The Day It Rained Cats

Graphic novels have increasingly been used in the classroom over the past decade. Like traditional prose, they offer opportunities to learn about literary elements such as character, plot, and theme. The visual presentation can make a story more accessible and engaging, while also challenging readers to make inferences based on what they see—or don’t see. Our Can’t-Miss Teaching Extras provide links to resources for teaching graphic stories. Ask students if they have read a graphic novel before. If so, ask: What do you enjoy about graphic novels?

Ask students to predict what this story will be about based on the title, subtitle, and illustration on page 10. Review the predictions after reading.

Distribute or assign our Graphic Story Glossary to discuss words and features related to the graphic fiction format.

Invite a volunteer to read aloud the Up Close box on page 10. As students read the story, prompt them to look for important events in the plot of the story.

Click here for great ideas for reading as a whole class, in small groups, or independently!

1. The word root lev means lift. How does this connect to what levving is in the story? (vocabulary) In the story, levving is the power to lift things up in the air with just your mind.

2. Read pages 10 and 11. What event shows the first signs of a problem for Sheera and Grandma? (plot) The opening image on page 10 and first two panels on page 11 show us that Grandma is losing control of her powers. We know this because Grandma accidentally levved all of the cats in the neighborhood. Sheera and Grandma’s expressions also tell us that there is a problem. Sheera looks alarmed when she sees the cats falling from the sky, and Grandma looks ashamed.

3. How do the text and illustrations on page 11 show events that have happened at different points in time? (visual literacy) One way the illustrations on page 11 show that the events are happening at different points in time is through Grandma’s and Sheera’s outfits, which are different in the various panels. Another way is that the second row of panels looks like old photographs. In these panels, Sheera looks younger. In the final row of panels, Sheera looks older. The text shows us that the events are happening at different times because one of the panels says “Two years ago, just before I turned 10 . . . ”

4. Look at pages 12 and 13. Based on the images on these two pages, how do Sheera’s feelings about levving change? How can you tell? (how a character changes, visual literacy) On page 12, Sheera doesn’t seem to enjoy levving. She struggles to lev a remote and a can of beans, which we can tell from her frustrated expression and the beads of sweat rolling down her face. On page 13, she becomes more skilled and confident. In the final panel on page 13, we can see her folding laundry using her levving skills while looking relaxed and proud of herself.

5. In the final panel on page 12, Sheera says “Another night with my new BFF” as she tries to lev a can of beans. What is Sheera’s tone, or attitude, when she says this? (tone) Sheera’s tone is sarcastic when she calls the can of beans her BFF. She is frustrated with trying and failing to lev the can.

6. How does the event with the car on page 14 change Sheera? How is this a turning point in the story? (plot) The near accident increases Sheera’s confidence and her levving skill. After she levs Liam in a stressful situation, she is easily able to lev a can of beans, which is much lighter. It is a turning point because Sheera’s abilities and confidence take off after this event.

7. On page 15, why does Sheera feel like levving training has become a partnership? (plot) At the beginning of the story, Sheera is learning to lev, and her grandmother is her teacher. By the end of the story, Sheera isn’t the only person who needs help with levving. Instead, Sheera helps her grandmother with the levving tasks she used to do, making the lessons more of a partnership. 

8. In the final panel on page 16, why does Sheera lev the photo? (inference) Sheera levs the photo because she misses her grandmother, who has passed away. She’s remembering all the happy times they had together since she was young. By levving the photo, she’s honoring the skill her grandmother taught her.

9. What does Sheera sacrifice by learning to lev? What does she gain? How might Sheera have felt at the end of the story if she had decided not to learn how to lev? (plot, character) Sheera sacrifices being able to go to exciting events with her friends, like the IronWeaver book release, because she has to practice levving every day. But she gains the ability to lev and also a close relationship with her grandmother. She probably would have felt sad and disappointed that she missed the opportunity to learn something special from her grandmother. She might have regretted her decision.

10. Imagine levving were real. Would you want to learn how to do it? Why or why not? Think about both the benefits of being able to lev and the effort it would take to learn. (connecting to the text) Answers will vary.

11. What skill has a family member taught you? Explain the steps it took to learn it and the practice it took to get better. (connecting to the text) Answers will vary.

Distribute or digitally assign the Plot Skill Builder, which will guide students to respond to the writing prompt on page 16.