A Novel By Robin Klein
1. Why do you think the ordinary teachers often had ‘nervous problems’? 2. ‘a socially disadvantaged area’ – What does this phrase mean? 3. Describe the Eastside boys 4. Describe Miss Belmont 5. Who teased Erica the most about her name? 6. What happened to the medical supplies (6)? 7. What is a hypochondriac? 8. Who is the Principal of Barringa East Primary? 9. What did Erica want to do in life?
Activity – List all of the characters that we meet in chapter 1. Think of at least 2 words you would use to describe them.
Chapter 2
1. Put these events from this chapter in the order in which they occurred; - We are told Valjoy is 15 - We are told that Valjoy was named after Mum’s two sisters - Erica tells us a new freeway was built - Harley told his mother that he went for the interview - Jedda ‘calls’ a pretend horse race for Mum - We are told that ‘Barringa East was a messy patchwork sort of place’
Activity – Erica goes into great detail to describe her family members. Draw a family portrait and underneath write a biography of each person. Include details such as colour of eyes and hair, hair length…
Chapter 3
1. Based on Erica’s description on p17, what is your first impression of Alison Ashley? 2. Fill in the blanks : Miss Belmont told Alison to sit next to ___________. Alison’s folder was covered with beautiful grey and white ____________ paper. Erica said she had wanted to get her ears ___________. Erica’s folder was a _______. Erica was ___________ of Alison because of how perfect she seemed.
Alison had a slice of _________________ bread for lunch and had a ____________ drinkbottle. Margeart ___________ was a monitor in the ____________. _____________ had designed the notice on the ___________ door. Erica ____________ Alison the sandpit area. Alison said she doesn’t like _____________. Erica said it was not ____________ that her school was not mentioned in the newspaper. Mr Nicholson knew the ___________ of every kid in the school. After showing ________ around, Erica went back to the ________________.
Activity – Erica is hypochondriac. She always thinks she is sick even though she is not. There are many illnesses we can catch. Choose one of the following illnesses and write a 1 page report on it; *asthma, * diabetes, * epilepsy, * leukemia, * cancer (you may be asked to present this information to the class)
Chapter 4
1. Describe the car that came to collect Alison from school. Who collected her? 2. Who talks to plants? 3. Why do you think Erica kept noticing negative things? 4. What was Jedda’s horse float made of? 5. What did the kitchen table look like? 6. What are two things inside Erica’s fridge? 7. Why is Erica ‘looking with hatred’ at what is in the fridge? 8. What did Erica do when she went into her room? 9. Why does Erica think ‘life was full of injustice’ (37)?
Activity – Erica wishes she were Alison. If you could be anyone in the world, who would you be and why? What is it about their lives that appeal to you? What would you do for a day? (10 lines minimum)
Spelling Chapter 1-4
injustice, suddenly, probably, slammed, facial, investigated, furiously, elegant, conversation, sensitive, ornaments, manicure, varnish, chemist, perfume, disinfectant, certificate, hideous, fantastic, editor, equipment, capsules, impossible, murmur, defacing, territory, librarian, designed, stampede, desperately, polite, operating, hygienic, disadvantaged, extremely, immaculate, bedlam, complex, recover, trouble, bruise, forgive
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Links
Robin Klein OzLit Bio
Reviews of HAA
Unit of Work on HAA focusing on Rationale
Info on Robin Klein
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Email: Bernadette Sheedy
© 2008 Bernadette Sheedy
