Dinosaurs Before Dark

The questions inside

One per chapter, across all 10 chapters — every question is editable before you print.

1. Chapter 1: How do Jack and Annie discover the tree house, and what does their first reaction tell you about each of them?
2. Chapter 2: Jack wants to study the books, while Annie wants to explore right away. How do their different choices affect what happens in this chapter?
3. Chapter 3: How do Jack and Annie figure out that they have traveled to the time of dinosaurs? Use details from the chapter to explain your thinking.
4. Chapter 4: Annie names the flying dinosaur Henry. What does this show about her personality, and how is Jack's reaction different?
5. Chapter 5: Jack finds a gold medallion in the grass. What do you predict the medallion might mean or lead to later in the story?
6. Chapter 6: What important information does Jack learn from the dinosaur book, and how does it help him understand the world around him?
7. Chapter 7: Jack and Annie have to move quickly when danger appears. How do they work together, and what does this show about their relationship?
8. Chapter 8: How does the mood of the story change when the giant shadow appears? What words or events help create that feeling?
9. Chapter 9: What is your opinion of Annie's decision to ride on Henry? Was it brave, foolish, or both? Explain your answer.
10. Chapter 10: What lesson do you think Jack and Annie learn from their first adventure in the magic tree house?

Example answers

Printed at the front of the booklet, so your reader can see what a strong answer looks like.

Chapter 3: How do Jack and Annie figure out that they have traveled to the time of dinosaurs? Use details from the chapter to explain your thinking.

I think Jack and Annie figure it out by looking carefully at what is around them. They see real dinosaurs, not just pictures in a book, and the land looks wild and different from their town. Jack also uses the dinosaur book to compare what he sees with the facts in the book. These details help them realize the tree house took them back to dinosaur times.

Chapter 5: Jack finds a gold medallion in the grass. What do you predict the medallion might mean or lead to later in the story?

I predict the gold medallion is a clue about who owns the tree house. It seems too special to just be lying in the grass for no reason. Maybe the person who left the books also left the medallion. I think Jack and Annie will want to learn more about it after they get home.

Chapter 9: What is your opinion of Annie's decision to ride on Henry? Was it brave, foolish, or both? Explain your answer.

I think Annie's decision was both brave and foolish. It was brave because she trusted Henry and was willing to help when things were dangerous. But it was also foolish because she did not know for sure that riding a flying dinosaur would be safe. I admire her courage, but I think she should be more careful.