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Name:

Student Journal

Reading ScheduleGroup members: _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Crazy Loco Student Journal Due Date Discussion Date

Introduction Pages 2–4

Pages 13–46 Pages 5–6





The Exchange

Assessment

Crazy Locoby David Rice

How do people

know when they

are ready for

responsibility?

Student Journal page 2 of 14 © Hampton-Brown

Crazy Loco

Getting Started

What If?You just got your driver’s license. You are so excited to be able to drive, but you do not have the money to buy yourself a car. Your parents agree to let you drive their car as long as you agree to help them with some errands.

The next week, your aunt has an emergency. Your parents are at work and ask you to pick up your four-month-old niece from her daycare center and bring her to your house. You have the car seat, but you do not know how to put it in the car. You are not sure what to do if your niece cries or how to change a diaper. And, you are not confident in your new driving skills.

Make notes about how this would affect you.

• Would you feel ready for this responsibility?

• Would you agree to help with this errand? Why or why not?

• What could you do to better prepare yourself for this errand?

Connect to The Exchange Question Discuss how this situation could relate to The Exchange Question: How do people know when they are ready for responsibility? Summarize your discussion.


Crazy Loco

Introduction

Read the Introduction on pages 9–11 in Crazy Loco. The Introduction will help you understand key concepts in the book. Knowing them will help you discuss and write about the book.

The Introduction includes information about

• what a short story is

• how teens can relate to the stories

• when David Rice decided to become an author

After you read the Introduction, answer these questions to check your understanding.

1. What is a short story? How is it similar to and different from a novel?

2. How can teenagers relate to the stories in this collection?

3. When did David Rice know he wanted to be an author?


Crazy Loco

Introduction: Key Concepts

Personal Experience Chart

Study the Personal Experience Chart for emotion. Write about a personal connection using the word emotion.

Key Concepts

collectioncommunityemotionmaturityrespectful

On a separate sheet of paper, create a similar Personal Experience Chart for community, maturity, and respectful.

Key Concept: _______________________________________________________

Define or rename: ______________________________________________________

Specific Examples

Personal Connection: ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

My mom could not hide her emotions when our dog died. She cried all day.

At the Memorial Day parade, people showed different emotions. Most people were proud but sorrowful.

Our drama class instructor taught us how to express different emotions through gestures.

emotion

a strong feeling

Personal Experience Chart


Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 13–461. Personal Response The school in “Sugarcane Fire” holds special

events for high school students, such as dances and a hayride. What events does your school have? Which do you enjoy the most? Why?

2. Cause and Effect In “Her Other Son,” how does Tommy experience maturity when he visits Catalina’s family in Mexico? Use the word maturity in your response.

3. Irony In “Sugarcane Fire,” what is ironic about Romero and Annette’s relationship?

4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for someone else reading this book. Exchange questions with them. Do you agree with their answer?


Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 13– 46, continued

5. Comparisons In “Her Other Son,” Tommy remembers crossing the border when he was young. At the end of the story, he crosses the border again. Write his feelings and actions during these crossings.

Compare Tommy’s border crossings. Why is Tommy’s second border crossing so different from his first?

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T Chart

Tommy’s First Crossing Tommy’s Second Crossing


Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 47–791. Personal Response In “Valentine,” Luis remembers Valentine’s Day

in his kindergarten class. What is a strong memory you have from when you first went to school? Why do you think this memory stays with you?

2. Character’s Motive In “Papa Lalo,” Papa Lalo is respectful when he gives Harry his surveyor’s compass. What does this show you about Papa Lalo? Use the word respectful in your response.

3. Making Decisions In “Valentine,” Luis goes to a graduation party and talks about what happened when Bobby and Marco lifted Nina’s skirt. If you were Luis, would you have mentioned that incident? Why or why not?



Crazy Loco

Respond to pages 47–79, continued

5. Cause and Effect In “Papa Lalo,” Harry and his family move in with Papa Lalo. List the effects this has on Harry in the Effects column. Use the Cause and Effect Chart to answer the question.

Cause and Effect Chart

Causes Effects

Why do you think Harry and Papa Lalo have problems with their relationship? What causes the problems?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1. Harry’s mother tries to burn down their home.

2. Harry’s room is the T V room.

3. Papa Lalo gives Harry a compass.

4. Papa Lalo kills Harry’s rabbits.

5. Harry is invited to a lot of quinceañeras.

6. Papa Lalo dies.


Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 80–1041. Personal Response In “Proud to Be an American,” Richard’s father is

proud of his country and of serving in the war. What story or event in your family’s history makes you proud?

2. Conclusions In “Crazy Loco,” how does the family deal with their emotions when Loco disappears? Is this a good way to deal with loss? Why or why not? Use the word emotion in your response.

3. Paraphrase In “Proud to Be an American,” what does Rosie mean on page 104 when she says the family looks like “Americanos”?



Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 80–104, continued

5. Summarize In “Crazy Loco,” the dog, Loco, does many interesting things. Write Loco’s actions in the Details Web.

Details Web

Why is Loco such a special dog to the narrator?

Loco


Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 105–1411. Personal Response In “The California Cousins,” the cousins complain

that the narrator’s country home is boring compared to their city life. Would you rather live in the country or in a city? Why?

2. Paraphrase What does Tía Mana mean when she says on pages 119–120, “Mi’ja, fly as far as your wings will take you. You can always come back”?

3. Symbolism What does Pájaro represent to Tía Mana and Milagros?



Crazy Loco


5. Foreshadowing In “The California Cousins,” everyone reacts to the family visit in a different way. Write what the characters do and what their actions say about how they feel in the Chart.

Character Description Chart

Character What the Character Does

What This Shows About the Character

Mom

Dad

California Cousins

Texas Cousins

What do the actions of the characters at the beginning of the story suggest about the story’s ending? Were you surprised by the ending?


Crazy Loco

Respond to Pages 142–1751. Personal Response Pedro’s father volunteers him to be an altar boy.

What kind of activities do your friends or family think you should be a part of? How do their opinions affect your actions?

2. Author’s Purpose Why do you think the author chose to write this book as a short story collection instead of as a novel? Use the word collection in your response.

3. Irony Why is it ironic that Ricardo and José take their positions as altar boys so seriously?

What If?4. Connect Look at your notes on Student Journal, page 2. Think about what might

happen if you suddenly had a serious responsibility. Compare this to Crazy Loco. How does responsibility affect the characters in three of the stories?


Crazy Loco


5. Character Pedro shares his experiences as an altar boy in “Last Mass.” Write Pedro’s actions as an altar boy in the Sequence Chain.

Sequence Chain

How does Pedro change from the beginning to the end of the story?

2.

1.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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