Dorian Cirrone: Author of Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You, Prom Kings and Drama Queens, and the Lindy Blues mysteries

Teacher’s Guide to
The Missing Silver Dollar
Created by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Pre-reading:

With a title like The Missing Silver Dollar what type of story will this be?
How are mysteries different from other stories? What types of things should a reader keep in mind?

What does a reporter do? What does Lindy mean by “the whole story?”

Discussion Questions:

Chapter 1
  1. What is the LBN? Who started it? How does Alex help?
  2. What happened at the white house? How will Lindy help?
Chapter 2
  1. What does a good journalist do no matter what?
  2. How did Amy know the money was missing?
Chapter 3
  1. What contest is Joshua preparing for? Who does he hope to defeat? Why? Who do you think will win?
  2. Why does Lindy suspect a connection between the contest and the missing silver dollar?
Chapter 4
  1. How does Lindy Blues feel about spying?
  2. What makes Will Malone’s rocket fly so high?
Chapter 5
  1. Who does Lindy suspect in this chapter? Why?
  2. What do they find on their search? Why does Amy start to cry again?
Chapter 6
  1. How is Lindy able to convince her older brother, Brett, to help her with the case?
  2. Which fact do you think is the most important to her case?
Chapter 7
  1. What items does Lindy collect? Why?
  2. What two things will affect the rocket’s performance?
Chapter 8
  1. Retell what happens at the rocket contest.
  2. How does Lindy figure out what happened to the silver dollar?
Chapter 9
  1. How was Opposite Day connected to the mystery of the missing coin?
  2. Why is it a good thing for the neighborhood that it was a mistake?

 

Projects:

Language Arts:
Become a news reporter for your own neighborhood. Even if you don’t have your own photographer, snoop out stories you want to investigate. Interview at least one person and give a report to the class as to what you uncovered.
Math:
Coin project. Assign each child a coin or money value. Have them research the creating of this piece into the American money system. They can create a pamphlet that answers the following questions:
  • How long that type of coin has been in use.
  • Whose picture is featured and why.
  • If it has gone through any design changes.
  • What material it is made out of.
  • Any details that they discover are interesting.
Art:
Draw or sketch your favorite scene from the book which is not yet illustrated.
Science:
Experiment with a penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and silver dollar to discover the following properties:
  • Heaviest coin
  • Lightest coin
  • Coins that float
  • Largest to smallest

 

Music:
Can you create a theme song for the Lindy Blues Network? These themes are generally quite short, usually upbeat and distinctive. Record it and play for your class!

 

This guide was created by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, a reading specialist and children’s author. Visit her website to find dozens of other guides and learn about her books.