1. Before and During Reading Skills
“The War of the Wall”
by Toni Cade Bambara
Before and During Reading Skills

2. The War of the Wall
Identify and define the literary focus in this text.
Identify and define the reading focus in this story.
What is the writing focus and what are you asked to do while reading?

3. Author Information Read the information about the author on page 284.
Make a list of three things you learned about the author.
Circle the detail you think will be the most important to help you understand the story.
Read the “Build Background” paragraph and make a list of 3 things you learned.

4. Spoken Word… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qCc8CppZbg

5. Analyzing a Visual

6. Quick Write
Respect
Think about what it means to show respect. What people or things do you respect? Why?
Explain what makes those things important enough to respect.
Which famous people do you know that many people respect?

7. Vocabulary Integration Concentration Liberation Inscription Dedicated
For each of the vocabulary words below, please define the word, write a sentence to demonstrate your understanding of the definition, and construct an illustration to reflect the term.
Integration
Concentration
Liberation
Inscription
Dedicated

8. During Reading Skills Plot and Action
Characters’ actions reveal their personalities.
Their behavior also drives what happens in a story.
As you read the story, think about which characters are created to seem like real people. What do they do or say that makes them believable?

9. Preview and Predictions
Before Reading Skills
Preview and Predictions
Examine the text features located throughout the selection.
Make a list of the things you “know” or “think you know” based only on the text features.
What genre or type of text do you think we are reading? Why?

10. Analyzing Characters
Name
Appearance
Behavior
Analysis/Judgment

11. Stop and Think!!!
Making Judgments – Do you think the painter should have acted differently while she was in the neighborhood? Explain your ideas and thoughts.
Drawing Conclusions – How do you think the narrator feels about the painting on the wall? Explain the reasons for your response.

12. Comprehension/Discussion Questions
Page 285
Noting Details – A: What is the author letting you know about the wall?
???
Making Inferences – B: How does the first scene with the “painter lady” further explain what you know about the wall?

13. Pages
3. Characterization – C: What does the narrator mean when he says they are “at war”?
???
4. Making Inferences – D: What is happening between the community members and the painter?
5. Drawing Conclusions – E: Is the painter “giving a show” or is there another explanation for her “scribbling all over the wall”?

14. Pages
6. Writer’s Craft – F: How does this scene create a certain mood?
???
Analyzing Conflicts – G: So far several community members have been put off by the painter.
What is happening between the painter and Mama?
How do the other community members react to the painter?
What does their reaction tell you about them?

15. Pages
8. Characters and Plot– H: Mama’s attitude toward the painter lady has changed a little since the last scene. How would this scene be different if Mama’s attitude had stayed the same?
???
9. Conflict – I: What does this scene tell you about the communication difficulties between the painter and the people in the neighborhood??
10. Noting Details – J: How can you tell that something exciting is happening at the wall?

16. Page 292
11. Characterization – K: What does the inscription add to what you already know about the painter?
???

17. Predictions and Purpose Setting
Which predictions were accurate?
Which ones need to be changed/revised?
Which questions did we find the answers to while reading?
Which questions do we still not know the answer to yet?
Do we need to any any new questions to look for as we read?