Me Oh Maya
Novel Study
Name:
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1
Before Reading:
Predict: Look at the cover and make a prediction of what
you believe this book is about. What do you currently
know about the Mayans?
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After Chapter 1:
Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocabulary words
using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"Then I thought about what Sam had said. I was kind of
insulted."
insulted - ____________________________________________
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Write a synonym of insulted: __________________________
2
Narrative Elements: Fill in the narrative elements.
Setting
Characters
Problem
3
Re-read to Clarify: Where was the trio and what were
they doing before they were confronted by the 'feathered
guy''?
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Question: The boys met the High Priest of Chichén Itzá .
Do you think this is a fictional character? Chichén Itzá is
a real place. What continent and country is Chichén Itzá
located?
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Infer: What game were the four Chichén Itzáns playing
when the boys arrived? How many players were on each
team? If you had to compare it to a modern game, which
modern game would you think it would be most like?
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4
Infer/Opinion: The boys decided not to use magic and tell
the High Priest the truth of how they arrived. How did
the High Priest respond? Do you think this was a good
idea? What do you suppose may have been a better
approach?
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Create Mental Images: The trio says they arrived by a
magic Book. Draw an image of how you visualized this
magic Book.
5
Predict: The High Priest yelled "Seize them!" How do
you suppose the trio is going to get out of this situation?
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After Chapter 2:
Re-read to Clarify: Who gave Joe the book and what is
the book capable of doing?
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Opinion: If you had the ability to use the Book, which
time period would you travel to and why?
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6
Read for Details: According to Sam, how would the
Mayans represent the number 29. Be sure to use the dots
and the lines.
29 =
Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language used in the following Chapter 2 excerpt.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
"The green mist snake suddenly grew and swallowed us."
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Infer: Why do you suppose the trio went to Chichén Itzá
and not some other historical time period?
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7
After Chapter 3:
Read for Details: List three items that make the High
Priest look like he is the boss.
1) _________________________________
2) _________________________________
3) _________________________________
Re-read to Clarify: The High Priest says, "Today is a very
important day in our calendar." What is the importance
of that day? Explain.
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Vocabulary - Synonym and Antonym: Write a synonym
and an antonym of the underlined word.
"The crowd around the ring ball court got restless."
Synonym of restless: _________________________________
Antonym of restless: _________________________________
8
Summarize: Write a summary of Chapter 3. What was
the main point of Chapter 3?
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Reflect: The boys gave themselves basketball names such
as Fred Kashmuny (Cash-money) and Sam Inurface (Inyour-face). What would you use as your basketball name?
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Predict: "Fred bounced a hard two-handed overhead pass
off the ground." What do you think will happen next?
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9
After Chapter 4:
Infer: "And time really can do weird things." What does
this phrase mean? Write about a time where time played
a trick on you.
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Figurative Language: Choose the type of figurative
language used in the Chapter 4 excerpt below.
"Though now his eyes are flashing like lightning."
a) metaphor
b) simile
c) alliteration
Predict: The boys are excited because Fred made the
shot. The High Priest says "very interesting" and "follow
me." Where do you think the High Priest is going to take
the boys? Explain.
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10
After Chapter 5:
Narrative Elements: What is the new setting introduced
in Chapter 5? What did the boys see as they walked
through?
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Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language from the Chapter 5 excerpt.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
"Nothing like climbing a thousand steps to get our
reward."
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11
Re-read to Clarify: According to Sam, what is the
significance of the number 9?
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Re-read to Clarify: The High Priest showed the boys the
book. What did that book say?
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Infer: What was the High Priest's name? How did the
boys respond to hearing his name? How did that make
the High Priest respond?
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12
After Chapter 6:
Infer: What did Kakapupahed mean when he said, "The
sun goes down. Day becomes night. Night is the jaguar.
Tomorrow, if you are still here, we will throw you in the
sacred well."?
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Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language from the Chapter 6 excerpt.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
"Something dropped from a tree behind us with a meaty
thump."
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Re-read to Clarify: What type of animal is crouched
behind the bush near the trio?
a) anaconda
b) cheetah
c) jaguar
13
Predict: The boys are tied to a tree and being watched by
a dangerous animal. Predict how the trio is going to get
out of this situation? Explain.
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After Chapter 7:
Re-read to Clarify: How was the trio saved? Who was
the boy?
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Re-read to Clarify: Where did the boy take the trio?
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14
Re-read to Clarify: How did Kakapupahed become High
Priest?
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Infer: Why did Jun and his mom save the boys? What
was the plan to rid the city of Kakapupahed? What was
the boys reaction to this plan?
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15
After Chapter 8:
Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language from the Chapter 6 excerpt.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
"Her black eyes looked like the middle of the night."
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Paraphrase: Paraphrase the legend Jun's mother told
the boys.
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Infer: How did the boys respond to the plan? Why do you
suppose they were willing to follow the plan?
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16
Predict: How do you think Kakapupahed is going to react
when he sees the boys? Do you think he will accept their
challenge? Explain your prediction.
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After Chapter 9:
Infer: How did Kakapupahed react to seeing the boys?
How did the villagers react?
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17
Infer: The chapter ends with "I wondered if it was too
late to change our wish." Why do you think Joe is
rethinking playing against Kakapupahed? What scenes
were carved into the stone walls that made him rethink
himself?
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After Chapter 10:
Narrative Elements: What is the setting of Chapter 10?
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18
Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language used in the Chapter 10 excerpts.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
"They looked like they were carved out of pure muscle."
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"It felt like a basketball filled with sand."
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Infer: How did the trio feel about the game before it
started?
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Vocabulary - Homophone: "He bounced it, then kneed it
all in one move straight at our hoop."
The word kneed (need) is an example of a homophone.
Homophones are words which have the same
pronunciation, but different spellings and meanings.
Another example of a homophone is blue/blew.
Write one more example of a homophone.
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19
Vocabulary - Prefix: "A long shot rebound finally
bounced my way."
Underline the base word and circle the prefix in:
rebound
What does the circled prefix mean? ____________________
Write two additional words that properly use the circled
prefix:
1) ___________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________
Summarize: Summarize how the game played out.
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20
Infer: Why do you believe the crowd was cheering for trio
and not Kakapupahed's team? Explain.
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Create Mental Images: Draw an picture of how you
visualize Sam after he got crunched by the warriors.
Predict: Do you predict Sam is going to recover from his
injury?
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21
After Chapter 11:
Re-read to Clarify: How did the crowd treat the trio,
especially Sam, after they won the game?
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Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the Chapter 11
vocabulary word using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"You have rid our city of a certain person whose name
shall now mean disgrace."
disgrace - ____________________________________________
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Write a synonym of disgrace: __________________________
Write an antonym of disgrace: _________________________
Prefix: Underline the base word and circle the prefix in:
disgrace
What does the circled prefix mean? ____________________
Write one additional word which properly uses the circled
prefix:
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22
Infer: How did Sam give his own blood and spare the
losing team? How do you think this made Sam feel?
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Infer: The boys have the Book back. What is the problem
they have now?
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Predict: How do you suppose the boys are going to get
back home?
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23
After Chapter 12:
Vocabulary - Synonym and Antonym: Write a synonym
and an antonym of the underlined word.
"Everybody made a huge fuss over us, Sam was the
biggest hero."
Synonym of fuss: _____________________________________
Antonym of fuss: _____________________________________
Opinion: Sam says, "But you really might want to look
into this thing called 'the wheel.' Very handy invention."
If you were to tell an ancient civilization about a very
handy invention, what would the invention be? Why?
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Read for Details: Jun handed Sam the book. What was
written in the book that Jun handed Sam?
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24
Infer: "Jun and his friends looked shocked. Jun's mom
calmly raised one hand and waved a small good-bye."
Why do you suppose Jun's mom wasn't shocked like her
son? What do you think she knows that her son doesn't?
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Infer: "The sun, the moon, the planet Venus swirled
around us. We wheeled and wormed through calendar
time." Why do you think the planet Venus swirled
around the trio when they were being warped back home?
Explain.
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Predict: The boys are being warped back home. Where
will the boys be when they arrive home and what will
they be doing?
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25
After Chapter 13:
Re-read to Clarify: Where did the trio find themselves
when they warped back to the present time? What were
they doing?
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Math Challenge: Sam says, "Okay, the bet is: for one
complete revolution of the Maya calendar, you will be my
slave." If one revolution of the Maya calendar is fifty-two
years, how many days is one complete revolution of the
Maya calendar?
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Predict: Do you think Sam made the shot at the end of
the book? Why or why not? Explain.
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26
Opinion: Sam told Joe he has to do something about that
Book. Do you suppose Joe will do something about the
Book? If you were in Joe's position, would you get rid of
the Book? If so, what would be the most responsible way
to dispose of the book? Explain.
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After finishing the book:
Rating: How many stars would you rate this book?
 1 being terrible and 5 being awesome.
 Be sure to color or shade your rating!
27
Reflect: What was your favorite part of the book? Why?
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Connect: Do you believe in magic? Why or why not?
Explain your thinking.
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28
Character Trait: Choose one character of the Time Warp
Trio (Joe, Sam, Fred). Identify and describe one
character trait that describes your choice.


Use two pieces of evidence from the text to support
your answer.
Circle your character trait and underline your
evidence from the story.
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29
Me Oh Maya
Character List
 Write a description of each character listed below.
Joe - ________________________________________________
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Fred - ______________________________________________
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Sam - _______________________________________________
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Kakapupahed -_____________________________________
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Jun - _______________________________________________
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30
Me oh Maya
Word Jumble
Hidden Message:
31
Me oh Maya
Word Search
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CHICHEN ITZA
FRED
HARVEST
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JOE
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KAKAPUPAHED
MAYAN
MEXICO
PRIEST
PYRAMID
RING BALL
SACRIFICE
SAM
TIME WARP
UNDERWORLD
32