Reading Group Guide Schooled By Jamie Sumner Discussion Questions 1. Why do Lenny and his dad move to Arrington University? Do you think moving is a good way to reset after experiencing something difficult in your life? How does moving change Lenny''s and his dad''s lives? 2. Why do you think it''s so hard for Lenny and his dad to talk to each other? Have you ever felt like it''s hard to talk to your parents or other adults in your life? Why? Do you think they ever find it hard to talk to you? 3. What was Lenny''s mom like? What does Lenny miss most about her? How does Lenny''s family function without her in it? 4. Why do you think Lenny is so resistant to becoming friends with Hen? How does their relationship change over the course of the book? 5. How does belonging or not belonging shape the way Lenny sees himself? Have you ever felt like you didn''t belong at your school or somewhere else? How did it make you feel? Did you eventually find a sense of belonging? How? 6. Why do you think Lenny is so resistant to the Copernican School? Why would you want to attend a school like this? Do you prefer learning through experiences, or do you like a more traditional classroom? 7. Lenny''s teacher Paulo tells them that "''Happiness comes when you realize it''s not about you.

''" (Chapter two) What do you think he means by this? Do you agree? Do you think Lenny agrees with this sentiment by the end of the story? 8. What role do Lenny''s new classmates play in his journey over the course of the book? How do they help him? How does Lenny help them? Were you surprised by how their relationships changed? 9. Lenny wonders how the teachers at his school "can ask such big stuff from us." (Chapter fifteen) Do you ever feel like teachers or other adults in your life are asking you to do things that are more difficult than you feel ready for? How do you respond when that happens? How do the adults in your life support you when they ask you to do big things? 10. One of Lenny''s teachers has the kids take a personality test that categorizes each student as a Questioner, Rebel, Obliger, or Upholder. Which one is Lenny? Which one do you think you are? Do you think personality tests like this are useful? Explain your answer. 11. In one of his lectures, VW says, "''Fairy tales and mythology exist to reveal the basic truths in all of human nature.

''" (Chapter eleven) What does he mean by this? What is your favorite fairy tale or myth? What meaning do you see in it? What do we, as humans, gain from sharing and reading stories? 12. Why does Lenny decide not to participate in the assignments for the Copernican School? Do you think this is a wise decision? Why does he make an exception for VW''s class? 13. Why do you think the professor, VW, befriends Lenny? What do the two have in common? What do they bring into each other''s lives? 14. Why do you think Lenny''s dad puts all of Lenny''s mom''s stuff in storage? How does that make Lenny feel? 15. Why does Lenny start spending time in the storage locker with his mom''s stuff? Why doesn''t he tell his dad? What does his dad do when he finds out? What did you think about his dad''s reaction? 16. Have you ever felt like Lenny, stuck in a new situation you didn''t choose? How did you handle it? What advice would you give to Lenny? 17. Have you ever lost someone close to you? What did that experience feel like? What helps you cope with your grief? 18. After they become friends, Lenny says, "This is what I love about Hen.

She doesn''t care if something seems weird or doesn''t make sense right away. She just settles into it." (Chapter thirteen) Why is this behavior appealing to Lenny? 19. Lenny says, "It''s like I lost both my parents when Mom died." (Chapter nine) Why does he feel like this? Have you ever watched your parents or another adult you know struggle with something really difficult? How did it make you feel? 20. How does Lenny''s relationship with his dad change over the course of the book? Were you surprised by where they ended up? Explain your answer. 21. Lenny is especially moved by listening to one of his mom''s favorite songs, Leonard Cohen''s "Hallelujah .

" Listen to this song. How does it make you feel? Why do you think it might be meaningful to Lenny at this stage of his life? 22. How does Lenny''s dad react when he finds out about Lenny''s grief comic book project? Explain why you do or don''t think this is a fair reaction. How does it make Lenny feel? 23. Toward the end of the book, Lenny dreams of his mom. What happens in his dream? How does it make Lenny feel? Have you ever had a dream that changed how you felt about the world? 24. What does Lenny decide to do when the university is threatening to fire VW? Do you think this is a good decision? Why do you think the other Copernican kids decide to help Lenny? What are the consequences of their actions? Extension Activities 1. My Ideal School.

Create a presentation about your ideal school. It can be a poster, book, slideshow, or another medium of your choice. What would students at your school study? Where would classes be held? What would a day of school look like? If you''d like, you can draw a map of the school, illustrate what a classroom would look like, or build a model of your perfect classroom. 2. Coping Through Comics. Lenny''s capstone project for the Copernican School is a comic book that helps kids cope with grief. Spend some time studying comic books and/or graphic novels. What do you notice about how they tell stories? Lenny says about the white space in comic books, that "it''s the reader''s job to fill in the gaps of the blank spaces in a comic.

The white breaks are where all the action happens." (Chapter fourteen) How do the comic books you find use white space? After your exploration, create your own comic book or graphic novel to help kids your age through a difficult experience or big feelings. 3. Write a Modern Fairy Tale. Write your own modern fairy tale that reveals a truth about human nature in today''s world. Begin by reading a few familiar fairy tales, such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Jack and the Beanstalk," the Anansi stories, the Arabian Nights , etc. What lessons or human truths do these stories teach? For example, kindness is rewarded, or bravery comes in many forms. Now think about a truth of human nature that matters to you and your friends.

Write your own fairy tale to reveal this truth. Be sure to include a magical or unusual element, characters who face a challenge, and a theme or lesson that reflects a truth about human nature. 4. Create a Memory Box. One of the ways that Lenny copes with grief over his mother is by spending time with her belongings in the storage locker. Create a memory box that helps you feel close to someone important in your life, whether they are still living or have passed away. Fill it with small objects, drawings, quotes, and other things that remind you of the person. 5.

Create a Playlist. Lenny spends a lot of time playing his mom''s records and reliving the memories the music brings back about his time with his mom. Make a playlist of songs that remind you of one or more of your loved ones. Why did you choose each song? What person or memory is attached to each song? 6. Letters to Lenny. Imagine you are Lenny. Write a letter to an old friend back home in New York, telling them about your new life and its challenges. Then imagine you are the friend and write a letter back to Lenny giving him advice about how to handle these challenges.

Chris Clark is a writer and reading teacher who lives with her family in coastal Maine. This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.net/m/prek12-teachers-librarians/teaching-resources.