Preview the entire selection, including activities before and after the story. Read the title, the Prereading information on page 19, and About the Author on page 23. Then look at the picture on page 20. Make a short mind movie about the girl in the picture. Close your eyes and pretend it is her birthday. In your mind, think about who she is, where she might be sitting, and why she might be sad. Share your stories and images with the class.
1. As your teacher reads the first page of “Eleven” aloud, picture what the narrator describes. Picture how things look and how the narrator feels.
2. When your teacher reaches the line “Because she’s older and the teacher, she’s right and I’m not” in the second column on page 21, begin reading on your own, but continue the mind movie you have been making. Stop three times to draw the facial expressions of Rachel, other students in the class, and Mrs. Price.
The narrator of “Eleven” describes what a bad day at school is like. If you are having trouble understanding the story, use sticky notes or bookmarks to mark places in the text that remind you of bad days you have heard about or experienced. Find at least three places in the story that remind you of something like what is happening. You may mark more places if you wish.
Share the pictures of what you “saw” or imagined. What kind of facial expressions do the characters have in your images? How do you feel about Mrs. Price? Do you like her? Does Rachel like her? Go back to the story and find details that help you draw conclusions about Mrs. Price. Do your classmates feel the same way about Mrs. Price? Why, or why not?