The Science of Breakable Things

Using details from the text, find at least three examples in which plants are used as a metaphor for people or their experiences.

In her final letter to her teacher, Mr. Neely, Natalie says her “Wonderings Journal” for science class was one of the most important assignments she ever had. Why was the assignment so important for Natalie? How did it change her life?

How does Natalie’s mother’s depression affect other characters in the book? Use details from the novel to support your argument with examples related to at least three characters.

At first, Natalie struggles to share her feelings with anyone, but gradually she starts to “open up.” How does opening up and communicating help her? What are the obstacles to or risks of this process? Use examples or events from the text to develop your answer.

In what way does using the scientific method help Natalie sort out her ideas, experiments, and conclusions about her mother? Use details from the book to support your answer.

In what ways does Natalie grow as a result of Dari joining her and Twig’s science project team? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

The flower Natalie grew with her mother was an iris, not a cobalt blue orchid. What is the significance of this, and how does this information change the way Natalie views her mother’s depression and healing process?

Use examples from the novel to explain ways that people can be both strong and fragile at the same time.