Comprehension Guide
Jazmin's Notebook
Hopscotch Love: a Family Treasurey of Love Poems
by Nikki Grimes
illustrated by Melodye Benson Rosales
Lothrop/HarperCollins, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-15667-3
Pre-Reading
Take a notebook piece of paper and fold it into at least six squares. In each section write the name of someone you love. Then, make a list of how they show you that you are cared for, and then on the back write about how you show them.
Knowledge 1. Which poem is about an old photograph?
2. Who was Medgar Evers?
Comprehension 1. List the different types of love that are explored in Hopscotch Love.
2. Give examples of how affection is shown throughout the book, instead of just words.
Application 1. Create a card for someone and deliver it as a random act of kindness for someone you don’t usually take the time to thank.
2. Write a poem about a relationship you admire.
Analyze 1.

Can you say who cares the most in the book Hopscotch Love? Can you really evaluate how much people love each other? Why or why not?
2. Compare “Why I Hate Jamel” and “The Gift.” Predict what will happen next in each relationship.
Evaluation 1. Which poem is your favorite? Why?
2.

Which illustration do you think best captures the feelings expressed in the poem? Why?
Teacher's Guide provided by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. Visit her website by clicking here.

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