LISTEN
Hear chapter two read aloud, then talk, write, draw, and think about the story.
WHILE YOU LISTEN
Listen carefully and you’ll hear five places the Low Cuts visit. Write them down as you hear them and add a short sentence about what they do there. You can use your notes to add details to your neighborhood map!
TALK
Jason Reynolds describes the Low Cuts as a “braid of brilliance and bravado.” What does this description suggest about the group? Use the online dictionary linked below if you need to look up the words.
WRITE. RIGHT. RITE.
This chapter is one of the heavier stories in the book, especially at the end when we find out why the Low Cuts are gathering money for ice cream. For a lighter writing activity, can you imagine a new ice cream treat that would be the best gift ever for someone? Watch Jason Reynolds, then write!
THINK DEEPER
Was your first impression of the Low Cuts that they were up to no good?
Have you ever been unfairly judged? Why do you think someone formed incorrect assumptions about you? How did it feel?
Have you made incorrect assumptions about other people based on their appearance? Why is it important to try to fully understand an entire story before forming your options or making decisions? If everyone did this, how are some ways the world would be better?
Read more about first impressions and bias by clicking the button below.
MOVE AND WRITE
The story tells us that the Low Cuts are thieves, but they have a rule that they follow when they steal: “Only take loose change. No dollars. No jewelry. No wallets. Only change.” Why do you think it’s important to the Low Cuts to follow this rule? Do you think what the Low Cuts are doing is good? Bad? Somewhere in the middle?
With a parent’s permission, pretend you are a member of the Low Cuts and search your house for spare change. Check under couch cushions and go through your pockets. Remember to follow the Low Cuts rules: only loose change. No dollars. No jewelry. No wallets. How much loose change can you find?
Count up the coins you’ve collected. How much do you have? Write a story or a poem imagining what you could buy with these coins. Think of some creative ways you could use these coins to make something new, like the Low Cuts do.
LOOK BOTH WAYS
One meaning of look both ways is to look before crossing the street. Another is to look at all the sides of a person or situation before making a judgment. How is the importance of looking both ways shown in this chapter?
