Character Who is the major character in Miss Alaineus? What words would you use to describe her? Add this information to your Character/Plot chart on workbook page 3.

Plot What happens when Sage calls Starr to get the vocabulary words? How do you think Starr’s rush to give Sage the vocabulary words will affect what happens next? Add this information to your Character/Plot Chart.

Context Clues What does the word theme in the first sentence of page 24 mean? What clues to its meaning can you find? What is another meaning for the word theme that can be used when discussing realistic fiction such as Miss Alaineus?

Make Predictions How do the words of Sage’s mother help you predict that Sage will probably make a mistake as she continues to define her words? What events have taken place to give you a clue that things might not go so well for Sage when she finally returns to school?

Setting/ Strategy Where and when does this story take place? Are the settings realistic? Explain. I know that Sage’s flashback explains why she thought Miss Alaineus was a person and not a word. It also shows that Sage is proud of the way she can come up with word meanings. Do you think this flashback will be important to the plot? Why or why not? Add your answer to your Chart.

Character Why is Sage happy to be back at school on Monday? What do you think the Tenth Annual Vocabulary Parade might be? How might the strategy “Read Ahead” help you to answer this question? Based on what you know so far, what word do you think Mrs. Page will give Sage to define?

Comprehension Why does Sage become embarrassed over misspelling a vocabulary word? Why is Sage’s embarrassment in front of her classmates an important event in the plot? Add this to your chart. Is what happened to Sage during the Vocabulary Bee something that might happen in real life? Explain.

Comprehension What problems has Sage faced in the story so far? What does Sage’s reaction to her mistake tell you about her character? Add your answer to the Character/Plot Chart. Using the definitions for the words gold and mistake, what do you think Sage’s mother meant by her words “There’s gold in every mistake?”

Questions How do you think Sage feels when her classmates laugh at the museum guide’s words? If you were Sage, how would you try to solve her latest problem? What do you think Sage and her mother will do?

Comprehension Why did it take courage for Sage to walk out on the stage as Miss Alaineus, and what does that say about her character? Add the answer to your chart. How does Sage find a solution to her problem? Explain how you reached your answer and add it to your chart.

Point of View/Imagery From what point of view was this story told? How do you know? How did this point of view affect your enjoyment of the story? What are some other “Miss” names you can think of? Describe how some of the costumes for these “Miss” names that might look in a vocabulary parade.