Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
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The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. She says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down. And just as he’s thinking there’s more to her than meets the eye, she’ s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed.
This is a classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny voices. Wendelin Van Draanen is at her best here with a knockout cast of quirky characters and a hilarious series of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. But underlying the humor are two teens in transition. They are each learning to look beyond the surface of people, both figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and who they want to be with.
This is my Amazon Affiliate Link. No extra cost to you but can provide many blessings for us!
When second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet, Juli knows it’s love. Bryce isn’t so sure. In the days and years ahead, Bryce (Callan McAuliffe) does all he can to keep his wannabe girlfriend at arm’s length – and the smart, independent-minded Juli (Madeline Carroll) continues to give him the benefit of the doubt. This tender coming-of-age romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner takes the pair from grade school to junior high, through triumph and disaster, family drama and first love, as they make discoveries that will define who they are – and who they are to each other.
Objectives For Youth
• Explore your own perspectives, prejudices and judgments.
• Find your passion.
• Take action in your community and school.
Step 1.) Read the book and see the movie.
Flipped opens in limited release August 6, 2010 and is in theaters nationwide August 27, 2010.
It is rated PG.
Reading Materials:
Flipped is an award-winning young adult novel written by Wendelin Van Draanen. Both the
book and the movie follow the relationship between Bryce and Juli from second grade to
junior high school, and explore all the ways their relationship changes during that time. The
movie follows the book almost exactly, but instead of being set in contemporary times, the
movie takes place in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
If you enjoy Flipped, you might enjoy other juvenile fiction written by Wendelin Van Draanen
from Random House Publishers. These include:
• The Sammy Keyes Series (1998-2010)
• Swear to Howdy (2003)
• The Shredderman Series (2004-2005)
• Runaway (2006)
• Confessions of a Serial Kisser (2009)
Step 2.) Participate.
Take part in meaningful discussions and activities:
• Re-write a scene in the movie from someone else’s perspective.
• Create a back story for a supporting character that might explain her character traits.
• Keep an activity journal to help understand what you love to do.
• Plant a tree to beautify the place you live.
Step 3.) Take the lead to help others.
Engage in a project within your community based on lessons learned in this curriculum.
Project ideas are included in the curriculum; there is also a free, downloadable service learning supplement to assist in the planning and managing of Flipped service projects.
Throughout the movie and book we experience a situation from two different perspectives.
While the viewer has the benefit of understanding the character’s actions through knowing
Bryce’s and Juli’s thoughts, there are many other characters in the story whose actions are
not explained. What would happen if we were to look at a scene from the movie from the
perspective of a character who is not Juli or Bryce?
Activity
In the movie, we experience both Juli’s and Bryce’s perspectives during the dinner scene.
In the following activity we will write a voice-over from the viewpoint of another character
about how the dinner scene progressed. How might things have seemed from the
perspective of others at dinner?
Try examining the scene from the point of view of one of these characters: Bryce’s sister,
Lynetta; Bryce’s grandfather, Chet; Bryce’s dad, Steven; Bryce’s mother, Patsy; Juli’s dad,
Richard; Juli’s mother, Trina; or one of Juli’s brothers, Matt or Mark.
1. Watch the scene in the film and listen to how Bryce and Juli respond to the dinner
situation within their voice over (or their inner monologue).
2. As a group, act out the scene using the script on the following pages. As you are
reading, think about how another character might respond to the same situation.
3. Write an inner monologue from one of the other character’s points of view. It should
be at least 8-10 sentences. Explain how you perceive those at the dinner table to be
treating you and others. Explain how you, as the character, feel about the situation.
Additionally, explain how you think Juli and Bryce are reacting towards one another.
Hints for reading and writing a script:
• V.O. means Voice Over. This is when a voice is talking over other activity or conversation in a scene. This is usually done by a narrator.
• O.S. means Off-Screen. This means a voice or other noise is heard, but not seen, in the shot.
• Anything that is not within a conversation is considered “action.” This is what the actors DO.
• When there are two columns of script, this means those actions or conversations are going on simultaneously (at the same time).
• When there are words in parenthesis within a conversation, these words tell the actor how to deliver (or perform) the line.
• At the beginning of each scene change you will see a line that might look like this: INT. LOSKI LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS ACTION – DUSK This means that the scene takes place in the “interior” of the Loski Living Room and action is moving, and the scene is taking place at dusk or early evening.
Objectives
• Discuss the reasons for differences in people.
• Recognize pre-judgments and prejudices, and attempt to change them.
Like Bryce, Juli wasn’t immune to making judgments against people either. She felt
extremely negatively towards Sherry Stalls. We have very little insight from Juli about why
she dislikes her so much, but we do hear a lot about Sherry’s hair. Juli says in the book (pg.
111) “To look at her, you’d think she had everything, but there’s not much solid underneath
her Mount Everest hair. And even though she’s like a black hole at sucking people in, it
doesn’t take them long to figure out that being friends with her requires fanning the flames
of a wildfire ego.”
We’ve learned why Bryce and Juli act the way they do, but we haven’t learned about
Sherry. If we knew more about Sherry’s thoughts and experiences, we might better
understand her behavior. If Juli took time to know Sherry, she might think of her in an
entirely different way.
Activity:
Write a character description for Sherry. Use the graphic organizer that is included on the
following page to help organize your thoughts and visualize how all the information you
are filling in about Sherry works together to make her who she is. In the graphic organizer,
focus on Sherry’s actions in the movie, her appearance, how she treats others and Sherry’s
feelings. Use these details that you explore within the graphic organizer to develop a
character description for Sherry. Within the character description, give Sherry a back story.
Some of the following questions will be helpful to answer.
• What is her family like? Does she have any siblings?
• Where does she live?
• Is she close with her family members?
• What are her extra-curricular activities?
In your character description provide some insight into Sherry’s life and what might cause her
to act a certain way.
Once you’ve written your own ten-sentence description of Sherry, get into small groups of
three or four. Read your descriptions of Sherry to one another. You’ll be surprised by how
many potential reasons there could be for Sherry’s character traits (or flaws, according to Juli).
Think of someone in your life who is more than the sum of his or her parts, and then use
the outline below to explain the different parts that make the person who he or she is.
An example using Bryce’s grandfather Chet has been done for you.
• Chet’s gardening gloves represent his hard work and helping hand to those in need.
• The wedding ring on Chet’s finger represents his love for his late wife and his appreciation of Juli’s
passion, which reminds him of his wife.
• On his head he wears glasses, which he uses when reading the paper and learns about Juli’s strong
will.
• The slippers Chet wears are quiet, which symbolizes his gentle nature and the way his quiet character
can sneak up and surprise others with his kind actions.
Each of these different qualities come together to make Chet the kind and compassionate
person he is. These traits help define his devotion to those he loves as well as his
considerate nature.
Now use the outline on the next page to develop and draw the parts of the person in your life
who is more than the sum of his or her parts. If you have spare magazines, you can cut out
pictures and paste them on the figure as well. When you are finished, explain to others in your
group who this person is, what each picture represents and why you feel like this person is
more than the sum of his or her parts.
What are some other body parts to which you could add items? Here are some ideas.
• Neck • Arms • Waist • Hair • Legs • Fingers and toes
There are people in your lives who are different from you because they come from a
different background. However, your grandparents, great aunts or uncles and older
neighbors all potentially lived during a completely different era! These people may even
have grown up during the era when the movie takes place. Use the following questions to
learn more about these differences.
1. How do you think the era during which your grandparents, great aunts and uncles or
other older acquaintances grew up influenced their perspectives?
2. Is it important to take into account someone’s age when interacting with him or her?
3. Why might Bryce have had difficulties talking to and understanding his grandfather
early in the story?
4. Why do you think Juli got along so well with Chet right off the bat?
There are also differences such as disabilities. Some people have physical disabilities,
some have emotional disabilities and some people have learning disabilities. This does not
make anyone less of a person, it just means different people have have different obstacles.
In addition to the obstacles these individuals have, their family members also deal with
obstacles. We saw this in the relationship between Juli’s dad and his brother, Daniel. The
scene where we learn what happened to Daniel to cause his situation is a very important
one. It shows us that we should not judge a person, especially without any additional
knowledge about that person.
1. How did Bryce’s dad feel about Daniel initially?
2. How did Bryce’s dad feel about Daniel when he learned how he became disabled?
3. Why did Bryce’s mother get so upset when she found out about Daniel?
4. How do you suppose Bryce’s mother’s reaction made Bryce feel when he learned
about his own birth?
Bryce’s grandfather was frustrated with Bryce because he was afraid to stand up to the
opinions of other people and was pressured into taking those opinions as his own. Even
when Bryce had different opinions than others, his actions did not align with his thoughts
and beliefs.
At one point in the story, Juli overhears Bryce talking in the library about her uncle, Daniel.
Bryce’s friend Garrett mentions that it’s no wonder someone in Juli’s family is disabled,
implying that there is something wrong with the rest of Juli’s family.
1. What does Bryce do in this situation?
2. Would you have dealt with that conversation any differently? How?
3. How does Juli feel about Bryce after she overhears the conversation? Was she
justified in feeling this way?
4. What would have been the best way to respond to the situation in the library from
the perspectives of Bryce, Garret and Juli?
5. Has a similar situation ever happened to you? In this situation, were you in Bryce’s
shoes, Garrett’s shoes or Juli’s shoes?
The library situation outlined above is an example of peer pressure. Peer pressure is
when your peers (people like you) convince you to act a certain way. Not only was Bryce
pressured by Garret, but he was also pressured by his father. Although Bryce’s father is not
considered Bryce’s peer, he is a remarkably strong influence on Bryce.
1. Why do you think Bryce refused to stand up to his father even though he often didn’t
agree with the things his father said?
2. Have you ever heard an adult (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend) say
something that was rude and/or untrue? Did you speak up? Why or why not?
3. Even though Bryce and Lynetta are siblings, they respond to their father in different
ways. What are the different ways Bryce and Lynetta respond to and interact with
their father? What impact does this have on their father?
Both Bryce and Juli experience an epiphany, or moment of clarity. Juli’s father would
probably say this moment was when each of them realized their passion. Juli found her
passion at the top of a sycamore tree when she felt like she could finally see the “entire
picture.” She loved that sycamore and it became a part of her life.
Bryce went through a few smaller moments. The picture of Juli in the paper made him
acknowledge her strength and conviction; and made him realize how much he actually
cared about her. His actions following the demise of Juli’s sycamore probably surprised him
as much as they surprised her. He had found his passion in Juli.
This section will discuss how finding passion is different for everyone.
Objectives for Youth
• Identify unique activities and topics about which you are passionate.
• Describe a personal epiphany or moment of clarity
Juli’s moment of clarity seemed to happen all at once while Bryce’s realizations happened
bit by bit, until his ideas and feelings about his family, friends and Juli had slowly
transformed. Juli’s catalyst for her moment of clarity was the sycamore tree. When she
climbed the tree she felt like she finally saw and understood the big picture.
Discussion:
1. Why do you think Juli had a major life-changing moment and Bryce’s changes did
not happen all at once?
2. What were some of the smaller turning points in the story for Bryce?
3. What are some of the smaller moments of clarity that Juli experienced?
4. Why did Juli get so frazzled when she discovered Bryce’s feelings after her moment
of clarity helped her feel so sure about so many things?
5. Have you ever had an epiphany? What did you realize? Did something inspire this
moment (like the view from the sycamore tree)? What?
In the story, Juli was very active and made sure she didn’t miss out on any opportunities.
She raised chickens because her teacher encouraged her. She sold eggs. She did well in
school. She climbed trees. She even did manual labor in her yard and enjoyed it!
Think about some of Juli’s passions, and then consider what it is you really love to do.
Activity:
Keep a journal of everything you do in a week. Use the worksheet on the next page to
record your daily activities. Whatever you do, jot that activity down and record how much
time you spent doing it. If it was an activity you did because you wanted to, place a plus
sign next to it. If it was an activity your parent, guardian, teacher or babysitter told you to
do, put a check next to it.
• At the end of the week, go through and decide which
activities you enjoyed.
• Circle the activities you enjoyed doing.
• Cross out the activities you didn’t enjoy (just one line so
you can still read it).
• Make a new list of all the activities that are circled, and
then figure out how much time you spent doing those
activities.
• Are there any activities that you circled that were
requested by someone else, or were most activities you
wanted to do?
• Did you spend more time on the activities you enjoyed than the ones you didn’t enjoy?
Was this by choice?
• Are there things that showed up on this list that you would have expected to be there?
• Is there something that you would have expected to be on this list that was not? What?
This list that you have completed gives a lot of insight into activities that you enjoy whether
you know it or not. As you get older and start imagining the things you’d like to do for a job,
it’s important to look at what you know you enjoy. Would someone who rock climbs four
days a week like a job where he or she sits at a desk eight hours a day? Possibly, but it’s something to think about.
In the film, Juli’s sycamore tree was cut down. Although Bryce didn’t try to help her save
the tree because he didn’t understand her connection to it, he later tried to fix the problem
by planting a new tree. Juli recognized that the sycamore from Bryce would grow tall and
strong; and in one hundred years it could be as magnificent as her beloved tree that was
destroyed.
Activity
Plant a Tree!
Planting a tree can be harder than it looks because trees are often big and expensive. If
they aren’t planted correctly they can die within the first few years. Make sure to follow
these instructions so that you have the best possible success when planting your own tree.
1. Find a place to plant your tree. If it’s on private
property, make sure you ask permission of the owner
of the property. If it’s in a park, make sure to contact
the parks department to ask permission. You must
ask permission to plant a tree wherever it goes.
2. Research the types of trees that grow in your
neighborhood. What would be the best tree for this
spot? Look for something native to the area and
something that will fit well with the surroundings.
Many beautification programs in cities are great
places to contact. You can often get a free tree
from them as well!
3. Dig the hole – The hole should be as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. The
soil around it should be loose. If it’s not, then break the soil up with a shovel.
4. Remove the root ball from the container, if it’s still in one. Make sure the roots have
been untangled.
5. Put the tree in the hole. If there is burlap around the roots, untie it and leave it sitting
in the bottom of the hole.
6. Fill in the hole with dirt and make sure the dirt is packed tight. Step on the dirt, or
smash it with your hands. Do what you can to prevent any air pockets in the soil
around the roots.
7. Make a shallow well at the base of the tree to hold water, and then give your tree a
good soak to start it on its journey!
8. Name your tree and make sure to visit it regularly. It needs a lot of water (2 gallons
each week, unless otherwise instructed) its first year, and it should be mulched.
There are many other beautification projects with which youth can get involved, including
graffiti removal, cleaning local parks and planting community or container gardens. Please
visit these sites for more ideas:
American Forests
www.americanforests.org
Arbor Day Foundation
www.arborday.org/programs/volunteers/states.cfm
Keep America Beautiful
www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=getinvolved
Kids Gardening!
www.kidsgardening.com
https://1.cdn.edl.io/uaQ6J99MOf8WpHk2iSrAsUuz57PH2tzagRfB76VfNBqTVr9k.pdf
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The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. She says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down. And just as he’s thinking there’s more to her than meets the eye, she’ s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed.
This is a classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny voices. Wendelin Van Draanen is at her best here with a knockout cast of quirky characters and a hilarious series of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. But underlying the humor are two teens in transition. They are each learning to look beyond the surface of people, both figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and who they want to be with.
This is my Amazon Affiliate Link. No extra cost to you but can provide many blessings for us!
When second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet, Juli knows it’s love. Bryce isn’t so sure. In the days and years ahead, Bryce (Callan McAuliffe) does all he can to keep his wannabe girlfriend at arm’s length – and the smart, independent-minded Juli (Madeline Carroll) continues to give him the benefit of the doubt. This tender coming-of-age romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner takes the pair from grade school to junior high, through triumph and disaster, family drama and first love, as they make discoveries that will define who they are – and who they are to each other.
Objectives For Youth
• Explore your own perspectives, prejudices and judgments.
• Find your passion.
• Take action in your community and school.
Step 1.) Read the book and see the movie.
Flipped opens in limited release August 6, 2010 and is in theaters nationwide August 27, 2010.
It is rated PG.
Reading Materials:
Flipped is an award-winning young adult novel written by Wendelin Van Draanen. Both the
book and the movie follow the relationship between Bryce and Juli from second grade to
junior high school, and explore all the ways their relationship changes during that time. The
movie follows the book almost exactly, but instead of being set in contemporary times, the
movie takes place in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
If you enjoy Flipped, you might enjoy other juvenile fiction written by Wendelin Van Draanen
from Random House Publishers. These include:
• The Sammy Keyes Series (1998-2010)
• Swear to Howdy (2003)
• The Shredderman Series (2004-2005)
• Runaway (2006)
• Confessions of a Serial Kisser (2009)
Step 2.) Participate.
Take part in meaningful discussions and activities:
• Re-write a scene in the movie from someone else’s perspective.
• Create a back story for a supporting character that might explain her character traits.
• Keep an activity journal to help understand what you love to do.
• Plant a tree to beautify the place you live.
Step 3.) Take the lead to help others.
Engage in a project within your community based on lessons learned in this curriculum.
Project ideas are included in the curriculum; there is also a free, downloadable service learning supplement to assist in the planning and managing of Flipped service projects.
Throughout the movie and book we experience a situation from two different perspectives.
While the viewer has the benefit of understanding the character’s actions through knowing
Bryce’s and Juli’s thoughts, there are many other characters in the story whose actions are
not explained. What would happen if we were to look at a scene from the movie from the
perspective of a character who is not Juli or Bryce?
Activity
In the movie, we experience both Juli’s and Bryce’s perspectives during the dinner scene.
In the following activity we will write a voice-over from the viewpoint of another character
about how the dinner scene progressed. How might things have seemed from the
perspective of others at dinner?
Try examining the scene from the point of view of one of these characters: Bryce’s sister,
Lynetta; Bryce’s grandfather, Chet; Bryce’s dad, Steven; Bryce’s mother, Patsy; Juli’s dad,
Richard; Juli’s mother, Trina; or one of Juli’s brothers, Matt or Mark.
1. Watch the scene in the film and listen to how Bryce and Juli respond to the dinner
situation within their voice over (or their inner monologue).
2. As a group, act out the scene using the script on the following pages. As you are
reading, think about how another character might respond to the same situation.
3. Write an inner monologue from one of the other character’s points of view. It should
be at least 8-10 sentences. Explain how you perceive those at the dinner table to be
treating you and others. Explain how you, as the character, feel about the situation.
Additionally, explain how you think Juli and Bryce are reacting towards one another.
Hints for reading and writing a script:
• V.O. means Voice Over. This is when a voice is talking over other activity or conversation in a scene. This is usually done by a narrator.
• O.S. means Off-Screen. This means a voice or other noise is heard, but not seen, in the shot.
• Anything that is not within a conversation is considered “action.” This is what the actors DO.
• When there are two columns of script, this means those actions or conversations are going on simultaneously (at the same time).
• When there are words in parenthesis within a conversation, these words tell the actor how to deliver (or perform) the line.
• At the beginning of each scene change you will see a line that might look like this: INT. LOSKI LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS ACTION – DUSK This means that the scene takes place in the “interior” of the Loski Living Room and action is moving, and the scene is taking place at dusk or early evening.
INT. LOSKI 131 DINING ROOM - NIGHT 131
The two families are now seated at the dinner table. Bryce
sits directly across from Juli. Food is being passed around.
After a few beats, they settle in to eat.
BRYCE (V.O.)
I had to sit across from Juli for an entire dinner. My dad
was right. We should have barbecued.
PATSY
I just want to say how wonderful it is to have you sharing a
meal with us. May it be the first of many.
Steven makes a choking sound.
STEVEN
(pointing to his throat)
The wrong pipe.
TRINA
Well, we couldn’t be happier. We’re all just thrilled to be
here.
Everyone starts eating. No one is talking, then:
STEVEN
Juli, you did a nice job with your yard.
JULI
Thanks. Chet was a big help.
STEVEN
Yeah. What’s your secret? I can’t get him to do a thing
around here.
PATSY
Steven.
STEVEN
I kid. I’m telling you, the whole neighborhood’s coming to
life. That new house is really taking shape.
PATSY
Which one?
STEVEN
You know, the one on the corner. Where they cut down that
ugly tree.
Richard pats Juli’s hand to calm her. Bryce notices.
BRYCE (V.O.)
I wanted to say that a lot of people liked that tree. But I
didn’t. I didn’t want to go against my dad.
Bryce looks over at Chet, who has been staring at him as if
waiting for him to make a move. When Bryce doesn’t act:
RICHARD
Some people thought that tree was the jewel of the
neighborhood.
STEVEN
Yeah, well there’s no accounting for taste. So, Matt, Mark,
I understand you’ll be graduating soon.
MATT
Thank God.
STEVEN
You don’t like high school?
MATT
Are you kidding?
STEVEN
No. High school was the best time of my life.
MARK
Not for us.
MATT
Yeah, we’ve had enough of that scene.
STEVEN
So I take it college is out of the question?
MARK
No, it’s a possibility.
RICHARD
They were accepted at a number of places.
STEVEN
Good for you.
MATT
But we’re going to give music a shot first.
STEVEN
Really?
(to Richard)
What do you think of that?
RICHARD
I want them to pursue anything that makes them happy.
STEVEN
Happiness is overrated.
LYNETTA
Their band is really boss. They did a bunch of demos, and
they’re so cool.
MARK
Thanks, Lyn.
PATSY
When Steven and I met, he was playing in a band.
TRINA
Oh? How did you two meet?
PATSY
We were high school sweethearts.
TRINA
Isn’t that nice.
LYNETTA
You? You played in a band?
PATSY
He was a wonderful saxophone player.
MATT
Cool. You still play?
STEVEN
Well, I...
MARK
Hey, if you want, you can jam with us sometime.
STEVEN
No, thanks... I don’t... that’s not me anymore.
Screenplay by Rob Reiner & Andrew Scheinman, based on the novel by Wendelin Van Draanen
Objectives
• Discuss the reasons for differences in people.
• Recognize pre-judgments and prejudices, and attempt to change them.
Like Bryce, Juli wasn’t immune to making judgments against people either. She felt
extremely negatively towards Sherry Stalls. We have very little insight from Juli about why
she dislikes her so much, but we do hear a lot about Sherry’s hair. Juli says in the book (pg.
111) “To look at her, you’d think she had everything, but there’s not much solid underneath
her Mount Everest hair. And even though she’s like a black hole at sucking people in, it
doesn’t take them long to figure out that being friends with her requires fanning the flames
of a wildfire ego.”
We’ve learned why Bryce and Juli act the way they do, but we haven’t learned about
Sherry. If we knew more about Sherry’s thoughts and experiences, we might better
understand her behavior. If Juli took time to know Sherry, she might think of her in an
entirely different way.
Activity:
Write a character description for Sherry. Use the graphic organizer that is included on the
following page to help organize your thoughts and visualize how all the information you
are filling in about Sherry works together to make her who she is. In the graphic organizer,
focus on Sherry’s actions in the movie, her appearance, how she treats others and Sherry’s
feelings. Use these details that you explore within the graphic organizer to develop a
character description for Sherry. Within the character description, give Sherry a back story.
Some of the following questions will be helpful to answer.
• What is her family like? Does she have any siblings?
• Where does she live?
• Is she close with her family members?
• What are her extra-curricular activities?
In your character description provide some insight into Sherry’s life and what might cause her
to act a certain way.
Once you’ve written your own ten-sentence description of Sherry, get into small groups of
three or four. Read your descriptions of Sherry to one another. You’ll be surprised by how
many potential reasons there could be for Sherry’s character traits (or flaws, according to Juli).
As a group or individually, read the section of the script below
and then take part in the discussion and activity that follow.
RICHARD
What’s going on with you and Bryce Loski?
JULI
What do you mean? Nothing.
RICHARD
Okay. My mistake.
JULI
Why would you even think that?
RICHARD
No reason. It’s just that you talk about him all the time.
JULI
I do?
RICHARD
Umm-hmm.
After a beat...
JULI
I don’t know. It’s something about his eyes, or maybe his smile.
RICHARD
But what about him?
JULI
What?
RICHARD
You have to look at the whole landscape.
JULI
What does that mean?
RICHARD
A painting is more than the sum of its parts
Juli still doesn’t understand.
RICHARD
A cow by itself is just a cow. The meadow by itself is just grass and
flowers. And the sun peeking through the trees is just a beam of light,
but put them all together, and it can be magic.
Discussion
Juli has a difficult time understanding what her father means when he talks about
something being more than the sum of its parts. Do you understand what Juli’s dad
means?
1. What is a sum?
2. To what parts do you think Juli’s dad is referring?
3. What would be considered “more” than the sum?
4. At times Juli thought that Bryce was more than the sum of his parts. What do you
think about Bryce? At the beginning of the story did you think he was more than the
sum of his parts? How about at the end of the movie?
5. Is there someone in your life who is more than the sum of his or her parts? Use the
activity on the next page to explore how this person is more than the sum of his or
her parts.
the outline below to explain the different parts that make the person who he or she is.
An example using Bryce’s grandfather Chet has been done for you.
• Chet’s gardening gloves represent his hard work and helping hand to those in need.
• The wedding ring on Chet’s finger represents his love for his late wife and his appreciation of Juli’s
passion, which reminds him of his wife.
• On his head he wears glasses, which he uses when reading the paper and learns about Juli’s strong
will.
• The slippers Chet wears are quiet, which symbolizes his gentle nature and the way his quiet character
can sneak up and surprise others with his kind actions.
Each of these different qualities come together to make Chet the kind and compassionate
person he is. These traits help define his devotion to those he loves as well as his
considerate nature.
Now use the outline on the next page to develop and draw the parts of the person in your life
who is more than the sum of his or her parts. If you have spare magazines, you can cut out
pictures and paste them on the figure as well. When you are finished, explain to others in your
group who this person is, what each picture represents and why you feel like this person is
more than the sum of his or her parts.
What are some other body parts to which you could add items? Here are some ideas.
• Neck • Arms • Waist • Hair • Legs • Fingers and toes
Discussion
Bryce couldn’t stand Juli at first. However, his views on her changed, and they changed
drastically. As Bryce’s views changed, so did his actions and treatment of Juli. Why do you
think Bryce disliked Juli at first?
1. How was Juli different from Bryce?
2. What changed Bryce’s feelings about Juli?
3. How did Bryce’s family shape his ideas? How did Juli’s family shape hers?
4. We all make mistakes about the character of certain people in our lives. Has there
been a time in your life when you realized something about someone that you didn’t
already know?
5. After learning more about someone, did you change the way you thought about and
acted towards him or her? How?
Flipped is a film that deals with people who have differences because they have grown
up with different parents and a different understanding about what is important in
life. However, all the characters in Flipped come from very similar religious and racial
backgrounds. Since the 1950s and ‘60s, the cultural diversity of America has increased
dramatically, allowing us to have the opportunity to have friends and acquaintances who
have more differences than the characters in Flipped. Look around you. There are probably
a wide variety of people who are remarkably different than you because you come from
various cultures, races and religions.
1. How much do you know about those around you? Do you let your differences stand
in the way of building strong relationships, or do you use your differences to help you
celebrate the unique qualities that everyone has to offer?
2. What are the differences between you and your friends? How do these differences
impact your relationship?
3. What are the similarities between you and your friends?
4. If you and your friends come from very different religious, racial or cultural
backgrounds, do you ever talk about these differences? Taking the time to learn
about different backgrounds from those with whom you are the closest is a
wonderful way of better understanding and celebrating your differences.
different background. However, your grandparents, great aunts or uncles and older
neighbors all potentially lived during a completely different era! These people may even
have grown up during the era when the movie takes place. Use the following questions to
learn more about these differences.
1. How do you think the era during which your grandparents, great aunts and uncles or
other older acquaintances grew up influenced their perspectives?
2. Is it important to take into account someone’s age when interacting with him or her?
3. Why might Bryce have had difficulties talking to and understanding his grandfather
early in the story?
4. Why do you think Juli got along so well with Chet right off the bat?
There are also differences such as disabilities. Some people have physical disabilities,
some have emotional disabilities and some people have learning disabilities. This does not
make anyone less of a person, it just means different people have have different obstacles.
In addition to the obstacles these individuals have, their family members also deal with
obstacles. We saw this in the relationship between Juli’s dad and his brother, Daniel. The
scene where we learn what happened to Daniel to cause his situation is a very important
one. It shows us that we should not judge a person, especially without any additional
knowledge about that person.
1. How did Bryce’s dad feel about Daniel initially?
2. How did Bryce’s dad feel about Daniel when he learned how he became disabled?
3. Why did Bryce’s mother get so upset when she found out about Daniel?
4. How do you suppose Bryce’s mother’s reaction made Bryce feel when he learned
about his own birth?
Bryce’s grandfather was frustrated with Bryce because he was afraid to stand up to the
opinions of other people and was pressured into taking those opinions as his own. Even
when Bryce had different opinions than others, his actions did not align with his thoughts
and beliefs.
At one point in the story, Juli overhears Bryce talking in the library about her uncle, Daniel.
Bryce’s friend Garrett mentions that it’s no wonder someone in Juli’s family is disabled,
implying that there is something wrong with the rest of Juli’s family.
1. What does Bryce do in this situation?
2. Would you have dealt with that conversation any differently? How?
3. How does Juli feel about Bryce after she overhears the conversation? Was she
justified in feeling this way?
4. What would have been the best way to respond to the situation in the library from
the perspectives of Bryce, Garret and Juli?
5. Has a similar situation ever happened to you? In this situation, were you in Bryce’s
shoes, Garrett’s shoes or Juli’s shoes?
The library situation outlined above is an example of peer pressure. Peer pressure is
when your peers (people like you) convince you to act a certain way. Not only was Bryce
pressured by Garret, but he was also pressured by his father. Although Bryce’s father is not
considered Bryce’s peer, he is a remarkably strong influence on Bryce.
1. Why do you think Bryce refused to stand up to his father even though he often didn’t
agree with the things his father said?
2. Have you ever heard an adult (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend) say
something that was rude and/or untrue? Did you speak up? Why or why not?
3. Even though Bryce and Lynetta are siblings, they respond to their father in different
ways. What are the different ways Bryce and Lynetta respond to and interact with
their father? What impact does this have on their father?
Both Bryce and Juli experience an epiphany, or moment of clarity. Juli’s father would
probably say this moment was when each of them realized their passion. Juli found her
passion at the top of a sycamore tree when she felt like she could finally see the “entire
picture.” She loved that sycamore and it became a part of her life.
Bryce went through a few smaller moments. The picture of Juli in the paper made him
acknowledge her strength and conviction; and made him realize how much he actually
cared about her. His actions following the demise of Juli’s sycamore probably surprised him
as much as they surprised her. He had found his passion in Juli.
This section will discuss how finding passion is different for everyone.
Objectives for Youth
• Identify unique activities and topics about which you are passionate.
• Describe a personal epiphany or moment of clarity
Juli’s moment of clarity seemed to happen all at once while Bryce’s realizations happened
bit by bit, until his ideas and feelings about his family, friends and Juli had slowly
transformed. Juli’s catalyst for her moment of clarity was the sycamore tree. When she
climbed the tree she felt like she finally saw and understood the big picture.
Discussion:
1. Why do you think Juli had a major life-changing moment and Bryce’s changes did
not happen all at once?
2. What were some of the smaller turning points in the story for Bryce?
3. What are some of the smaller moments of clarity that Juli experienced?
4. Why did Juli get so frazzled when she discovered Bryce’s feelings after her moment
of clarity helped her feel so sure about so many things?
5. Have you ever had an epiphany? What did you realize? Did something inspire this
moment (like the view from the sycamore tree)? What?
In the story, Juli was very active and made sure she didn’t miss out on any opportunities.
She raised chickens because her teacher encouraged her. She sold eggs. She did well in
school. She climbed trees. She even did manual labor in her yard and enjoyed it!
Think about some of Juli’s passions, and then consider what it is you really love to do.
Activity:
Keep a journal of everything you do in a week. Use the worksheet on the next page to
record your daily activities. Whatever you do, jot that activity down and record how much
time you spent doing it. If it was an activity you did because you wanted to, place a plus
sign next to it. If it was an activity your parent, guardian, teacher or babysitter told you to
do, put a check next to it.
• At the end of the week, go through and decide which
activities you enjoyed.
• Circle the activities you enjoyed doing.
• Cross out the activities you didn’t enjoy (just one line so
you can still read it).
• Make a new list of all the activities that are circled, and
then figure out how much time you spent doing those
activities.
• Are there any activities that you circled that were
requested by someone else, or were most activities you
wanted to do?
• Did you spend more time on the activities you enjoyed than the ones you didn’t enjoy?
Was this by choice?
• Are there things that showed up on this list that you would have expected to be there?
• Is there something that you would have expected to be on this list that was not? What?
This list that you have completed gives a lot of insight into activities that you enjoy whether
you know it or not. As you get older and start imagining the things you’d like to do for a job,
it’s important to look at what you know you enjoy. Would someone who rock climbs four
days a week like a job where he or she sits at a desk eight hours a day? Possibly, but it’s something to think about.
In the film, Juli’s sycamore tree was cut down. Although Bryce didn’t try to help her save
the tree because he didn’t understand her connection to it, he later tried to fix the problem
by planting a new tree. Juli recognized that the sycamore from Bryce would grow tall and
strong; and in one hundred years it could be as magnificent as her beloved tree that was
destroyed.
Activity
Plant a Tree!
Planting a tree can be harder than it looks because trees are often big and expensive. If
they aren’t planted correctly they can die within the first few years. Make sure to follow
these instructions so that you have the best possible success when planting your own tree.
1. Find a place to plant your tree. If it’s on private
property, make sure you ask permission of the owner
of the property. If it’s in a park, make sure to contact
the parks department to ask permission. You must
ask permission to plant a tree wherever it goes.
2. Research the types of trees that grow in your
neighborhood. What would be the best tree for this
spot? Look for something native to the area and
something that will fit well with the surroundings.
Many beautification programs in cities are great
places to contact. You can often get a free tree
from them as well!
3. Dig the hole – The hole should be as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. The
soil around it should be loose. If it’s not, then break the soil up with a shovel.
4. Remove the root ball from the container, if it’s still in one. Make sure the roots have
been untangled.
5. Put the tree in the hole. If there is burlap around the roots, untie it and leave it sitting
in the bottom of the hole.
6. Fill in the hole with dirt and make sure the dirt is packed tight. Step on the dirt, or
smash it with your hands. Do what you can to prevent any air pockets in the soil
around the roots.
7. Make a shallow well at the base of the tree to hold water, and then give your tree a
good soak to start it on its journey!
8. Name your tree and make sure to visit it regularly. It needs a lot of water (2 gallons
each week, unless otherwise instructed) its first year, and it should be mulched.
There are many other beautification projects with which youth can get involved, including
graffiti removal, cleaning local parks and planting community or container gardens. Please
visit these sites for more ideas:
American Forests
www.americanforests.org
Arbor Day Foundation
www.arborday.org/programs/volunteers/states.cfm
Keep America Beautiful
www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=getinvolved
Kids Gardening!
www.kidsgardening.com
https://1.cdn.edl.io/uaQ6J99MOf8WpHk2iSrAsUuz57PH2tzagRfB76VfNBqTVr9k.pdf
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