Okay for Now

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-3

Reading Check

1. Who gave Doug a New York Yankees baseball cap?

2. Which of Mr. Swieteck’s friends does Mrs. Swieteck dislike?

3. What does Holling give to Doug as a going-away present?

4. Which of Doug’s customers at the deli is particularly difficult?

5. Who is suspected of stealing from Spicer’s Deli?

6. What is Doug assigned to read at school?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What actions describe the character of Doug’s father?

2. How does Doug model the behavior of his family when interacting with his peers?

3. What question does Mr. Powell ask that inadvertently offends Doug?

Paired Resource

Joe Pepitone

• This article describes the life of Joe Pepitone as well as his baseball career and retirement.
• Shared themes include The Cost of Alcoholism and The Cycle of Abuse.
• What neighborhood did Pepitone grow up in? How did Pepitone experience abuse in his household? How did Pepitone experience violence at school? What achievements was Pepitone able to accomplish in baseball? How did Pepitone’s behavior impact his baseball career?

John James Audubon

• This 6-minute video describes Audubon’s contribution to natural history.
• Shared themes include Prejudice Against the Poor.
• How did Audubon change the way artists depict birds? What is unique about Audubon’s use of background images and poses? Why was Audubon particular about the sizing of his artistic depictions of birds? What is the estimated value of Audubon’s artwork?

Chapters 4-6

Reading Check

1. Who tears up Doug’s drawing of the puffin’s feet?

2. What does the tattoo on Doug’s chest read?

3. Who partners with Doug to win the horseshoe competition?

4. What picture is Doug able to retrieve for the Audubon book?

5. Who, according to Christopher, takes the brunt of their father’s anger when the children disobey him?

6. What does Doug find on the gym teacher’s clipboard?

7. What does Doug ask the gym teacher to discuss with Lucas?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is happening to the Audubon book in the library, and how does Doug feel about it?

2. Why is Doug often ostracized by the people in his community for things he didn’t do?

Paired Resource

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• This 2-minute video describes one man’s experience with PTSD and his difficulty in adjusting to life after the war.
• Shared themes include The Cost of Alcoholism.
• Why is it difficult for those with PTSD to adjust to life on the Homefront? What noises or experiences were triggering to this veteran after he returned from Vietnam? What additional struggles were a result of his PTSD? How did the veteran eventually overcome his struggles?

“The Media (The Vietnam War)”

• This 3-minute video explains the complications surrounding the first televised war—the Vietnam War—and how television and media created dissent on the American Homefront.
• Themes connected to this video include The Cycle of Abuse and The Cost of Alcoholism.
• Why were Americans more aware of the Vietnam War than any other war in history up to that point? What created distrust and dissent among American citizens regarding the Vietnam War?

Chapters 7-8

Reading Check

1. What does James Russel reveal to Doug that his father has possession of?

2. What book does Mrs. Windermere give to Doug?

3. Whom does Mrs. Merriman ask Lucas about?

4. What evidence at the scene of the crime is used to arrest Christopher for theft?

5. What does Mr. Ballard give to Lucas’s mother?

6. Who is rescued by Doug and Christopher while they are babysitting?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Doug do in order to return the Audubon drawings to the library?

2. What motivates Lucas to search for work?

Paired Resource

“Life and Art of Aaron Copland”

• This article describes Aaron Copland, his early life, and his musical career.
• Shared themes include Prejudice Against the Poor.
• Where did Copland grow up, and how did he describe it? Where did Copland attend school for musical instruction? What company first purchased Copland’s music? How did Copland’s career morph and change? What musical scores did Copland write for movies? What became Copland’s nickname?

The Moon Landing in 1969

• This 2-minute video describes the moon landing.
• Shared themes include Prejudice Against the Poor.
• When did the moon landing occur? Who was the first to step foot on the moon? What events did not go exactly as planned? What did the astronauts do after landing on the moon?

Chapters 9-10

Reading Check

1. What does Mrs. Windermere offer in exchange for Doug’s participation in the play?

2. Whom does Doug see in the theater crowd?

3. What Audubon drawing is Doug able to attain after agreeing to play Lil’s role?

4. How does Doug sign Joe Pepitone’s program?

5. What does Mr. Powell give Doug to create a picture for Lil?

6. What job offer does the gym teacher give Lucas?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Lucas have difficulty finding and keeping work?

2. How does the community come together and show support for Doug’s family?

Recommended Next Reads

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

• This novel is about a 10-year-old girl who is confined to her apartment because of her clubfoot during World War II.
• Shared themes include The Cycle of Abuse and Prejudice Against the Poor.
• Shared topics include abusive families, wartime stories, and overcoming adversity.
• The War That Saved My Life on SuperSummary

Restart by Gordon Korman

• This novel is about a 13-year-old boy who has an accident that erases his memories; he learns who he is through interactions with peers.
• Shared themes include The Cycle of Abuse.
• Shared topics include coming of age, new perspectives, and toxic masculinity.
• Restart on SuperSummary