Heidi
About
Heidi, an orphan, builds a strong bond with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. When she is sent into town to attend school and be a friend to a wealthy man's invalid daughter, Heidi becomes homesick for her Grandfather and home in the mountains.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Part 1 · Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
What’s the setting of this story?
Page 9 — In the Alps during the summer
9
Describe Heidi.
Page 9 — 5 years old; mother and father died; Aunt was taken care of her; brave and happy; thinks for herself
9
Why did Heidi have on so many layers of clothes?
Page 9 — It was easier to have her wear them then to carry them
9
Part 1 · Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Share two examples that Heidi’s grandfather was impressed with her.
Page 21 — When she made up her bed; when she set the table without being asked; when she guessed that he was making a stool for her
21
What nurturing action did the grandfather take at the end of this chapter?
Page 26 — He was worried Heidi would be afraid of the wind, so went to check on her
26
Part 1 · Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why hadn’t Peter ever been able to say he had enough?
Page 32 — His family was poor, and he didn’t get large portions to eat
32
Give two examples of ways Heidi helped the goats and Peter in this chapter.
Page 34 — She said she’d comfort Schneehopli on the mountain each day so she’s not alone; when Distelfinck almost jumped off the cliff, Heidi stopped him from fighting Peter by giving him some herbs; She stopped Peter from beating him and every other goat by giving her cheese and a good part of her bread everyday
34
Part 1 · Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
How does Heidi help the grandmother?
Page 49 — She brings her happiness when she visits; she brings her grandfather to fix up the hut
49
Why does the grandmother make Heidi sad?
Page 50 — She’s blind and there’s nothing anyone can do to fix it
50
Part 1 · Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What happened to Heidi in this chapter?
Page 54 — Her aunt came to take her to Frankfurt to be a playmate for a girl who is lame and in a wheelchair
54
How did grandfather feel about this?
Page 54 — He didn’t want Heidi to go; he was sad
54
How did Dete convince Heidi to go with her?
Page 57 — She said she could buy soft rolls for grandmother and bring them back to her when she’d like
57
Part 1 · Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What’s Heidi original name and who is she named after?
Page 61 — Adelheid; her mother
61
Describe Fraulein Rottenmeier.
Page 60 — She’s proper, mean, bossy, uptight, doesn’t like Heidi
60
Part 1 · Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What three names is Heidi called?
Page 69 — Heidi, Adelheid, Mansell
69
What view was Heidi expecting when she looked out the church tower?
Page 72 — One of trees and mountains
72
Should Heidi have brought the kittens home without asking? Why or why not?
Page 73 — Listen to your child’s answer
73
Part 1 · Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Why did it give Sebastian pleasure to see Fraulein Rottenmeier in distress?
Page 80 — It entertains him; he likes to tease her
80
When Fraulein Rottenmeier is so strict with Heidi, who protects watches out for her?
Page 84 — Sebastian and Klara
84
Part 1 · Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Describe Klara’s father?
Page 86 — Busy with work; kind; cares about Klara; wealthy
86
What charge did he give Fraulein Rottenmeier concerning Heidi?
Page 90 — That she always be kind to her and not let Heidi’s peculiarities be treated as sins
90
Part 1 · Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
How did the grandmamma change Heidi’s mind about reading?
Page 96 — She told Heidi to believe her and not believe Peter when he said learning to read is too hard
96
Why didn’t Heidi tell anyone she was homesick?
Page 96 — She might look ungrateful for everything the Sesemann’s have done for her
96
Who did Grandmamma teach Heidi will help her when she can’t talk to anyone else?
Page 97 — God
97
Part 1 · Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Why couldn’t Heidi cry when she read books?
Page 102 — Fraulein Rottenmeier will take the book away from her
102
Give two examples of how Heidi’s struggling?
Page 102 — She won’t eat and she’s getting thin; she covers her eyes, so she doesn’t see the sunlight and be reminded of Peter taking the goats up the Alm; she cries herself to sleep and cries when she wakes up
102
Part 1 · Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What’s convinced Herr Sesemann to send Heidi home?
Page 111 — The doctor: she’s so homesick she’s sleep walking and isn’t eating
111
Part 1 · Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why did Heidi thank the doctor when she left Frankfurt?
Page 117 — He’s the reason why she’s going home
117
Describe the reunion between Heidi and her loved ones on the Alm?
Page 126 — She and they were all delighted to be together again
126
Part 1 · Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
What did Heidi realize about her unanswered prayers?
Page 132 — That God had blessed her by keeping her longer in Frankfurt than she had wanted
132
What was the change grandfather experienced and what was the cause of it?
Page 134 — He turned to God again and looked truly happy; Heidi helped him understand that he could always turn back to God
134
What did the letter say at the end of this chapter?
Page 139 — Klara and the grandmamma were going to come visit
139
Part 2 · Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Why was the doctor hesitant to let Klara visit Heidi?
Page 143 — She has been so sickly during the summer and knew it wouldn’t be good for her
143
Why did Klara agree that the doctor should visit Heidi and how did she handle it?
Page 145 — Because she was so sickly; Klara was so sad she couldn’t go, but knew her father was doing what was best for her
145
Part 2 · Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
How did Heidi receive the doctor?
Page 150 — She was disappointed that Klara didn’t come, but was happy to see him
150
Why did the doctor the Alm would be good for Klara?
Page 152 — The fresh air would give her an appetite and she would want to eat
152
Part 2 · Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why did Peter clench his fists at the doctor?
Page 160 — He was taking Heidi’s attention away from him
160
Why did Peter stand on the hill with his hands open?
Page 161 — To show he was repenting for being disrespectful to the doctor
161
Part 2 · Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What was Heidi missing at their home in Dorfli?
Page 168 — She couldn’t hear the wind
168
Why is Peter going to be more serious about going to school?
Page 171 — He would rather go to school than take a beating for being unruly and missing school
171
Part 2 · Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What’s the plan Heidi contrived at the end of chapter 4?
Page 176 — To teach Peter to read so his grandmother could have hymns read to her everyday
176
How did Heidi convince Peter he should learn to read?
Page 176 — She reminded him that his mother would send him to Frankfurt and described what going to school there was like
176
Part 2 · Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
On page 184, what’s the sofa grandfather is describing?
Page 184 — The grass outside the hut
184
Why was Peter and the grandmother upset with Heidi’s company?
Page 186 — They didn’t want them to take her back to Frankfurt
186
What was the grandmammas and Klara’s reaction to the Alm?
Page 193 — They loved it and thought it was so beautiful; they both wanted Klara to stay up with a Heidi
193
Part 2 · Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why did Heidi’s grandfather have Klara stand every day?
Page 202 — To strengthen her legs
202
What’s Heidi’s grandfather trying to accomplish encouraging Klara to stand?
Page 202 — To help her walk again
202
Part 2 · Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Peter has been angry with Klara her entire visit. What could you say to him to help him understand and learn that it was important for Klara to be there?
Page 204 — Listen to your child’s answer
204
What had Klara accomplished in this chapter?
Page 211 — She walked with the help of Heidi and Peter
211
On page 213, the author wrote that something lay in Peter’s stomach which gnawed and choked him with every mouthful he ate. What was it?
Page 213 — His guilt from pushing Klara’s chair over the cliff
213
Part 2 · Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Why was Peter so paranoid the beginning of this chapter?
Page 217 — He had made a wrong choice and he was full of guilt
217
Why didn’t the grandmamma want to punish Peter?
Page 225 — He had been punished enough through his guilt
225
How is Grandfather’s wish being granted?
Page 229 — Herr Sesemann will take care of Heidi like she was his own and the doctor is moving to the area, and he’ll take care of her too so she can stay on the Alm
229
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