Model Explanation:
This shows Salva respects adult authority and strives to be honorable like his family, even when surrounded by armed soldiers and facing life-or-death danger.
Page 1 of 2 • Teacher Answer Key (Part 1) Part 2 Models on reverse page →
Part 2 Key
Teacher Reference
Scoring guidance, model prediction benchmarks, and exemplary written responses.
Nya's Hardship (2008)
Key Challenge: Natural Scarcity Nya must walk 8 hours every day in extreme heat through thorns to collect brown, muddy water. Her hardship is a relentless, repetitive physical test caused by drought and lack of infrastructure.
What They Both Share
Shared Mindset: Resilience & Duty Both characters are forced to grow up fast. They show immense physical endurance, obedience, love for family, and mental toughness by continuing forward when their circumstances feel hopeless.
Salva's Hardship (1985)
Key Challenge: War & Displacement Salva faces sudden political violence. Gunfire destroys his school, separating him from his parents. He faces soldiers, terror, and total isolation when his refugee group abandons him in a barn.
Exemplary Prediction (Thematic / Water):
"I predict Nya and Salva will connect later because Salva will survive the war as a refugee, grow up, and return to Sudan to help bring clean drinking water or build a well for Nya's village so girls like her do not have to walk all day."
Acceptable Student Variations & Teacher Tip:
Students may guess they are family members (e.g., father/daughter or grandfather/granddaughter) or will cross paths during a journey. Teaching Tip: Praise any logical prediction tied to the setting and conflict. Remind students who know the true story not to spoil it for classmates!
Sample High-Scoring Response (Nya Choice):
[Claim] I believe Nya faces the harder challenge because her struggle never ends. [Evidence] In Chapter 1, she walks for hours in baking heat, and in Chapter 3, she gets a thorn stuck deep in her foot. [Reasoning] This proves she is remarkably determined because her family depends on water to live, so she pushes through pain every single day without quitting.
Sample High-Scoring Response (Salva Choice):
[Claim] I believe Salva faces the harder challenge because his life changes in one terrifying instant. [Evidence] In Chapter 1, gunfire attacks his classroom, and in Chapter 3, he wakes up abandoned in an empty barn. [Reasoning] This proves he must be extraordinarily brave because he is an eleven-year-old child who must survive alone in a deadly war zone.
Quick 3-Point CER Scoring Criteria:
3 - Proficient / Exemplary: Clear claim choosing one character; cites 2 accurate text details from Ch. 1–3; provides clear reasoning connecting trait to survival.
2 - Approaching: Identifies a character and trait; references general story events without specific quotes/details; reasoning is brief or unclear.
1 - Emerging (Needs Support): Chooses a character without citing text evidence; confuses character traits with emotions; lacks reasoning to connect ideas.
Page 2 of 2 • Teacher Answer Key (Part 2) A Long Walk to Water Curriculum Resource
Look at Page 1 of your organizer: What evidence did you write for Nya? Partner Share
Close Reading
Chapters 1–2 Scene
Text Evidence (Chapter 1 & 2):
"The teacher shouted: 'Go quickly, all of you! Into the bush! Don't run home!'... Salva's legs moved before his brain had time to think."
Salva is terrified and wants to go home to his mother. Why does he listen to his teacher instead of running toward his village?
Sentence Starter: "Salva shows he is obedient / brave because..."
Look at Page 1 of your organizer: What trait did you choose for Salva? Partner Share
Step 2 Prediction Challenge
Making Inferences
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Salva's story begins in 1985. Nya's story takes place in 2008. They live 23 years apart.
Prediction Sentence Frames for Step 2:
• "I predict Nya and Salva will connect later because Salva will..."
• "I think their stories are connected by water because..."
Turn to Page 2 of your graphic organizer and write your Step 2 prediction! Ready to Write →
