House+of+Dies+Drear

In a mystery novel full of "ghostly" discoveries, thirteen-year-old Thomas Small and his family buy a house in Ohio that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. As Thomas explores his new surroundings, he uncovers the secrets of the house, including dark tunnels, hidden passages and Pluto, the old caretaker, who has been protecting a room full of treasures that belonged to the original owner, Dies Drear—a "conductor" for the Underground Railroad. Thomas, Pluto, and Pluto's son Mayhew work together to save the slave artifacts from neighbors, who think the "treasures" in the room are things that can make them rich.

While you read, you will be introduced to new characters. Good readers make note of these new characters and will often write down a brief description of them. Details are important, and as you read, continue to update the information about these characters as you learn more.
 * Character**

Foreshadowing is a literary technique that hints at events that are to come. Virginia Hamilton uses this technique consistently throughout this book. Good readers can spot examples of foreshadowing and make predictions about what is to come next. As you read, find examples of foreshadowing and use them to make predictions of your own.
 * Foreshadow**

Suspense is a feeling of fearful expectation. Like most mystery stories, The House of Dies Drear is filled with suspense. Writers create suspense by raising questions in the minds of their readers. Writers also create suspense by using descriptive details that produce feelings of fear, excitement, and tension.
 * Suspense**


 * Vocabulary 1-7**
 * 1) **agitated** adj. uneasy; upset
 * 2) **calamity** n. disaster
 * 3) **lapse** v. to fall; to slip
 * 4) **pathetic** adj. sorrowful; inviting pity
 * 5) **percolating** adj. seeping; filtering
 * 6) **plunder** v. to rob and destroy
 * 7) **specter** n. ghost; spirit


 * Comprehension check**
 * Chapters 1-4**
 * 1) What information does Thomas gather about his new home before he arrives? How might this information have influenced his feelings about the house?
 * 2) Who is Mr. Pluto? Why is Thomas angry that Mr. Pluto arranged the family’s furniture?
 * 3) Describe Thomas’s experience in the hidden passageway. How does his experience add to the mystery of the story?

__**Group Work**__ 1. If you could use only one or two words to describe Thomas’s personality, what would they be? Carefully review Chapters 1 through 7, taking notes on Thomas' thoughts, words and actions. Use your notes to sum up Thomas’s personality in **a word or two**.Then explain which details in the novel made you choose these words to describe Thomas.
 * Analyzing Character**

2. In your groups, review the first scene of the first chapter, in which Thomas’s dream is described. How does the dream foreshadow events that occur in Chapter 2? Chapter 4? How does foreshadowing contribute to the story’s mood?
 * Foreshadow**

3. During the 1860s, which U.S.states allowed slavery? Which did not? Find the answers to these questions in a history book, in an encyclopedia, or on the Internet. Then copy or draw a map of the United States as it looked just before the Civil War, and indicate which states were “slave” and which were “free.” Research the path to freedom traveled by a famous enslaved person, such as Hariett Tubman or Frederick Douglass, and draw the path on your map
 * Geography and History Connection**

Use each vocabulary word in a sentence that relates to the story.
 * Vocabulary 8-13**


 * 1) **aloofness** n. indifference; lack of interest
 * 2) **bemused** adj. preoccupied
 * 3) **brooding** adj. gloomy
 * 4) **conceal** v. to hide
 * 5) **cumbersome** adj. awkward
 * 6) **gauge** v. to measure
 * 7) **malice** n. ill will
 * 8) **ornate** adj. flashy; decorated
 * 9) **shrewd** adj. quick, sly


 * Comprehension**
 * 1) How does Mr. Small explain Pluto’s odd behavior and appearance? In your opinion, are Mr. Small’s explanations believable? Explain.
 * 2) How does Thomas feel about his new community after attending a church service? Why does he feel this way?
 * 3) Why do Mr. Small and Thomas go through the tunnel in search of Pluto at the end of this section? How do they feel about Pluto at this point?

Many strange people and events intrude on the Small family in this section. Imagine your group is a team of investigators whom the Smalls have hired to look into these mysterious happenings. Make a list of the most troubling events. Then prepare questions to ask the Smalls and other townspeople as you try to get to the bottom of things. Work as a group to develop a theory about how the Smalls could handle their situation.
 * Group Work**

Use each vocabulary word in a sentence that relates to the story.
 * Vocabulary 14-19**

Write a review of the novel using at least ten vocabulary words.
 * 1) **curator** n. person in charge of an exhibit
 * 2) **fanatical** adj. extreme
 * 3) **inkling** n. hint
 * 4) **painstakingly** adv. in a manner showing care
 * 5) **peeved** adj. annoyed
 * 6) **premonition** n. warning
 * 7) **rampart** adj. barrier
 * 8) **steadfastness** n. determination
 * 9) **stupendous** adj. astounding


 * Comprehension**
 * 1) What do Mr. Small and Thomas find in the cavern? How does Pluto respond to their being there?
 * 2) Who is Mayhew, and what has he been doing to trick people? What is his reason for fooling people?
 * 3) What frightens Pluto most about the Darrows? Why was the “performance” involving Mr. Small, Thomas, Mayhew, and Pluto an effective way to deal with them?
 * 4) Why might Hamilton have decided to end the book with a scene that includesThomas and Pesty? What does the author mean when she says, “And they didn’t mind the waiting, not this day nor the days to come”?
 * 5) What is your view of Pluto at the end of the book? Is it different from the view you had of him at the beginning of the book? Explain.


 * Final Project Options**


 * 1) The House of Dies Drear is up for sale AGAIN. You are the real estate agent. How do you sell it? Create a for sale flyer.
 * 2) Produce a book trailer that recreates the mood and plot of the story.
 * 3) Create a board game that navigates players through the house.
 * 4) Make a three-dimensional model of the house.