Lives Of... Series Discussion and Activity Guide.

D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e
Lives of . . .
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt
About the authors:
KATHLEEN KRULL has written much innovative nonfiction for young people,
including all of the books in the Lives of . . . series, and has made a chatty,
accessible approach to biography her hallmark. She lives in San Diego, California.
www.kathleenkrull.com
KATHRYN HEWITT’s caricatures of famous figures led kids to dub the Lives
of . . . series the “Big Head” books. She has illustrated many books for young
readers, some of which she also wrote. She lives in Santa Monica, California.
www.kathrynhewitt.com
The questions and activities in

this guide are aligned with
Common Core Reading and
Language Arts standards.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • www.hmhco.com
Lives of the artists
Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Why was Bruegel given the nickname “Peter the

Droll”?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why was being a woman a disadvantage in

Sofonisba Anguissola’s time?
RI 1.4, [5]
What was an innovation Anguissola used in her

paintings?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Rembrandt become so successful?

RI 1.4, [5]
Pre-Reading Activity Given that he became so famous and successful at a

young age, what is ironic about Rembrandt’s death?
Show students a list of the artists profiled in the RI 1.4, [5]
book. Ask them which ones they have heard of and
what they know about them. What Japanese custom did Katsushika Hokusai
carry to an extreme?
Discussion Questions RI 1.4, [5]
What was unique about Leonardo’s curiosity? What was Hokusai’s alternative to cleaning his
RI 1.4, [5] studio?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Leonardo inspire devotion in other people?
RI 1.4, [5] What was her father’s reaction to Mary Cassatt’s
intention to be an artist?
What are things Leonardo did that were considered RI 1.4, [5]
eccentric, taboo, or even criminal in his time?
RI 1.4, [5] Why did Cassatt’s lack of desire to be a wife or
mother seem unusual?
Why did Michelangelo describe himself as “mad RI 1.4, [5]
and wicked”? What are some examples of this
behavior from his life? Why did so many people assume Vincent Van Gogh
RI 4.6, [7], 8 was mad?
RI 1.4, [5]
What was unusual about the way Michelangelo
lived after he became wealthy? What are possible causes of Van Gogh’s mental
RI 1.4, [5] breakdowns?
RI 1.4, [5]
What kinds of paintings is Peter Bruegel best
known for? What is ironic about Van Gogh’s paintings selling
RI 1.4, [5] for tens of millions dollars long after his death?
RI 4.6, [7], 8
Lives of the artists
Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Why was Kathë Kollwitz’s art banned by the Nazis? What were some of the many differences between
RI 1.4, [5] Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo?
RI 4.6, [7], 8
Why did his critics call Henri Matisse “King of the
Wild Beasts”? How were Rivera and Kahlo able to stay together
RI 1.4, [5] despite their differences?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why was it torturous to pose for Matisse?
RI 1.4, [5] What did Andy Warhol do to help sell his art?
RI 1.4, [5]
In what ways was Pablo Picasso a “master of pub-
licity”? What was unusual about Warhol’s diet?
RI 1.4, [5] RI 1.4, [5]
What are some examples of Picasso’s suspicious Post-Reading Activities

nature? Invite your art teacher or a local artist to speak to
RI 4.6, [7], 8
your class about the schools of art the artists pro-
What did Marc Chagall mean when he said, “My filed represent and show examples of their works.
canvases vibrate with sobs”? Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of
RI 4.6, [7], 8
Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of an artist is most effec-
What did Marcel Duchamp hope to find when he tive at conveying his/her personality.
left France for the United States? RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
RI 1.4, [5]
Have students work in pairs to research further the
How was Georgia O’Keeffe different from her hus- lives of one of the artists, and present their findings
band, Alfred Stieglitz? in a PowerPoint presentation incorporating samples
RI 4.6, [7], 8 of the artist’s work.
RI 9.4, [5]
What did William H. Johnson discover when he
moved abroad? Have students select a work of art they like by one
RI 1.4, [5] of the artists profiled and write an essay of three or
more paragraphs explaining what they find appeal-
What did Salvador Dali mean when he wrote ing about the work.
“Nothing is more important to Me than Me”? W4.4-5
RI 4.6, [7], 8
Have each student research the life of an artist who
In what ways was Dali inept at ordinary life? was a contemporary of one of those profiled. Write
RI 4.6, [7], 8 and illustrate a profile of the artist in a style similar
to that of Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.
Why did Isamu Noguchi always feel like an out- RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5
sider?
RI 4.6, [7], 8
Lives of the athletes
Thrills, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought)
What did Johnny Weissmuller do after winning five

Olympic gold medals for swimming?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Gertrude Ederle become the most famous

teenager in the world?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Babe Didrikson Zaharias permanently

change “the relationship between women and sports
in the United States”?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Pre-Reading Activity How did Sonja Henie pursue her childhood dream
of becoming a movie star?
Show students a list of the athletes profiled in the RI 1.4, [5]
what they know about them. What was the special significance of Jesse Owens’s
performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics?
Discussion Questions RI 1.4, [5]
Jim Thorpe said of his tribal name, Bright Path, “I In what ways was Owens “a man of many contra-
cannot decide whether I was well named or not.” dictions”?
What do you think? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.4 [5]
How was breaking down barriers the theme of
How did Duke Kahanamoku bring Hawaii into the Jackie Robinson’s life?
world spotlight? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.4, [5]
How was Robinson able to endure the hostility he
Why did some people think of Babe Ruth as “the initially received when he joined the major leagues?
most selfish and inconsiderate man ever to put on a RI 1.4, [5]
baseball uniform”?
RI 1.6, [7], 8 Who was Sir Edmund Hillary’s companion who
also climbed Mount Everest? Why do you think he
What are some examples of Ruth’s excessive and did not become a celebrity like Hillary?
lavish lifestyle? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.6, [7], 8
What were Maurice Richard’s trademarks as a
How did Red Grange become the most publicized hockey player?
high school athlete in Illinois? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.4, [5]
What were Maureen Connolly’s “two personali-
In addition to his athletic prowess, what else was ties”?
Grange famous for? RI 1.6, [7], 8
RI 1.4, [5]
Lives of the athletes
Thrills, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought)
What did Roberto Clemente achieve at the age of Have each student create a trading card of one of
thirty-eight? the athletes profiled, with one side a picture of the
RI 1.1, [2], 3 athlete and the other side listing statistical career
information for him/her.
What did Wilma Rudolph overcome in her child-
hood to make her success as an Olympic runner all
the more remarkable?
RI 1.4, [5]
What did Arthur Ashe want to achieve beyond fame

and wealth? How did he do this?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
How did Pete Maravich end up with the nickname

“Pistol Pete”?
RI 1.4, [5]
What inspired Bruce Lee to take up martial arts?

RI 1.4, [5]
What attributes of Pelé were revealed in medical

tests that may account for his prowess as a soccer
player?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why was Flo Hyman ridiculed in school?

RI 1.4, [5]
Post-Reading Activities
Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of

Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of the athletes is most
effective at conveying his/her personality.
RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
Write and illustrate a profile of a favorite athlete

not included in this book in a style similar to that of
Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.
RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5

lives of one of the athletes, and present their find-
ings in a PowerPoint presentation.
RI 9.4, [5]
Lives of Extraordinary Women
Rulers, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought)
What is considered to be Isabella’s greatest histori-

cal achievement?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why did Elizabeth’s tutor think of her as a freak?

RI 1.4, [5]
Why did Elizabeth refuse to marry during her reign?

RI 1.4, [5]
What is significant about Elizabeth’s tolerance to-

ward religious issues?
RI 1.4, [5]
What are some examples of Nzingha being both a

Pre-Reading Activity ruthless and pragmatic ruler?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Show students a list of the women profiled in the
book. Ask them which ones they have heard of and How did Catherine the Great guide Russia into be-
what they know about them. coming a major world power?
RI 1.4, [5]
Discussion Questions
What did Marie Antoinette come to symbolize to
What was unusual about Cleopatra’s education? the French people?
RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.4, [5]
What are some examples of Cleopatra’s flair for To what extent did the British Empire grow during
drama? Queen Victoria’s reign?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
RI 1.4, [5]
What are some things Eleanor of Aquitaine did that What was Harriet Tubman’s attitude toward the
were out of character for a woman of her time? dangers of returning to slave territory to lead others
RI 1.4, [5]
to freedom?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why were the French willing to put Joan of Arc, a
teenage girl, in charge of an army? Why has Tz’u-hsi been portrayed by historians,
RI 1.4, [5]
until recently, as an evil tyrant?
RI 1.4, [5]
In what ways can Joan of Arc be considered heroic?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
What unique qualifications did Gertrude Bell have
What are some examples of how Isabella I was a to work as a British spy during World War I?
RI 1.4, [5]
“hands-on queen”?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Lives of Extraordinary Women
Rulers, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought)
How was Jeannette Rankin’s devotion to pacifism Have each student write a poem or song about one
reflected in her congressional voting record? of the women profiled and present it to the class.
RI 1.4, [5]
Have each student write an essay about the woman
What are some examples of Eleanor Roosevelt’s in his/her own life who has been the greatest influ-
dedication to human rights? ence. W 3.4[5]
RI 1.6, [7], 8
What led Golda Meir to dedicate her life to the cre- lives of one of these women, and present their find-
ation of Israel? ings in a PowerPoint presentation.
RI 1.4, [5] RI 9.4, [5]
How did Eva Perón become the most powerful

woman in Latin America?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why did Wilma Mankiller face so much opposition

when she was elected principal chief?
RI 1.4, [5]
What prompted Aung San Suu Kyi to become a

leader in Burmese politics?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Rigoberta Menchú become internationally

famous at age twenty-three?
RI 1.4, [5]
What qualities do all the women profiled share that

makes them extraordinary?
RI 1.6, [7], 8

Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of a woman is most
effective at conveying her personality.
RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
Write and illustrate a profile of a woman you admire

not included in this book in a style similar to that of
Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.
RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5
Lives of the Musicians
Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought)
What were some of Chopin’s less admirable

qualities?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why would Verdi not have liked his inclusion in

this book?
RI 1.4, [5]
What was unusual about Clara Schumann’s

childhood?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why did Stephen Foster never earn much money

from his compositions?
RI 1.4, [5]
Pre-Reading Activity
How did Brahms’s friendship with Clara Schumann
Show students a list of the musicians profiled in the help his music career?
book. Ask them which ones they have heard of and RI 1.4, [5]
what they know about them.
What Tchaikovsky composition is said to have
Discussion Questions gotten more people interested in classical music
Why was Vivaldi nicknamed “Red Priest”? than any other work?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
RI 1.4, [5]
Why would Bach be surprised that he is now How did Gilbert and Sullivan do most of their
considered a musical genius? collaboration?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
RI 1.4, [5]
How would you describe Mozart’s childhood? What kind of music did Erik Satie invent?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
RI 1.4, [5]
Why was Mozart disliked by many people? What work by Scott Joplin won the Pulitzer Prize?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
RI 1.4, [5]
What were some of Beethoven’s many Why was little of Charles Ives’s music performed
eccentricities? during his lifetime?
RI 7.3
RI 1.4, [5]
What was the saddest thing about Beethoven’s life? Which of Stravinsky’s compositions caused a riot
RI 1.4, [5]
when it premiered?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
Why did people say that Chopin “looked like his
music”? Why was Nadia Boulanger known as the “Tiny
RI 1.4, [5]
Tyrant”?
RI 1.4, [5]
Lives of the Musicians
Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Why was Prokofiev unpopular with so many

people?
RI 7.3
Which Gershwin composition is one of the most

frequently played orchestral works by an American?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
Where did Woody Guthrie get ideas for his songs?

RI 1.4, [5]
What was Guthrie’s favorite way of singing?

RI 1.4, [5]
Play samples of music by each of the musicians

profiled.
Invite your music teacher or a local musician to

speak to your class about some of the musicians
profiled and their works.

Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of the musicians is most
RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
Have students work in pairs to research further

the lives of one of the musicians, and present their
findings in a PowerPoint presentation incorporating
samples of the musician’s work.
RI 9.4, [5]
Write and illustrate a profile of a musician you

admire not included in this book in a style similar to
that of Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.
RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5
Lives of the Pirates
Swashbucklers, Scoundrels (Neighbors Beware!)
Why did Queen Elizabeth suppress Drake’s journal

from publication?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Sir Henry Morgan come to be known as

“Terror of the Spanish Main”?
RI 1.4, [5]
What upset Morgan most about a book published

about him?
RI 1.4, [5]
What myth about pirates originated from Captain

Kidd?
RI 1.4, [5]
What famous adventure novel was inspired by the
Ask students to share what they know about pirates first volume of William Dampier’s journals?
and piracy. RI 1.1, [2], 3
Discussion Questions What are some examples of Blackbeard’s dramatic

In her introduction to the book, what does the au- flair?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
thor say are the two greatest myths about piracy?
RI 1.4, [5] How was Black Bart different from other pirates of
his day?
Why might Saxo Grammaticus have made up the
RI 1.4, [5]
story about Alvilda?
RI 1.4, [5] Why is there speculation that Black Bart may have
been a woman in disguise?
What famous author was a slave of the Barbarossa
RI 1.4, [5]
Brothers?
RI 1.1, [2], 3 How did Mary Read and Anne Bonny each become
involved with Calico Jack Rackham?
What role did Lady Mary Killigrew play in the
RI 1.4, [5]
husband-and-wife pirate team?
RI 1.4, [5] In what ways was Stede Bonnet a notably inept
pirate?
How did Grace O’Malley come to meet Queen
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Elizabeth I?
RI 1.4, [5] What is Black Sam Bellamy most famous for?
RI 1.4, [5]
In what ways was Sir Francis Drake more refined
than the typical pirate?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Lives of the Pirates
Swashbucklers, Scoundrels (Neighbors Beware!)
Why are the Angrias now regarded as heroes in Have students create a detailed map showing where
India? each of the profiled pirates operated.
RI 1.4, [5]
Using electronic and print resources, have students
What was Rachel Wall’s warning to young women work in pairs to research contemporary international
before she was hanged? maritime piracy and share their findings.
RI 1.1, [2], 3 RI 9.4, [5]
How did Madame Cheng come to command the

largest pirate gang in history?
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Jean Laffite and his pirates earn a pardon

from President James Madison?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why is Benito de Soto called “one of the last

pirates”?
RI 1.4, [5]
What impact did Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure

Island have on the image of pirates in the popular
imagination?
RI 1.4, [5]

Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of the pirates is most ef-
fective at conveying his/her personality.
RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
Have students work in pairs to further research the

lives of one of the pirates, and present their findings
in a PowerPoint presentation.
RI 9.4, [5]
Have students create a Wanted poster for one of

the pirates profiled and include the following: a
drawing or picture of the pirate, his/her given name
and aliases, specific crimes committed, and possible
places he/she can be found.
Lives of the Presidents
Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought)
What kind of relationship did Lincoln have with his

wife?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why did some neighbors call Lincoln “henpecked”?

RI 1.4, [5]
What talent did Andrew Johnson have that distin-

guishes him from all other presidents?
RI 1.4, [5]
What are some examples of Ulysses S. Grant being

a man “full of contradictions”?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Pre-Reading Activity What misfortune do James Garfield and William

McKinley share?
Ask students to share what they believe are essential RI 1.6, [7], 8
qualities a person must have to be president of the
United States. What were some of Theodore Roosevelt’s “firsts” as
president?
Discussion Questions RI 1.6, [7], 8
What surprises you most about George Washington? What job did William Taft want (and get) more than
What were some reasons for John Adams’s unpopu- president?
larity among so many people? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.6, [7], 8 What is ironic about what Edith Wilson would end
up doing for her husband, given Woodrow’s attitude
What was Jefferson’s most significant achievement
toward women?
as president?
RI 7.3
RI 1.4, [5]
Why is Warren Harding usually regarded as the

What important thing did James Madison do when
worst president?
the Constitution was written?
RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.1, [2], 3
How did Franklin Roosevelt end up in a wheel-

Why is Andrew Jackson known as “the people’s
chair?
president”?
RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.6, [7], 8
What was Roosevelt’s favorite hobby?

How was Abraham Lincoln always able to make
RI 1.4, [5]
himself the center of attention?
RI 1.4, [5]
What kind of relationship did Roosevelt have with What are some examples of Bill Clinton being “a
his wife, Eleanor? man of many appetites”?
RI 1.6, [7], 8 RI 1.6, [7], 8
What was the most difficult decision Harry Truman What did George W. Bush and John Quincy Adams
had to make as president? have in common?
RI 1.4, [5] RI 1.6, [7], 8
How did Truman get the nickname “Give ’Em Hell In what ways does Barack Obama have “the most
Harry”? unusual background of any president”?
RI 1.4, [5] RI 1.6, [7], 8
What did Dwight Eisenhower do before becoming Post-Reading Activities

president?
RI 1.4, [5]
Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of a president is most
What were the reasons for John Kennedy’s chronic effective at conveying his personality.
pain and frequent infections? RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Have students work in pairs to further research the
Why did Kennedy bark like a seal? lives of one of the presidents, and present their find-
RI 1.4, [5] ings in a PowerPoint presentation.
RI 9.4, [5]
What are some examples of how Lyndon Johnson
“lived large”? Have each student portray a president and deliver an
RI 1.6, [7], 8 oral presentation to the class in which they discuss
their most significant accomplishments in office.
Why was Richard Nixon forced to resign from
office? Have students work in pairs to research and create a
RI 1.4, [5] historical timeline of all the important national and
international events that occurred during a presi-
How did Gerald Ford get a reputation for being a dent’s term of office.
klutz? RI 7.5
RI 1.4, [5]
Have your class look at U.S. currency and the presi-
What role did Rosalynn Carter play in her dents that grace it. Discuss who the presidents are,
husband’s presidency? what they are known for, and why they are on our
RI 7.3 money. Tell your students that they need to make
new money using the unused presidents of U.S. his-
What are some examples of Reagan’s renowned
tory. They can draw the front of the made-up bills
sense of humor?
and draw or cut out a photo of the selected presi-
RI 1.6, [7], 8
dent. Have them write a few facts on the back of the
How was George H. W. Bush’s image as a wimp new bill about the president and why they selected
incongruous with accomplishments throughout his him.
life?
RI 7.3
Have each student write a formal letter to one of the

presidents profiled that includes compliments on his
election victory and work accomplished, disagree-
ments with certain aspects of his policy, questions
regarding fulfilled and unfulfilled campaign prom-
ises, a list of goals that the student would like to see
acted upon, and personal questions.
Lives of the scientists
Experiments, Explorers (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Why was Charles Darwin so reluctant to publish his

ideas?
RI 1.4, [5]
What impact did the publication of Darwin’s On the

Origin of Species have on science?
RI 1.4, [5]
What did Louis Pasteur do to revolutionize

medicine?
RI 1.4, [5]
What contribution to science did Ivan Pavlov make

through his experiments on dogs?
Pre-Reading Activity RI 1.4, [5]
Show students a list of the scientists profiled in the What barriers to a science career did George
book. Ask them which ones they have heard of and Washington Carver have to overcome?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
what they know about them.
What did Carver accomplish in his career at
Discussion Questions Tuskegee University?
RI 1.4, [5]
What did Zhang Heng invent to make predictions
about earthquakes? How did Marie Curie’s devotion to scientific
RI 1.1, [2], 3 discovery ultimately end her life?
RI 1.4, [5]
What influence did Ibn Sina’s Canon of Medicine
have on medical treatment? What did Albert Einstein accomplish at the age of
RI 1.4, [5] twenty-six?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
How did Galileo’s ego get him into trouble?
RI 1.4, [5] What became of Einstein’s brain after he died?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
Why is Galileo considered the “father of modern
science”? What did Edwin Hubble discover about the Milky
RI 1.4, [5] Way?
RI 1.4, [5]
What inspired Isaac Newton’s Law of Universal
Gravitation? What impact did Barbara McClintock’s discovery of
RI 1.1, [2], 3 transposable genes have on science?
RI 1.4, [5]
In what year did Newton predict the world will end?
RI 1.1, [2], 3 What contribution did Grace Murray Hopper make
What discovery made William Herschel famous? to computer science?
RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.1, [2], 3
Lives of the scientists
Experiments, Explorers (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Why is Rachel Carson considered the “founder of interesting facts about your scientist, and a quote by
environmental science”? the scientist or a quote about him/her. Have students
RI 1.4, [5] include a bibliography of their information sources
on the back of the poster.
What did Chien-Shiung Wu’s experiments result in? RI 7.6
RI 1.4, [5]
Have students dress up as one of the scientists
What did Watson and Crick discover?
and speak to the class in character about his/her
RI 1.4, [5]
accomplishments.
What did Jane Goodall’s research on chimpanzee
behavior reveal about chimps and humans? Research, write, and illustrate a profile of a notable
RI 1.4, [5] scientist not included in this book in a style similar
to that of Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.
Post-Reading Activities RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5
Write two or three paragraphs explaining which

of Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of a scientist is most
RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
Have students work in pairs to research further

the lives of one of the scientists, and present their
findings in a PowerPoint presentation.
RI 9.4, [5]
Create a list of twenty questions you would ask one

of the profiled scientists if you had the opportunity
to speak to him/her.
Create a poster board that outlines the life and

achievements of a scientist profiled in the book.
The poster should be neat, colorful, and organized.
Include the following art on the poster: a drawing or
photograph of the scientist, a drawing or photograph
of the scientist’s most famous achievement, and a
map indicating the place of birth, death, locations of
education, and locations of important achievements.
Include the following information on the poster:
the complete name of scientist, a timeline of dates,
including birth, education, training, marriage,
significant achievements, and death, at least three
Lives of the writers
Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought)
“childlike” by people who knew him?

RI 1.6, [7], 8
Why was Edgar Allan Poe thought by many to be

“insane or committing slow suicide”?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
What character did Poe create that would inspire

Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes?
RI 1.4, [5]
What happened in Charles Dickens’s childhood that

would inspire his novels?
Pre-Reading Activity RI 1.4, [5]
Show students a list of the writers profiled in the Which novel did Dickens say contained the most
book. Ask them which ones they have heard of and elements from his own life?
what they know about them. RI 1.1, [2], 3
Discussion Questions What did the Brontë sisters create as children that
foreshadowed their later interests in writing?
Why did Murasaki Shikibu feel the need to conceal RI 1.4, [5]
much of her learning?
RI 1.4, [5] Why is Emily Dickinson considered one of the most
eccentric and mysterious of all writers?
What is Cervantes best known for writing? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.1, [2], 3
What prompted Louisa May Alcott to start selling
What are some mysteries that Shakespeare left stories?
behind? RI 1.4, [5]
RI 1.4, [5]
How did Samuel Langhorne Clemens get the name
How do most serious actors regard Shakespeare’s Mark Twain?
work? RI 1.1, [2], 3
RI 1.4, [5]
What did Frances Hodgson Burnett and Louisa May
Why did Jane Austen never marry? Alcott have in common?
RI 1.4, [5] RI 1.6, [7], 8
How did Austen make time for writing? In what ways was Burnett a woman ahead of her
RI 1.4, [5]  time?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
Why was Hans Christian Andersen described as
Lives of the writers
Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought)
What disease plagued Stevenson his whole life but Write and illustrate a profile of a favorite writer not
did not kill him? included in this book in a style similar to that of
RI 1.1, [2], 3 Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.
RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5
In what ways did Jack London pack “many
lifetimes into his forty years”? Have students work in pairs to research further the
RI 1.6, [7], 8 lives of one of the writers, and present their findings
in a PowerPoint presentation.
Which of all the awards he received was Carl RI 9.4, [5]
Sandburg most proud?
RI 1.1, [2], 3
What was E. B. White’s favorite expression, and

how did he make his life a reflection of it?
RI 1.4, [5]
To what sometimes dangerous lengths did Zora

Neale Hurston go to gather material?
RI 1.4, [5]
Why was Langston Hughes known as “the perfect

companion” throughout his life?
RI 1.6, [7], 8
What did Isaac Bashevis Singer try to recreate in his

stories?
RI 1.4, [5]
Read aloud to your class selections by some of the

writers profiled.
Visit your school library and ask the librarian to

introduce your students to works by the writers
profiled in the book.

Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of the writers is most
RI 7.4, W 1.3, [4], 5
D ISCUSSIO n a n d A c t i v i t Y G u i d e
Lives of the Explorers
Discoveries, Disasters (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Show students a list of the explorers profiled in the
what they know about them. SL 3.1
In the introduction, the author says the motives of
the explorers varied. Glamour, riches, curiosity,
knowledge, and boredom are the motives cited.
Create a chart with those motives listed at the top
and explorers listed on the side and check off which
motivation applies as you read about each one.
Note which explorers have common and multiple
motivations. RL 4.3,[4],5
Discussion Questions
These discussion questions align with Standards 1 and 2 of
the Common Core Reading Standards for Literature K-12
About the Book (RL).
You might know that Columbus discovered America, • Why would locating dense forests be important to
Lewis and Clark headed west with Sacajawea, and Vikings like Leif Ericson?
Sally Ride blasted into space. But what do you really • Why is it that until 1961 everything known about
know about these bold explorers? What were they like Leif Ericson was guesswork?
as kids? What pets or bad habits did they have? And
• What was the Silk Road, and why did the Polos
what drove their passion to explore unknown parts of
choose to travel it to China?
the world? With juicy tidbits about everything from
favorite foods to first loves, Lives of the Explorers • Looking at the map on pp. 16–17 and comparing
reveals these fascinating adventurers as both world it to maps in a current atlas, determine which
changers and real people. The entertaining style and contemporary countries the Polos traveled through
solid research of the Lives of . . . series of biographies on their way to China.
have made it a favorite with families and educators for • What job did Kubla Khan give to the Polos that
twenty years. This new volume takes readers through enabled them to leave China and return to Venice?
the centuries and across the globe, profiling the men
• What is Marco Polo’s greatest contribution to
and women whose curiosity and courage have led
geography?
them to discover our world.
• Why did Ibn Battuta prefer traveling by land?
• Looking at the map on pp. 23 and comparing
The questions and activities in this guide are
it to maps in a current atlas, determine which
aligned with Common Core Reading Literature and
contemporary countries Ibn Battuta traveled to in his
Language Arts standards.
lifetime.
• What was the primary purpose of Zheng He’s
voyages?
D ISCUSSIO n a n d A c t i v i t y G u i d e
Lives of the Explorers

Discoveries, Disasters (and What the Neighbors Thought)
• What happened to Zheng He’s legacy when Emperor • Who is another famous explorer the Piccards
Yongle died? inspired and worked with?
• Why did Christopher Columbus have so much • What were some unpleasant experiences Sally Ride
difficulty convincing countries to finance his first had to endure as the first American woman in space?
voyage? • For what did Ride become a well-known advocate
• What did Queen Isabella of Spain hope to gain from later in her life?
funding Columbus’s expedition? Post-Reading Activities
• Why might Native Americans be opposed to • Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of
celebrating Columbus Day? Kathryn Hewitt’s portraits of the explorers is most
• Why did Magellan switch his loyalty from Portugal effective at conveying his/her personality. RI 7.4, W
to its enemy Spain? 1.3, [4], 5
• What did Magellan accomplish that is considered • Have each student research the life of an explorer
“one of the greatest accomplishments in the history not profiled in the book. Write and illustrate a profile
of exploration”? (p. 39) of the explorer in a style similar to that of Kathleen
• Why can Henry Hudson be considered “perhaps the Krull and Kathryn Hewitt. RI 8.4, [5], W 7.3, [4], 5
most stubborn explorer of all”? (p. 40) • Create a list of twenty questions you would ask one
• What enabled James Cook to stay at sea longer than of the explorers profiled if you had the opportunity to
explorers before him? speak to him/her.
• What was the last place Cook explored on his third • Create a poster board outlining the life and
voyage, and what happened to him there? achievements of an explorer profiled in the book.
The poster should be neat, colorful, and organized.
• In what part of the present United States did Daniel Include the following art on the poster: a drawing
Boone help blaze a trail hundreds of miles long? or photograph of the explorer, a drawing or
• What were Sacajawea’s contributions to the Corps of photograph depicting the explorer’s most famous
Discovery? achievement, a map indicating the place of birth,
• What was Richard Burton the first European to do? death, and locations of exploration. Include the
following information on the poster: complete
• What famous book did Burton translate and
name of explorer, timeline of dates, including
introduce to the West?
birth, education, training, marriage, significant
• In what ways was Isabella Bird an unusual woman of achievements, and death, at least three interesting
her time? facts about your explorer, a quote by the explorer,
• What are some examples of Mary Kingsley’s or a quote about him/her. Have students include a
fearlessness? bibliography of their information sources on the back
of the poster. RI 7.6
• What are some examples of how Matthew Henson
was treated unfairly by his partner, Robert Peary? • Have each student write a poem or compose a song
about one of the explorers profiled and present it to
• For what accomplishments did Robert Byrd become
the class.
an international hero?
• Where did the Piccard brothers succeed in going
Guide written by Edward T. Sullivan, a librarian and writer who
where no one had ever been before?
lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Lives Of... Series Discussion and Activity Guide.

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lives Of... Series Discussion and Activity Guide.

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e

About the authors:

The questions and activities in

Why was Bruegel given the nickname “Peter the

Why was being a woman a disadvantage in

What was an innovation Anguissola used in her

How did Rembrandt become so successful?

Pre-Reading Activity Given that he became so famous and successful at a

What are some examples of Picasso’s suspicious Post-Reading Activities

What did Johnny Weissmuller do after winning five

How did Gertrude Ederle become the most famous

How did Babe Didrikson Zaharias permanently

What did Arthur Ashe want to achieve beyond fame

How did Pete Maravich end up with the nickname

What inspired Bruce Lee to take up martial arts?

What attributes of Pelé were revealed in medical

Why was Flo Hyman ridiculed in school?

Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of

Write and illustrate a profile of a favorite athlete

Have students work in pairs to research further the

What is considered to be Isabella’s greatest histori-

Why did Elizabeth’s tutor think of her as a freak?

Why did Elizabeth refuse to marry during her reign?

What is significant about Elizabeth’s tolerance to-

What are some examples of Nzingha being both a

How did Eva Perón become the most powerful

Why did Wilma Mankiller face so much opposition

What prompted Aung San Suu Kyi to become a

How did Rigoberta Menchú become internationally

What qualities do all the women profiled share that

Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of

Write and illustrate a profile of a woman you admire

What were some of Chopin’s less admirable

Why would Verdi not have liked his inclusion in

What was unusual about Clara Schumann’s

Why did Stephen Foster never earn much money

Why was Prokofiev unpopular with so many

Which Gershwin composition is one of the most

Where did Woody Guthrie get ideas for his songs?

What was Guthrie’s favorite way of singing?

Play samples of music by each of the musicians

Invite your music teacher or a local musician to

Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of

Have students work in pairs to research further

Write and illustrate a profile of a musician you

Why did Queen Elizabeth suppress Drake’s journal

How did Sir Henry Morgan come to be known as

What upset Morgan most about a book published

What myth about pirates originated from Captain

Discussion Questions What are some examples of Blackbeard’s dramatic

How did Madame Cheng come to command the

How did Jean Laffite and his pirates earn a pardon

Why is Benito de Soto called “one of the last

What impact did Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure

Write two or three paragraphs explaining which of

Have students work in pairs to further research the

Have students create a Wanted poster for one of

What kind of relationship did Lincoln have with his

Why did some neighbors call Lincoln “henpecked”?

What talent did Andrew Johnson have that distin-

What are some examples of Ulysses S. Grant being

Pre-Reading Activity What misfortune do James Garfield and William

Why is Warren Harding usually regarded as the