Punching the Air

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

PART 1

Reading Check

1. What life event does Amal start his storytelling with?

2. Were more of the witnesses white or Black?

3. What does Amal call his mother?

4. What does Amal’s name mean?

5. Who threw the first punch in the fight that the court case is about?

Short Answer

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

1. Why does Amal’s mother insist that he wear a suit to court?

2. Why was Ms. Rinaldi NOT a good character witness for Amal?

3. What does Umi mean when she tells Amal, “[Y]ou walk on two legs, not four”? (“Picasso Face”)

4. What two “options” does Amal say are the only ones given to his people by “Lady Justice”?

5. What event from fifth grade does Amal look back to after the verdict?

6. How did Amal’s family get his bail money?

Paired Resource

“The Rose That Grew From Concrete”

• This is the titular poem of the book by Tupac that Amal gave his lawyer.
• Connects to theme of Freedom Is Worth Hoping for
• In what ways is this poem similar to the poems written by Amal in the novel so far?