Lawn Boy

By

Gary Paulsen

A Novel Study
by Nat Reed
 Lawn Boy
By Gary Paulsen

Table of Contents

Suggestions and Expectations 3

List of Skills 4

Synopsis / Author Biography 5

Student Checklist 6

Reproducible Student Booklet 7

Answer Key 64

About the author: Nat Reed was a member of the teaching profession for more than 35
years. He was a full-time instructor at Trent University in the Teacher Education Program
for nine years. For more information on his work and literature, visit novelstudies.org.

Copyright © 2013 Nat Reed

Revisions Completed in 2022
All rights reserved by author.
Permission to copy for single classroom use only.
Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only.
Not for public display.

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 Lawn Boy
By Gary Paulsen

Suggestions and Expectations

This curriculum unit can be used in a variety of ways. Each chapter of the novel study
focuses on 1 or 2 chapters of Lawn Boy and is comprised of these different activities:

1. Before You Read

2. Vocabulary Building
3. Comprehension Questions
4. Language and Extension Activities

A portfolio cover (p.7) as well as a Checklist (p.6) are included so that students may track of
their completed work.

Every activity need not be completed by all students.

Links with the Common Core Standards (U.S.)

Many of the activities included in this curriculum unit are supported by the Common Core
Standards. For instance the Reading Standards for Literature, Grade 5, makes reference to:

a) determining the meaning of words and phrases. . . including figurative language;

b) explaining how a series of chapters fits together to provide the overall structure;
c) compare and contrast two characters;
d) determine how characters … respond to challenges;
e) drawing inferences from the text;
f) determining a theme of a story . . . and many others.

Themes and topics which may be taught in conjunction with the novel include initiative and
enterprise, perseverance, owning a business, the stock market and investment.

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 Lawn Boy
By Gary Paulsen

List of Skills

Vocabulary Development

1. Locating descriptive words/phrases 9. Use of singular / plural nouns

2. Listing synonyms/homophones 10. Listing compound words
3. Identifying/creating alliteration 11. Identifying parts of speech
4. Use of capitals and punctuation 12. Determining alphabetical order
5. Identifying syllables 13. Identification of root words
6. Identify anagrams 14. Identify/create similes
7. Identify personification 15. Identification of a cliffhanger
8. Identify foreshadowing 16. Identification of a metaphor

Setting Activities

1. Summarize the details of a setting

Plot Activities

1. Complete a sequence chart of events 3. Identify the climax of the novel

2. Identify conflict in the story 4. Five W’s Chart

Character Activities

1. Determine character traits 3. Relating personal experiences

2. Protagonists/Antagonists 4. Comparing two Characters

Creative and Critical Thinking

1. Research 5. Conduct an interview

2. Write a newspaper story 6. Write about personal feelings
3. Write a letter to a friend 7. Write a book review
4. Complete an Observation Chart 8. Complete a KWS Chart

Art Activities

1. A Storyboard 3. Design a cover for the novel

2. Create a collage 4. Design an Information Card

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 Lawn Boy
By Gary Paulsen

Synopsis

I set out to mow some lawns with Grandpa’s old riding lawn mower. One client was
Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about: The beauty of capitalism. Supply
and demand. Diversified labor. Distributing the wealth. “It’s groovy, man,” Arnold said.
The grass grew, and so did business. Arnold invested my money in many things. One of
them was a prizefighter. All of a sudden I was the sponsor of my very own fighter, Joey
Pow. That’s when my summer got really interesting.
Gary Paulsen’s comic story about a summer job becomes a slapstick lesson in business as
one boy turns a mountain of grass into a mountain of cash. [The Publisher]

Author Biography
Gary Paulsen

Gary Paulsen, a renowned author of novels for

young people, presently lives in New Mexico. Three
of Gary Paulsen’s novels have been acclaimed as
Newbery Honor Books: Hatchet, Dogsong, and The
Winter Room. The River is Gary's exciting sequel to
Hatchet. His other novels include: Brian’s Winter
(sequel), Brian’s Return (sequel), Canyons, The
Crossing, Dancing Carl, The Island, Popcorn Days
and Buttermilk Nights, Sentries, Tracker, Woodsong, The Legend of Red Horse
Canyon, Escape From Fire Mountain, Danger on Midnight River.

Gary Paulsen is an avid outdoorsman who competed in the Iditarod, a dog sled race
across Alaska. He also frequently sails the Pacific Ocean.

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 Lawn Boy
By Gary Paulsen

Student Checklist

Student Name

Assignment Grade / Level Comments

6
 Lawn Boy

By Gary Paulsen

Name:

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 Lawn Boy
By Gary Paulsen
Chapters 1 - 2

Before you read the chapters:

The protagonist in most novels features the main character or “good guy”. The protagonist
of Lawn Boy is an enterprising young boy who goes through a number of extremely unusual
experiences as the story unfolds. Think back on some of your favorite characters from past
novels that you have read. What do you think makes for an interesting protagonist?

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list to complete each sentence.

sprouted connection clutch leverage hesitated

logic throttle admission capitalism economy

1. Having the seat so close to the steering wheel gave the driver better _______________.

2. Even though the __________________ was pushed to the max, the mower still refused
to go fast.

3. The flowers _______________ to a magnificent height after the rainstorm.

4. It is important to learn how to operate the ____________ properly when shifting gears.

5. My brother _________________ briefly when he was picked to lead the expedition.

6. Carol’s ability to spin that yoyo simply defies __________________.

7. ____________ is an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership.

8. If the _______________ does not improve soon, many more people will be out of work.

9. The mayor’s ________________ that he accepted bribes was a real bombshell.

10. Does anyone here see the ____________________ between hard work and rewards?

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 Questions

1. What is the setting of this novel?

2. What was unusual about Grandma’s way of communicating?

3. Describe how the main character came to possess a lawn mower.

4. Grandma described her husband as a:

a) hoarder b) tinkerer
c) gardener d) mechanic

5. Chapter One ends on a rather suspenseful note when the author states, “And that
was how it all started.”

a) What event is the author referring to as having got it all started?

b) What do you think it was that got started by this seemingly simple event?

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 c) Investigate: Some would see the conclusion to Chapter One as being an example
of a literary device known as foreshadowing. What is foreshadowing, and how
might this statement be an example of it?

6. Think of one good adjective which would accurately describe the personality of the
main character. ___________________

7. What previous event had made the men of the neighborhood rather eager to hire a
kid to cut their grass?

8. Why didn’t he tell his parents about all the money he earned on that first day?

Good to Know
Eden Prairie, Minnesota is a real town. It is located 12 miles (19 km) southwest of
downtown Minneapolis and is the 13th largest city in Minnesota. Its population stands at
about 60,000 people.

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 Language Activities

A. Anagrams
An anagram is a word that is formed by changing the order of the letters
of another word. For example, the letters in the word PAN can also form
the word NAP. Follow these directions to form the anagrams:

a) read the clue in the right-hand column.

b) Using the word in the left-hand column move the letters around in any order, but you
must use all the letters.

The words in the left-hand column are found in Chapters 1 and 2 of our novel.

Word Anagram Clue

brake One who works in a kitchen
lever Frolic; spree.
pedals Ceased to be active.
simple Forces.
cost Narrow beds.
ears Long time periods

B. Place the following words from this chapter in alphabetical order.

economic 1.
expansion 2.
enough 3.
everywhere 4.
fancy 5.
elm 6.
funny 7.
eat 8.
cut 9.
eight 10.

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C. Personification is giving human qualities to something that is not human. In
Chapter One the author states, “The mower seemed to give a happy leap forward…” In this
sentence the mower is given human characteristics (it gives a happy leap forward).

a) Why do you think personification is a literary device used by many authors?

b) Create your own example of personification.

D. Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger is a popular device used by both writers of novels and movies.
The conclusion to Chapter 2 is an excellent example of this.

What is a cliffhanger?

Why do you think it is so popular with writers like Gary Paulsen?

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E. Sequence Chart
Choose what you consider to be the six most important events in these chapters. In each of
the six boxes below list the six events that you have chosen, describing what happened and
telling why you consider this to be an essential part of the story.

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F. The Diamante Poem.
There are many forms of poetry available to the aspiring poet other than
the rhyming poem. One of the forms of poetry that is the most fun to tackle
is the Diamante poem.

The Diamante Poem

The diamante poem has a distinct form and a distinct shape. Directions for creating one is
as follows:

Line 1 - Noun or subject – one word.

Line 2 – Two adjectives that describe Line 1.
Line 3 – Three 'ing words that describe line 1 (i.e. playing).
Line 4 – Four nouns – the first two are connected with Line 1, the last two are connected
with Line 7.
Line 5 – Three 'ing words that describe Line 7.
Line 6 – Two adjectives that describe Line 7.
Line 7 – One noun synonym for the subject.

Following the above instructions, try your hand at writing a diamante poem using an idea,
event or character from the first two chapters as your inspiration.

Title: _________________________________________

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 Extension Activities

Storyboard
A storyboard is a series of pictures that tell about an important event in a
story. A storyboard can tell the story of only one scene – or the entire novel.

Complete the storyboard below illustrating the events described in the first two chapters of
Lawn Boy. You may wish to practice your drawings on a separate piece of paper.

1 2

3 4

5 6

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