Wednesday, 31 August 2016

For HOMESCHOOLING or TEACHERS . . . BLACK BEAUTY Comprehension questions


Yesterday, this paper turned up in one of my old blog binders.  I had used the back of it to do some planning.

BLACK BEAUTY was in the classroom library when I was in grade two, and I loved it.  One of the things it taught was not to be cruel to animals. 

The questions I developed can be used in a variety of ways.  A  teacher could read the book to a class.  Alternatively, of course, a child could read the book alone.   For parents, however, I would recommend, reading with the child.  Take turns reading aloud.  Then do these questions:

1.      The main idea in Chapter 2 was:
(a) A hare was killed.
(b)  A hunt in which people riding horses that followed dogs was described.
(c)  Black Beauty’s mother was upset because a horse was killed.

2.     There are still hunts in England where people ride horses and follow hounds chasing a fox.  These people enjoy hunting as a sport.  Other people say it is cruel.  What do you think?  Why?

3.     Put numbers in front of the following sentences to show in what order events happened.
---- People were riding in all directions: to the doctor’s, to the farrier’s, and to Squire Gordon’s.
____ The colts heard hounds.
____  A terrified hare went by the colts.
____  A black coach went by.
____  The colts saw the hounds.
____  A huntsman held up the dead hare.
____ The horsemen went by. 
____  A gun went bang.
____  The dead man was taken to the house.

***********

I was a school librarian for ten years


collaborating with teachers  (Betty Balon on the left).



Then, I asked for a classroom and was a teacher for over twenty years.

Reading was always my passion and I developed novel study after novel study so that my students could have an individualized program – each kid reading a good book at his/her own level.

The questions were designed to check comprehension and to develop different skills such as identifying main ideas and making judgements.

I sent some of them to Rainbow Publishing in North Battleford and received a lump sum; no royalties.  These are still available if you’re interested.  Just google:


P.S. The BLACK BEAUTY questions were among the many novel studies I never got around to sending to the publisher. 


No comments:

Post a Comment