Kristin Butcher... has novel ideas

Here's an activity to get your students' brains moving. It ensures 100% participation, and the kids love it.

Create a set of flash cards - 5" x 3" is a good size. Laminating the finished product helps them last. I have provided questions/answers for 32. If you need more than that, you have way too many students!

1. On one side of the card, write a question. On the reverse side, write an answer, but make sure it is not the answer to the question on the front.

eg.--

Front of card

*Question:What was Nick's stepfather's job?

Back

* Answer: Blaize

2. Hand out the flash cards so that every student has one. If there are more cards than students, give some students more than one. All cards must be distributed in order for the activity to work successfully.

3. Choose a student to stand and read the question on the front of his/her flash card. The rest of the students listen to the question, and the one with the correct response on the back of his/her card, stands and reads that answer. Then it is that student's turn to read the question on the front of his/her card. The process continues until all students have had a turn. The last person will always be the person who started the game.

The beauty of this activity is that students must pay constant attention, so that they don't miss their turns.

As I promised, I've made up the questions and answers for you. Here they are.

Mind Rattler Questions & Answers

Question: What was Nick's stepfather's job?
Answer: Blaize

Question: What name did Nick's mom have in mind for the new baby?
Answer: Simon Says

Question: What was the title of Luther's first book?
Answer: A St. Christopher's medal

Question: What did Nick give Luther for Christmas?
Answer: Mrs. Muise

Question: Who sold Nick the vase?
Answer: Mathew

Question: Whose father was a vagrant in Andersonville?
Answer: The McIntyre Mansion

Question: Where did Nick spend his Saturday mornings?
Answer: An Inventors' Convention

Question: What event did Nick's class attend at the Capizzi Center?
Answer: The House of Hope

Question: What was the name of the soup kitchen?
Answer: Ms. Johnson

Question: Who was Luther's editor at the publishing company?
Answer: Julianna

Question: What homeless person did Nick meet on Shore Street?
Answer: Crystal

Question: Who brought Nick a bowl of stew?
Answer: Old Hill Road

Question: What street started and ended on Kirkland Avenue?
Answer: A Bookstore

Question: What type of business had Luther's parents owned?
Answer: Stefanie

Question: Who gave Luther the gold watch?
Answer: Outside a Doughnut Shop

Question: Where did Luther usually get his daily paper?
Answer: Cairo

Question: Where did Mrs. Muise buy the vase Nick wanted?
Answer: Carol

Question: What was Nick's mother's name?
Answer: The Beacon Mission

Question: What was the name of Andersonville's shelter for the homeless?
Answer: Reading Nick's report on the homeless.

Question: What made Luther go to the newspaper office?
Answer: Kirkland Avenue

Question: What connected Andersonville with Route 16?
Answer: The Captain

Question: Who gave out imaginary parking tickets?
Answer: Stacked Newspapers

Question: In the McIntyre Mansion, what did Luther use as a bed?
Answer: Sincere

Question: What did Luther tell Nick his last name was?
Answer: Pollyanna Press

Question: What company published Luther's books?
Answer: Janice

Question: Who was the receptionist at Cole's office?
Answer: A cheque

Question: What was in the envelope Cole gave Nick at the newspaper?
Answer: A flashlight

Question: What did Luther use to make Nick think he was a ghost?
Answer: A Backpack

Question: What did Nick lose when he crashed into Luther on the street?
Answer: A Bus Driver

Question: Who gave the police an idea where to look for Nick?
Answer: A Glove

Question: What did Nick play keep-away with at the Capizzi Center?
Answer: Mac

Question: Whose family moved when he ran away?
Answer: A Newspaper Editor