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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which students worked with Claude on a Science Fair project?

2. What suggestion did Al give the teachers at Kelly School during their staff meeting in March?

3. What two things happened in Kelly School during the early winter that affected Mrs. Zajac deeply?

4. What did Judith say to Mrs. Zajac as the class looked out on the open field and pastureland?

5. What was the name of the standardized tests given to sixth graders at Kelly School?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who in Mrs. Zajac's class won a ribbon for their Science Fair project? How did the ribbon recipients respond to being awarded for their efforts? How did the other children respond to the award?

2. As the class approached spring break, how did Mrs. Zajac feel about her class? About herself? What were her parting words to Jimmy as the children leave for a week's break?

3. What is the history of Puerto Ricans in the town of Holyoke? How were they treated in the second half of the twentieth century?

4. Where did Mrs. Zajac take her class on a field trip? Why did she choose this place for the children to see? Why was this trip especially important to Judith and Arabella?

5. What did Mrs. Zajac begin to realize about continuing to keep Clarence in her class? What were her options?

6. Who among Mrs. Zajac's students was particularly excited about entering the science fair? What was the project? How did Mrs. Zajac feel about this student's participation in the science fair?

7. To what church did Mrs. Zajac belong for all of her life? Why was this? What did Mrs. Zajac enjoy about her church?

8. What student left Mrs. Zajac's class? Why did the student leave?

9. What were some of the other students' projects entered in the science fair? How did Mrs. Zajac feel about the parents who did not help their children with their Science Fair projects?

10. What were some of the changes January brought to Mrs. Zajac's class and her students?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What specific challenges did teaching math in her classroom present to Mrs. Zajac? What teaching skills did she employ in order to meet the challenge?

Essay Topic 2

At the end of the book when school is over, Mrs. Zajac described Clarence and Robert as "my failures." Do you agree that Mrs. Zajac had failed these two students? Defend your position.

Essay Topic 3

Much of the story of Kelly School's fifth grade class involved Mrs. Zajac and her work with Clarence. Do you believe Mrs. Zajac did all she could do for Clarence and made the right call by having him removed from the class? Or, do you think she should have kept Clarence in the room and continued to try and help him? Support your answer.

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