Because of Winn-Dixie

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What does the term “community” mean to you? What are the benefits of being part of a community?

Teaching Suggestion: Opal, the novel’s protagonist, has recently moved to Naomi, Florida far away from her friends. She often feels lonely in the early part of the novel before meeting a cast of characters that help her to build a sense of community. Consider discussing what community is by establishing a class-created definition for the word before students respond. Students may want to share their thoughts on why it may be valuable before using the resources.

• This 4-minute video describes the concept of community and why it is important.
• This article explores what community is and how to cultivate it.

Short Activity

Observe character collages to make predictions about the characters Opal meets in Because of Winn-Dixie. Record your predictions and discuss possible scenarios involving the characters.

Teaching Suggestion: Opal makes her first friend in Naomi when she stumbles on a stray dog in the Winn-Dixie grocery store. The dog, whom she names Winn-Dixie, becomes the catalyst for the friendships Opal makes with others in her community. Consider creating collages for the characters using the suggested bulleted elements for students to observe and make predictions about their role in the novel. One way this activity can be completed is through a gallery walk. Students can circulate the room in small groups observing the collages and jotting thoughts about their possible role near or on the pictures. Consider revisiting the pictures as the novel progresses to update predictions.

• The Preacher—a turtle, a church, their trailer home
• Miss Franny Block—litmus lozenge (candy), a bear, a library
• Otis—the pet shop, a guitar, Gertrude (a parrot)
• Gloria Dump—bottles, peanut butter, glasses
• Winn-Dixie—peanut butter, thunderstorm, smiles, Winn-Dixie grocery store

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who require an additional challenge, consider asking students to collect pictures to create their own character collage of Opal as they read the novel.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Have you ever had to move to a new school, home, or other place where you did not know anyone? What would it feel to be alone in a new place without friends? In what other situations might people make new friends? What might be the best strategy for making new friends?

Teaching Suggestion: Opal’s new environment causes her to feel lonely and miss her mother who left her family when Opal was young. Opal’s father, the preacher, is often absent-minded, which further isolates Opal. Consider discussing the feelings that may arise in individuals who have been uprooted from their homes and are without friends. Students who have not had this experience can imagine how it might make them feel.