New Kid

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-3

Reading Check

1. What kind of vehicle comes to Jordan’s house to pick him up for school?

2. What color does Jordan notice a lot of Riverdale Academy Day School (RAD) students are wearing?

3. Who is the first student to sit down with Jordan at lunch?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What main concern does Jordan’s father have about Riverdale Academy Day School?

2. When Jordan first arrives at RAD, who are the only other Black people he sees?

3. Describe Andy’s key characteristics.

4. Why does Kirk take off instead of staying to hang out with Jordan?

Paired Resource

“There’s a hidden burden on students with scholarships” by Dasia Moore

• This Boston Globe Magazine essay realistically explores the experience of being a scholarship student at a prestigious school.
• This resource relates to the themes of Finding Confidence in Middle School and Balancing Friendships Across Social Class.
• How are the author’s experiences similar to Jordan’s? How are they different? How might a situation like this impact a student’s confidence? How might it impact a student’s friendships?

Chapters 4-6

Reading Check

1. What is Ashley Martin known for around school?

2. What sport does Jordan join?

3. Which student starts trying to hang around Jordan after Parents’ Night?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What mistake do some of the white characters make about Jordan’s and Drew’s identities?

2. In what way do Jordan’s parents act differently from the other parents at Jordan’s game?

3. What athletic accomplishment of Drew’s in Chapter 5 makes Andy upset?

4. What two things do Jordan’s parents argue about in Chapter 6?

Paired Resources

“Inequality at school” by Kirsten Weir

• This American Psychological Association article discusses research into the unequal treatment Black students often receive at school.
• (Teacher-appropriate, not student-facing due to length and complexity)

“The Bias Detective” by Douglas Starr

• This Science Magazine article profiles the work of a researcher seeking to understand implicit bias and the “other-race effect” which can cause people to confuse faces belonging to less-familiar racial groups
• (Teacher-appropriate, not student-facing due to length and complexity)

Chapters 7-10

Reading Check

1. What kind of food do Jordan and his grandfather eat in Chapter 7?

2. When Jordan is playing basketball in Chapter 9, what do some of the other kids start calling him?

3. What is the name of Jordan’s new art teacher?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What advice does Jordan’s grandfather give him about his friends?

2. How does The Mean Streets of Upton portray Black life?

3. What present do Chuck and Liam both give Jordan over the holidays?

4. Why does Alexandra wear long sleeves and puppets?

Paired Resource

What is Kwanzaa and How Is it Celebrated?

• A 4-minute video from Inside Edition that introduces the holiday and shares some of its traditions
• This resource relates to the theme of Maintaining a Black Identity at School.
• What does Chuck hope to accomplish by stressing the family’s Kwanzaa celebration? Why is he concerned about Jordan’s Black identity? What other things does he do to try to accomplish similar goals? How does Jordan respond? How does this video’s portrayal of Black culture differ from a portrayal like The Mean Streets of Uptown? How do you think that the non-Black staff and students at RAD see Black culture? Why do they have this perspective?

Chapters 11-14

Reading Check

1. When Jordan is on his way home in Chapter 12, what does he realize he has lost?

2. In Chapter 13, what word does Ms. Rawle use to describe how she thinks Jordan should feel about being allowed to attend RAD?

3. Who does Jordan choose to tell about Alexandra’s scar?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does RAD take back Collin’s scholarship?

2. What happens in Chapter 12 that causes Jordan to speak out against the unfair treatment of another student?

3. In Chapter 13, why does Ms. Rawle become upset with Jordan?

4. What kind gesture does Jordan make toward Andy at the end of the book?

Recommended Next Reads

El Deafo by CeCe Bell

• Award-winning middle-grades graphic novel about a deaf girl and her struggle to fit in at school
• Shared topics include the struggle to fit in, discrimination and bias, coming of age, superheroes, and friendship
• El Deafo on SuperSummary

Class Act by Jerry Craft

• Award-winning middle-grades graphic novel that serves as a companion novel to New Kid, told from Drew’s perspective
• Shared topics include the struggle to fit in, discrimination and bias, and coming of age
• Shared themes include Balancing Friendship Across Social Class and Maintaining a Black Identity in School and at Home