1. Papa Tells Chita a Story
Name ______________________________
Papa Tells Chita a Story
By Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Prediction
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Author’s Purpose
inform persuade entertain

2. Papa Tells Chita a Story
Focus Skills:
To summarize important information in a text
To read and understand a historical fiction selection
To use adjectives correctly
To recognize the author’s use of figurative language
Genre
Historical Fiction- a story that is set in the past and portrays people, places, and events that did or could have happened.
Summary
Chita loves to hear Papa’s story of his adventures during the Spanish-American War. How much of the story is true?
Reading Strategy
Reread to Clarify
In this story, the author has both Papa and Chita tell parts of the story. This can confuse the reader who can lose the thread of the story. Rereading can help a good reader understand story events that they don’t understand at first.

3. Why did the colonel need someone to carry a message across the island?
Page 18
Why did the colonel need someone to carry a message across the island?
Papa wanted to be brave, so he volunteered to go. What does this tell you about him?
Page 20
Why did the horse refuse to enter the swamp?
What has happened so far in the story?
Page 22
real
not real
What events so far are real and which are not?

4. Why do you think Papa gets scared when it starts to get dark?24
Why do you think Papa gets scared when it starts to get dark?
Why is climbing the hill so difficult?
What challenges has Papa faced since the swamp?
Page 26
How do you know Chita thinks the story is exciting?

5. Story Map Why does the officer say Papa is extraordinarily brave?
Why does Chita say her Papa was the bravest soldier?
Story Map
Characters
Setting
Plot

6. Think and Respond
Why does Chita love to hear Papa tell this story?
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Why does Papa sometimes ask Chita what comes next?
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Why did Papa run away when he saw the eagle with her claws outstretched?
Do you think the events happened exactly as Papa said they did? Why or why not?

7. Use the graphic organizer to follow the following questions.
Why does Chita like her special time with Papa?
What does Papa work as now?
What war does Papa fight in?
Why does Chita know so much about Papa’s story ahead of time?
What is the setting of Papa’s story?
What did the colonel not have enough of?
What does Papa do to solve the colonel’s problem?
What kind of soldier did Papa convince the colonel he was?
What or who was Majestic?
What special property does oilskin have?
Where does Papa try to sleep at night in his story?
What does the officer in charge do when papa finally arrives with his message?
Why could this story be called a tall tale?