences
with her emotions is both absorbing and convincing. This novel is one of the
most exciting tools available to reinforce reading skills and to provide
enjoyment and enrichment. This novel study will guide the students
through a positive, hands-on learning experience. Therefore, I encourage
your student to buy a copy of this novel. Face on the Milk Carton will be
available for your student to purchase at Chapter 11 at a discounted price
or at any other bookstore that is convenient to you. This is entirely optional; however, by
owning their book, students will be able to read, reread, and share parts or the entire book
again and again. What better way is there for you student to read a book for pleasure at
school and at home, and to build up a personal library? Thank you for your support in the job
of strengthening your student's reading skills.
Here are some of the ways we will be discussing the book. The
amazing part of this book is…
 A quote from the book that has the most impact on your life
is… and explain why.
 If the author of this book were here today, what question would
you have for them?
 “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is one of life’s little
lessons. Name one of life’s little lessons you learned from this book.
 The character in this book that you can personally identify with is… and explain
why.
 A testimonial for this book would be…
 An incident from the book to share would be…
 Relate any of the themes about life presented in this novel to your daily life.
(Parent Signature)
Sincerely,
Ilene Abrams
(One proud reading teacher)
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 2
Warm up Question for chapter 1: What is your reaction when you see a
picture of a missing child?
Read chapter 1 to find out why Janie thought she was kidnapped.
Warm up question for chapter 2: Have you ever had something on your mind
that kept you from thinking of nothing but that? Describe.
Read chapter 2 and be able to describe Janie’s daymare. The daymare
is described in a flashback. You may need to review the use of the flashback
technique with the students.
The Points to Ponder should be posted on a chart or overhead and
used as a prereading activity. Volunteer students could write answers
to the questions or students discuss answers orally after the reading
of the material. The purpose of these questions is to act as a
prereading activity, as well as, a road map to keep the facts straight.
It is not the intention of this novel study to require students to
answer questions individually daily.
Points to Ponder While Reading Chapters 1 and 2
What important event might have happened prior to the beginning of
the story?
What made Janie realize it was really her picture on the milk carton?
Why didn’t Janie’s friends believe her when she said it was her picture?
Janie’s friend Reeve seemed to be a misfit in his family. What made him feel
that way?
Prediction:
What will Janie do about the milk carton when she gets home?
What will she ask her parents?
How will she act?
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 3
Chapter 3: This might be a good chapter to use with radio reading.
Think/Pair/Share Activity
What are some of your hobbies?
Read chapter 3 and list Janie’s hobbies.
Chapter 4: This might be a good chapter to use with radio reading.
Warm up question for chapter 4: How would it feel not to trust your
parents?
Read chapter 4 to find out:
What was the prank at school?
Why is Mom putting Janie off about the birth certificate?
Describe how Janie felt toward her parents.
Points to Ponder While Reading Chapters 3 and 4
The word “daymare” is used in these chapters to explain what Janie was
experiencing. What is a daymare? How does it differ from a nightmare?
Janie’s parents had many pictures of her, but no baby pictures. Why?
Why didn’t Janie accept this now?
Why do you think she never questioned this before?
Why did Janie run next door?
What did she learn from the past from Mrs. Shields?
Janie told her mother that she would need to get her birth certificate in
order to apply for her driver’s license. How did her mother react?
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 4
Could this be Janie’s imagination?
Why didn’t Janie share her fears with anyone?
Prediction: Janie has some serious emotions. How will she react to
Reeve’s playfulness and his friendship?
Warm up question for chapter 5: Using no names, describe the school
“queen of gossip,”
This might be a good chapter to use with Reader’s Theater.
Read to find out why would Janie be afraid to call the 800 number?
Warm up question for chapter 6: Describe how you would feel if you were
held back a grade?
This might be a good chapter to read silently after students have
decorated cakes.
Points to Ponder While Reading Chapters 5 and 6
Why do you think Reeve did not come back to Janie after the phone call?
Was he running away from Janie to forget the kiss?
What other reasons might there be?
Why did Janie have trouble calling the 800 number?
What could happen if Janie talked to the 800 number?
How do you think Janie was able to concentrate on driving or anything else
when she was worried about the kidnapping?
Was she able to act “normal” at the tailgate picnic?
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 5
What is an “identity crisis”?
What was the teacher referring to in his comment on the paper? How did
identity crisis happen to Janie?
Prediction
Jason did not remember Janie’s picture episode on the milk
carton, but what “terrible history” could Jane Johnson have?
Warm up question for chapter 7: Do you have an attic, basement, or
storage area where things from the past are stored? Have you ever
gone through these things? What have you found?
Points to Ponder for Chapters 7 and 8
Why did Janie want to go to the safe deposit box?
What did we learn about Janie’s mother in this chapter?
What was mysterious about the old trunk?
Why did Janie force the lock?
What boring contents did she discover?
What made the search worthwhile?
What did Janie suddenly remember about shopping?
How did Janie feel about her parents?
Why did she have a hard time believing that they could have kidnapped her?
A new boy, Dave, seemed interested in Janie, but she was not flattered by
this. Why wasn’t she thrilled with this attention?
What questions did she demand answers for?
Prediction:
Who do you think Hannah is?
Complete the family crest activity for the Johnson family.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 6
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 7
Warm up question for Chapter 8: Have overcoming struggles in Janie’s
family made their relationship closer or more distant? Explain.
Read to find out the questions Janie wants answered.
This might be a good chapter to use with the insert reading method.
Step 1: Students cut out the 8 cards duplicated on the handout.
Step 2: On each card, students write their initials or name.
Step 3: Students write2 page numbers on each card. For example, pg. 9 and
10.
Step 4: Students read 2 pages and circle a response on the insert card. On
the back of the card, the student is to give evidence from the reading of
the 2 pages to support their opinion in their response. For example, WOW –
When Janie and Reeve skipped school and went to the motel.
Step 5: Students may get into groups of four and share their response cards
at the end of the chapter.
Warm up question for chapter 9: What is a cult?
Read chapter 9 to find out “the truth.”
Describe Hannah.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 8
Insert Method Student Cards
~
X
+
!
?
*
Agree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
~
X
+
!
?
*
Agree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
~
X
+
!
?
*
Agree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
~
X
+
!
?
*
Agree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
X
X
+
!
?
*
Disagree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
~
X
+
!
?
*
Agree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
+
X
+
!
?
*
New Information
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
~
X
+
!
?
*
Agree
Disagree
New Information
Wow
Don’t Understand
Important
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 9
Points to Ponder for Chapters 9 and 10:
Who was Hannah?
Who were Mr. and Mrs. Johnson?
What was Janie’s reaction to this?
Why do you think Hannah wanted to be involved in a cult?
How did the Johnsons try to be good parents to Hannah?
When did the Johnsons first see Janie?
Why did Hannah and the Johnsons fear the cult?
How did Janie’s parents react?
Why do you think Hannah eventually left?
What kind of hold did the cult have on her?
Why did Hannah leave Janie with her parents?
Why did the parents never write to Hannah or try to keep in contact with
her?
Why did they change their names?
What did Janie remember about a man with a red moustache?
Who could that have been?
When did Janie realize that her parents’ story did not explain the picture on
the milk carton or the dress that was in the trunk?
Why are problems always worse during the night?
What descriptive words did the author use to describe
Janie’s brain and her thinking?
What new information did Janie get in her daymares?
Do these images go with your ideas of a cult?
Prediction:
Why does Janie cut class and want Reeve to drive to New Jersey? What will
she learn there?
Warm up questions for chapter 10: Have you ever felt your parents were
not truthful with you? What were some of your childhood fears? Have
you ever given in to peer pressure? Explain.
This might be a good chapter to use with radio reading.
Read to find out who caved in to peer pressure and made a wrong choice.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 10
Warm up question for Chapter 11: What would it be like to have an
older super-achieving sibling?
Read to find out why Janie chose Reeve to disclose her story.
This might be a good chapter to use with Reader’s Theater.
Points to Ponder for Chapters 11 and 12
Although Janie filled Reeve in on the details about what she had
discovered, why wasn’t he comfortable about finding the Spring family
from the milk carton?
Why was Reeve worried about his parents?
Why did Reeve tell Janie about his problems growing up with his
super-achiever brothers and sisters?
What made Janie feel Reeve loved her?
What did Reeve think the Springs would do if Janie rang the doorbell?
How could this affect Janie’s parents?
What did Janie and Reeve learn when they drove by the Springs’ house?
How did this tie into Janie’s daymares?
Although Reeve and Janie registered at the motel, they did not stay. Explain
what made them change their minds.
Prediction:
What will the parents do with Reeve and Janie?
Warm up question for chapter 12: When did you start to do something
wrong, realize it, and then change your mind?
This might be a good chapter to use the insert method.
Warm up question for chapter 13: What happens when your parents get
mad at you?
This might be a good chapter to read aloud.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 11
Read this chapter to find out when and why Janie has worn a mask.
Points to Ponder for Chapters 13 and 14
Why did Janie bask in her parents’ anger?
How did Reeve’s parents anger differ from Janie’s, or did it?
How was some of the anger resolved?
What did Janie’s parents think could have happened to Hannah?
Why didn’t Janie talk about what they saw in New Jersey?
How could that have changed the direction of the story?
Why did Janie look up Jennie Springs in the New York Times even
though she was determined never to let her parents know what was
bothering her?
What did Janie learn from the New York Times?
Why didn’t Janie look at the picture of the family, which was in the paper?
How did Janie see pizza as a “buy off”?
Why did the Johnsons want Reeve to go home and let them go out for pizza?
What new fact came to Janie in her “daymare”?
What did Janie try to write in her notebook?
How would the Springs feel if Janie really mailed them such a letter?
How did Janie blame herself?
Can she be sure that the Springs did not abuse her or were mean to her?
Why did Janie in a way want to go to the Adolescent Trauma Center?
Read aloud the poem “Mask.” Compare and contrast The Face on the Milk
Carton (so far in chapters 1-14) with the poem “Masks.”
Prediction:
Will Janie ever put out of her mind the milk carton and the little dress in
the trunk?
How will Janie resolve her problems if she won’t go to counseling, tell her
parents about the milk carton, go to the police or the Springs?
Warm up question for chapter 14: What does the phrase “buy you off”
mean?
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 12
“Masks”
author unknown (adapted from “Please Hear What I’m Not Saying”)
Don’t be fooled by the face I wear, for I wear a thousand masks,
And none of them are me.
Don’t be fooled, for G-d’s sake don’t be fooled.
I give you the impression that I’m secure, that confidence is my anme and
game,
And that I need no one. But don’t believe me.
Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in aloneness, in fear.
That’s why I create a mask to hide behind, to shield me from the glance that
But such a glance is precisely my salvation.
That is, if it’s followed by acceptance, if it’s followed by love.
It’s the only thing that can liberate me from my own self-built prison walls.
I’m afraid that deep down I’m nothing and that I’m just no good,
And that you will reject me.
And so begins the parade of, masks. I idly chatter to you.
I tell you everything that’s really nothing and
Nothing of what’s everything, of what’s crying within me.
Please listen carefully and try to hear what I’m not saying.
I’d really like to be genuine and spontaneous, and me.
But you’ve got to help me. You’ve got to hold put your hand.
Each time you’re kind and gentle, and encouraging,
Each time you try to understand because you really care,
My heart begins to grow wings, feeble wings, but wings.
With your sensitivity and sympathy, and your power of understanding,
You alone can release me from my shallow world of uncertainty.
It will not be easy for you. The nearer you approach me,
The blinder I may strike back.
But I’m told that Love is stronger than strong walls,
And in this lies my only hope.
Please try to beat down these walls with firm hands,
But gentle hands, for a child is very sensitive.
Who am I, you may wonder.
I am every man you meet, and also every woman you meet,
And I am you, also.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 13
coolness is my
knows,
Compare and Contrast
The Face on the Milk Carton
“Masks”
How Alike
How Different
With Regard To
Emotion
Appearance
Impact on Family
Impact on Friends
Draw a conclusion about the power “wearing masks” has on the main characters in the novel and the poem based on the
information on this chart.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 14
This might be a good chapter to use with radio reading.
Warm up question for chapter 15: Have you ever told something to
someone when you had promised them that you wouldn’t? What is
meant by “Pandora’s box”?
This may be a good time for the students to complete the Parent Report
Card activity.
Step 1: Students must give a numerical or letter grade for each domain.
Step 2: Students must write 2 comments explaining the grade assigned using
specific details from the book.
Points to Ponder for Chapters 15 and 16
Why did Janie think writing in her notebook was good?
Why did Reeve tell his sister about the kidnapping?
Was this a good idea? Why or why not?
What ideas did Lizzie have?
How did Lizzie determine who was the individual who had really done
the kidnapping?
How did this help Janie?
What problems did Lizzie foresee?
Did Janie’s friends know something was bothering her?
Did her mother know why she was upset when her notebook fell open?
How could Janie have handled these situations without telling the truth?
What would have happened if she had told the truth right then?
Why couldn’t Janie destroy the milk carton?
What did Reeve mean when he called the milk carton “Pandora’s box”?
What were Janie’s theories on why Frank and Miranda had not read about
the kidnapping and seen her picture?
Why were Janie’s friendships with Sarah-Charlotte and Reeve in trouble?
Do you agree with Janie’s decision? Why?
Prediction:
What are Janie’s options?
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 15
Report for Frank and Miranda Johnson
Teacher:
Class
Grade
Honesty
Discipline
Memorabilia
Housing
Relationship
with Janie
Positive
Role Model
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 16
Comments
Warm up question for Chapter 16: Explain how it feels when someone
feels the need to end a strong friendship.
This might be a good chapter to use with radio reading.
Read to find out if Janie breaks up with Reeve.
Predict: Does Janie call the 800 number?
Warm up question for Chapter 17: How does it feel when you know you
need to get out of a difficult and touchy situation?
This would be a good chapter for the teacher to summarize or to read aloud.
Points to Ponder for Chapters 17 and 18
What did Janie think really mattered to Reeve?
Why had Reeve broken up with Janie?
What did Janie plan to do with her letter to the Springs?
What really upset Janie about the Pity Party?
What triggered Janie to talk to Lizzie?
Why did Reeve think Janie had lost the letter?
How do you think Janie told her parents the truth?
Why do you think the author did not include this important scene in the
book?
Why didn’t Janie want to meet the Springs?
Was Janie realistic?
What did Lizzie mean when she said, “It’ll never be over”?
Prediction:
What will take place in the phone call to the Spring family?
Warm up question for Chapter 18: Explain the phrase,
“Things are not always what they seem.”
This might be a good chapter for students to read silently.
Is Janie Hannah’s baby? Find the statement in the text.
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 17
Problems occur throughout the action in this novel. Fill in the solutions to
each of the following problems. Write some other problems and their
solutions found in your reading of the novel.
Problems
Solutions
Janie finds a picture of herself on a
milk carton.
Janie has an “identity crisis.”
Janie experiences daymares.
Janie and Reeve skip school.
Janie is angry with her parents.
Janie reads an article in The New
York Times about a kidnapping.
The friendships with SarahCharlotte and Reeve were in trouble.
Draw a conclusion: How did Janie cope with the problems that arose in her
life?
Face on the Milk Carton Novel Study 18