Characterization of donald zinkoff from the book loser

Donald is not allowed to go to work with his father on the real take your kid to work day so he gets his own take donald zinkoff to work day. Loser, by jerry spinelli, is one of my favorite fiction novels. As the novel begins, the narrator has just attended the funeral of. From the very start, its clear that zinkoff, as he is called, is rather different from other children. The baby eyes dont drop out, nor are there eye fairies around to leave quarters under pillows, but new eyes do arrive nevertheless. Its about a boy named donald zinkoff when hes starting kindergarten all the way to the fifth grade.

Nov 08, 2009 jerry spinellis loser is the story of a young boy named donald zinkoff and his trials and tribulations through primary and secondary school. What does zinkoff wear his first day of school despite his mother telling him not. The characters in loser by jerry spinelli i got this of wiki. Loser is a very appropriate title for the books if of a boy named donald, who is seemingly a nice kid, enjoys going to school, talks to old ladies and laughs. Which character in the book is the author describing in the first chapter. But zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips over his own feet, and falls down with laughter over a word like jabip. Donald zinkoff, the main character, is beginning first grade when the novel opens, and he is in sixth grade when it ends. When he gets his hat taken away, zinkoff doesnt even realize that the boy is trying to pick on him, instead he tells the boy that he can have the hat. Teachers and students all know that theres something different about zinkoff, but they arent sure exactly what it is.

Loser is a tender story about donald zinkoff, a young character who demonstrates great selfacceptance and who is not afraid to fail. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of loser. Jun 28, 2015 zinkoff is rarely sad, during this scene he is being bullied but doesnt even realize. But as donald zinkoff gets older, the other kids realize what a loser he really is. Loser by jerry spinelli, character traits, donald zinkoff, character map, novel studyloser by jerry spinelli now has a character map for the main character, donald zinkoff. This classic book is perfect for fans of gordon korman and carl hiaasen. Summary the novel is all about a young boy named donald zinkoff.

Shes probably eight years old at the end of the book. The book loser by jerry spinelli is a very good book. The book starts with donald zinkoff in first grade, and. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In the early grades, zinkoff may be a little odd but his peers have not yet learned how and why to exclude certain children. Penn is a confident young man and he never allows what other people say or do to him change how he feels about himself. Around fourth grade something similar happens with eyes. Then it seems everyone has a new name for zinkoff, everyone seems to realize that he is a loser. Loser is unique for being written in the second person.

Take this quiz to find out if you understood what you read. Zinkoff s father a mailman who delivers across the town and is very supportive of zinkoff. Just like other kids, zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to be like his dad when he grows up. The reason i didnt give the book 3 stars is because of the main characters in the book. This characters central trait in his personality is his kindness, which also could be described as his ability to love. On the first day of first grade, donald shows himself to be a peculiar child. Mar 24, 2008 zinkoff s efforts to find a little girl lost in a snowstorm dont make him a heroin fact they make him even more of a laughingstockbut one boy, getting up a football game, looks at donald and sees something he doesnt understand and cant stop himself from choosing zinkoff for his side. No matter what donald does, disaster seems to follow him. How the book loser made a difference in my classroom. The thing about zinkoff is that he doesnt realize those are problems. Although the book never says so outright, many people have thought that the character had to be. Yet, while his fellow students continuously point out his flaws and weaknesses, donald somehow remains positive and true to himself.

Jerry spinelli talks about his own childhood and what influenced him to create zinkoff the lead character in his bestselling book, loser. I personally did not like this book it was very long and for a long period of time their was nothing going on. One of the older kids in his elementary school takes his hat from him. His novels are recognized for their humor and poignancy, and his characters and situations are often drawn from his reallife experience as a father of six children. Zinkoff his parents donald is a very outgoing and energetic kind of kid. Other kids have their own word to describe him, but zinkoff is too busy to hear it. Donald zinkoff cant sit still, cant stop laughing, falls over his own feet, adores school and silly words and his family, is prone to throwing up due to a defective stomach valve, is impervious to peer pressure, and never frets about being perennially last in any competition just as hes last in the alphabet. The loser list was a very funny book because of one of the pages when he was covered in all mud with very few clothes on to cover himself. The book is unique among spinellis work in that is entir. Who are the characters from loser by jerry spinelli answers. We have incredible discussions while reading loser because my students like donald so much. Loser is the story donald zinkoff as he moves from the first through the sixth grades. For example, on bring donald zinkoff to work day, which is a sunday, his dad, a mailman, decides to let zinkoff deliver one hundred handmade letters to the houses in their neighborhoods. Zinkoff as others know him possesses an inner joy that baffles most people.

Jerry spinelli received the newbery medal for maniac magee and a newbery honor for wringer. In essence, it is the story of how winners and losers are created. His other books include smiles to go, loser, space station seventh grade, who put that hair in my toothbrush. Loser is a coming of age young adult novel first published in 2002 by american author jerry spinelli. He insists on wearing a giraffe hat to school on his first day, he makes more noise than. As wertheimer comes to see the accuracy of this epithet, he gradually loses his grip on life. Until field day in the 4th grade, his fellow students dont really notice zinkoff s problems either. Most of zinkoff s classmates believe he is a loser. All of the book is written in the thirdperson he, except the very beginning, when. Explain the nature of competition and whether or not there is such a thing as healthy competition. Zinkoff stands at the front window, looking at all the kids walking to school. This gave him a difficulty to deal with the other kids. Because of his offbrand sense of humor and his lack of demonstrable ability in sports, academics, or social skills, hes an outcast at school.

The book follows zinkoff during his developmental years through elementary and middle school. Loser jerry spinelli is an american author who likes writing novels for children on their adolescence and early adulthood stage. After failing horribly in a track and field race, hes branded loser which kinda sticks with him for years, even into middle school. One of bernhards most acclaimed novels, the loser centers on a fictional relationship between piano virtuoso glenn gould and two. Oct 20, 2011 donald zinkoff from loser by jerry spinelli. The old woman becomes friends with donald and when donald runs away from school because he. Most of my fifth graders say donald zinkoff is their favorite character of any book they read all year. By doing this donald mets an old woman who uses a walker. With a name like loser, i really expected to hate this book and feel sorry for the main character throughout the entire story.

Donald zinkoff from loser by jerry spinelli elementary curriculum. Do not pick this book up if you want linear narrative. His formal innovation ranks with beckett and kafka, his outrageously cantankerous voice recalls dostoevsky, but his gift for lacerating, lyrical, provocative prose is incomparably his own. With the encouragement of his family, he learns to approach life with a positive spirit and to enjoy all that it has to offer. My students immediately were engaged in the book and it has a wonderful message. This story is about a boy named donald zinkoff and his family polly zinkoff, his little sisterand mr. In fact, in the book, loser, by jerry spinelli, the characters donald zinkoff and gary hobin have struggles. Language arts book summary maybe a little kid can get away with wearing a giraffe hat, yelling yahoo. The name of the elementary school that donald zinkoff is never mentioned in the novel, loser.

Loser is an unusual book, because it does not just describe the life of a boy, but reads like a case history. Zinkoff young, strange boy who is very curious and different compared to all the other kids main character zinkoff s mother worries about zinkoff a lot and is very nice. What happens in the book loser when zinkoff is in the fifth grade. Donald writes one hundred letters and delivers them. The main setting of the story loser by jerry spinelli is in a small, interesting town.

Claudia little girl who lives near zinkoff and is kept on a leash by her mother. Hes a little too enthusiastic and hes always laughing. The story mostly takes place at zinkoff s house, john w. Zinkoff is a lovable character, he is a young boy who loves to laugh, cant sit still, loves going to school and going to work with his dad. He wears the giraffe hat his dad bought for him at the zoo. It details the growth of donald zinkoff, who is branded a loser by his classmates due to his clumsiness, poor performance in school and athletics, and sometimes clueless enthusiasm. Jerry spinellis loser is the story of a young boy named donald zinkoff and his trials and tribulations through primary and secondary school.

I wanted to share some discussion topics that will impact the way your students act when they see kids being picked on. One way that spinelli characterizes zinkoff is by exemplifying the ways in which he brings joy to those around him. This chapter book starts off with zinkoff in the first grade where he appears a bit quirky but is a good hearted enthusiastic little boy who loves school. What is the plot of the book loser bby jerry spineli. The main plot of the story is that donald zinkoff has horrible handwriting, is clumsy, and is a loser to everyone else. Use this fun and engaging activity to get students thinking more deeply about character traits, motive and action. The book starts with donald zinkoff in first grade, and takes him up until sixth grade. Where would donald zinkoff rather be than being at home. Iam able to recount each character and the circumstances thatwere important in their lives. Zinkoff is discovered by these critical eyes that dont understand his humor or perspective. Chad ochocinco changed his name from chad javon johnson to chad ochocinco this. But zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips. The loser community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author. Donald zinkoff what happens in the book loser answers.

Donald zinkoff he is a very hyper child who always loses at things, hence the title loser, and hates to sit still. Zinkoff is one of the most unusual, endearing characters ever to grace the pages of a novel for young readers. Thomas bernhard was one of the most original writers of the twentieth century. Donald,more commonly referred to as zinkoff is the. From renowned newberywinning author jerry spinelli comes a powerful story about how not fitting in just might lead to an incredible life. Loser by jerry spinelli and steve buscemi audiobook. Fortunately, zinkoff is so wrapped up in the amazing world around him that his good. The story is written with an omniscient narrator, and even though the plot could focus on the kids that teased zinkoff, it focuses on zinkoff. Without being didactic the author shows how kindness, acceptance and the lack thereof affect donald and those around him. Satterfield elementary school, and in zinkoff s neighborhood. Donald zinkoff isnt like other kids his age, but this isnt apparent until the end of elementary school. Donald zinkoff from loser by jerry spinelli elementary. Jerry spinellis novel, loser, chronicles the childhood of donald zinkoff. Loser is a tender story about donald zinkoss, a young character who demonstrates great selfacceptance and who is not afraid to fail.

The main characters of these books in some way are unconventional. Wringer, stargirl, and now loserare among my alltime most special books. This is a must read for middle schoolers to get a glimpse of bullying from a different perspective. His sister is polly, the girl on the leash is claudia, the moms name is katie, and his friend is andrew. The narrator, an austrian writer and former pianist from a welltodo family, suffering from pulmonary disease. Loser by jerry spinelli summary the book loser details the growth of donald zinkoff, an autistic boy. Loser by jerry spinelli donald zinkoff laughs easily, likes people, and loves school. See more ideas about 5th grade reading, authors purpose and teaching. This 22 page packet of materials was created by jean martin to use with students in grades 36 who are reading the novel, loser, by jerry spinelli. Jerry spinellis book loser is a comingofage tale about donald zinkoff, known to other kids simply as zinkoff. The main character in loser is donald zinkoff and the story follows him from kindergarten through sixth grade.

It would seem that the protagonist of the book loser by jerry spinelli is about a young man who is high functioning on the autism scale. Nov 19, 2014 it would seem that the protagonist of the book loser by jerry spinelli is about a young man who is high functioning on the autism scale. The part about the daughter isnt relevant to the family who ate cheese. They think he is a loser for not being good at field day, for his clumsiness, for his average grades, and for his silliness pg. Loser novel study guide grades 5 to 6 ebook lesson. What is the strange thought zinkoff tries to catch. It details the growth of donald zinkoff, who is branded a. Yalowitz4th grade teacher, gary hobinfast runner, pollylittle sister, mrs. The novel opens with a narrator noticing a kid in the distance. Zinkoff struggles with work, while hobin struggles to. Loser is a coming of age novel written by jerry spinelli about a boy named donald zinkoff, ostracized by his peers due to his clumsiness and clueless nature. The loser list a kid with not so good of a life as you by h.

Loser by jerry spinelli by jonathan galang on prezi. It details the growth of donald zinkoff, who is branded a loser by his classmates due to his cockiness, and sometimes clueless enthusiasm. Loser by jerry spinelli by andrew mineer on prezi next. Your job as character sketcher is to identify a characters actions traits and explain prove these traits, identify the characters goal which is what the character wants to do or accomplish, identify the problem and solution in the reading, and complete a sketch or illustration of the character. What does the author mean when he says, not yet, on page 7 of.

If you want it all laid out on a plate for you, if you are not prepared to think and work at this book and to read every word, every sentence every note so to speak then give this one a miss. He is oblivious to the world around him most of the time and his world is fun and carefree. Satterfield elementary school or monroe middle school. Who in the book do you think believes that zinkoff is a loser. Loser chronicles the childhood of donald zinkoff, who is one of the most unusual, endearing characters ever to grace the pages of a novel for young readers. Donald zinkoff from loser by jerry spinelli book clubs book club books teaching tools teaching ideas sensory details middle school reading unit plan always learning chapter books loser novel unit for grades 48 common core aligned. Loser what is the strange thought zinkoff tries to catch what is the strange thought zinkoff tries to catch. Zinkoff stays at her house one day when he skips school, and they have a discussion comparing jelly and jam.