GROWING DOWN

How does Mr. Brown feel about the kids in town?

• He is jealous of how young they are.

• He doesn’t understand why they act the way they do.

• He doesn’t like them because they are mean.

• He wants to protect their sense of childlike wonder.

All of the following questions in stanza 2 are examples of __________.

• activities in which children partake.

• activities children are forbidden from.

• activities in which adults wish to partake.

• activities adults dislike.

When Mr. Brown decides to “grow down” __________.

• He decides never to grow up.

• He has a good time.

• He makes more friends.

• He starts to annoy the other adults.

The theme of the poem is: Children’s innocence allows them to better appreciate the small joys of life.

Identify a quote from Mr. Brown that supports this theme.

• "Why must you shout when I'm lying down?"

• Why don’t you grow up?” grumped Grow-Up Brown.

• “It’s much more fun, this 'growin’ down.”

• One day we said to Grow-Up Brown,“Hey, why don’t you try growing down?

In the beginning of the poem, what is Mr. Brown's attitude towards the children?

• Caring

• Hopeful

• Loving

• Annoyed

In the final stanza of the poem, what mood is created for the reader by Shel Silverstein?

• Funny

• Serious

• Fearful

• Hopeless

How many stanzas are in the poem?

• 1

• 3

• 80

• 5

Mr. Brown did not do one of the following things when he grew down in the poem:

• Play kickball

• Eat forty-seven ice cream cones

• Learn how far he could spit

• Run out barefoot in the rain

Which of the following best describes the theme of the poem?

• Children's innocence allows them to better appreciate the small joys of life.

• While it may be less fun to grow up, eventually all children need to.

• Children don't have the worries or cares that adults do.

• Adults are unable to understand the joy that children get from life.

What does it mean when the kids suggest Mr.Brown "try growing down" in line 18?

• to enjoy life

• to act younger

• to be less responsible

• to stop aging