Wonder Movie Guide

This movie guide is intended to complement the movie Wonder. A few questions are basic
understanding, but most are extension questions that require students to add a personal response or to
analyze the deeper meaning of part of the movie.

If you are looking for a way to keep students engaged, focused, and thinking while showing the movie,
this complementary activity will be perfect for your needs. It is aligned with the following CCS:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text;
provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the
grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

There are two different versions of this movie guide. You can use the first one, which is arranged in
sticky note format or the second, which is arranged in a more traditional layout. A couple questions on
the traditional format are more detailed (ex. - #34). The sticky-note format is just a different visual
appeal.

If you’re looking for additional movie guides to engage students during free days, sub periods, or after
testing, you may be interested in…

Happy Teaching!
Melissa ©Reading & Writing Haven
 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

1. What does it mean to

ordinary?
be
2. How was Auggie’s bir
according to him?
th funny,
3. ngs about
How are Auggie’s feeli r to
ila
starting fifth grade sim elings?
fe
many other children’s

4. What is your opinion

learn a lot about a pe

about
u can
Auggie’s theory that yo n by
rso
5. Why do you think Julia
to Auggie right away?
n is mean
6. advice and Au gg ie’
fe
s
r?
da
m’s
How does Auggie’s mo advice
d’s
about bullies dif
his or her shoes?

7. for what you shou

don’t like where
ld
yo u
s advice
What is Auggie’s mom’ you
do
ar
if
e, and is
8. What are precepts?
9. Who do YOU aspire to
kind of person are YO
be? What
U?

it effective?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

10. Why does Julian ask Au

he likes Darth
Star Wars? W
Sid
hat
iou
ar e
s
ggie if
fro
we
m 11. kind.” Give a specific
e between
“When given the choic choose
ex
d,
being right or being kin ple of
am 12. teacher asks about Ne
of Motion?
science
Why do you think the on’s
wt
An alyze
plies to your First Law
supposed to infer? how this precept ap how it might apply to
th e
own life. theme of the movie.

13. What is the map that

where we are go
the map that sh
ing
ow s
,
shows us
an
us
d what is
wh ere
14. Why do you think Justi
out of his way to
Olivia/Via?
be
n goes
nice to
15. claims she is an only
a/Via
Why do you think Olivi ?
child

we have been ?

16. Why do you believe Au

Jack Will copy of f of
science quiz? Is it the
ggie lets
him on the
right thing
17. Why is an astronaut co

daydreams?
stume a
fitting outfit for Auggie’
s
18. hurts Auggie’s feeling
s
y that
What does Jack Will sa the
rty
at
? What
school Halloween pa
h us ?
to do? does this scene teac

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

19. Auggie instead of talki

nda calls
Why do you think Mira to Via?
ng 20. Why didn’t Miranda ca
after summer camp ?
ll Via
21. What does the precep
deeds are your mo
n
nu
t “Your
me
wo
nts”
rds?
mean – in your ow

22. Did Jack Will respond n

appropriately when Ju
called Auggie a freak?
lia 23. Why does Nate say he
Auggie might be mo
Minecraft world?
vin
and
g to a
24. friends are hard to fin
that real
Do you think it is true Explain
d?
friend to
how Daisy was a real
Auggie.

25. What is your opinion

manner in which Jac
apologized to Augg
k
about the

ie?
Will
Explain.
26. To what television serie

mother ’s pu rse? Ho w
s
do
s does
Nate compare Auggie’ es this 27. Why do you think Mira
gives Via the lead ro
play Our Town?
le
nda
in the

nc e affec t the mo od and

refere
tone of the scene?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

28. How is it appropriate

or fitting
ovation
that Via gets a standing vie?
toward the end of the
mo
29. What do we learn abou
t why
does as
Julian acts the way he e
we watch the scene in
th 30. “Auggie can’t change
y we
the way

se
can
he looks, so maybe we What
e.”
change th e wa
principal’s office? does this quote mean
?

31. Why does Auggie cry

of the movie as he
the lake?
at the end
looks out on 32. Why does Nate hide Au
astronaut helmet?
ggie’s
33. Why is the movie calle
Wonder?
d

34 . greatness that Tushma

at graduation apply to
out
How does the quote abn reads
Auggie?
35. Do you agree that no

a standing ovation at
one is
all deserve
ordinary and that we st once
lea 36 . Why is it important to
and what do we
we really want to
need
see
be kind,
to
wh
do if
o
in our life? people really ar e?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

1. What does it mean to be ordinary?

2. How was Auggie’s birth funny, according to him?

3. How are Auggie’s feelings about starting fifth grade similar to many other children’s feelings?

4. What is your opinion about Auggie’s theory that you can learn a lot about a person by his or her shoes?

5. Why do you think Julian is mean to Auggie right away?

6. How does Auggie’s mom’s advice and Auggie’s dad’s advice about bullies differ?

7. What is Auggie’s mom’s advice for what you should do if you don’t like where you are, and is it effective?

8. What are precepts?

9. Who do YOU aspire to be? What kind of person are YOU?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

10. Why does Julian ask Auggie if he likes Darsidius from Star Wars? What are we supposed to infer?

11. One of the most memorable precepts from this movie is, “When given the choice between being right or being kind,
choose kind.” Give a specific example of how this choice might apply to your own life.

12. Why do you think the science teacher asks about Newton’s First Law of Motion (An object in motion will stay in
motion unless acted on by another force. It will only change its speed or direction unless something else causes it to do
that.) Analyze this law. How might it apply to the theme of the movie?

13. What is the map that shows us where we are going, and what is the map that shows us where we have been?

14. Why do you think Justin goes out of his way to be nice to Olivia/Via?

15. Why do you think Olivia/Via claims she is an only child?

16. Why do you believe Auggie lets Jack Will copy off of him on the science quiz? Is it the right thing to do?

17. Why is an astronaut costume a fitting outfit for Auggie’s daydreams?

18. What does Jack Will say that hurts Auggie’s feelings at the school Halloween party?
How does this movie show us the importance of thinking before we speak?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

19. Why do you think Miranda calls Auggie instead of talking to Via?

20. Why didn’t Miranda call Via after summer camp?

21. What does the precept “Your deeds are your monuments” mean – in your own words?

22. Did Jack Will respond appropriately when Julian called Auggie a freak?

23. Why does Nate say he and Auggie might be moving to a Minecraft world?

24. Do you think it is true that real friends are hard to find? Explain how Daisy was a real friend to Auggie.

25. What is your opinion about the manner in which Jack Will apologized to Auggie? Explain.

26. To what television series does Nate compare Auggie’s mother’s purse? How does this reference affect the mood and
tone of the scene?

27. Why do you think Miranda gives Via the lead role in the play Our Town?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

28. How is it appropriate or fitting that Via gets a standing ovation toward the end of the movie?

29. What do we learn about why Julian acts the way he does as we watch the scene in the principal’s office?

30. “Auggie can’t change the way he looks, so maybe we can change the way we see.” What does this quote mean?

31. Why does Auggie cry at the end of the movie as he looks out on the lake?

32. Why does Nate hide Auggie’s astronaut helmet?

33. Why is the movie called Wonder?

34. “Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves
only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory. He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most
hearts by the attraction of his own.” How does this quote apply to Auggie?

35. Do you agree that no one is ordinary and that we all deserve a standing ovation at least once in our life?

36. Why is it important to be kind, and what do we need to do if we really want to see who people
really are?

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide KEY

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

1. Answers will vary. Auggie is normal, but he doesn’t feel normal because of his facial deformities. Ordinary is not necessarily a
positive thing. It’s okay to stand out and be unique, but society can make us feel inferior if we aren’t like everyone else.

2. A teen doctor helped, a massive video camera recorded the situation, and his birth was a punchline – one that maybe wasn’t so
funny. Auggie has a self-depricating sense of humor in this scene.

3. Auggie is scared (petrified) because he is worried about starting middle school. Other children often feel nervous about starting
a new grade or entering a new school, but his situation is more severe because he looks different and doesn’t know how
everyone will react to him or if they will accept him.

4. Answers will vary. Auggie is partially correct, but judging a person by his/her shoes is a form of stereotyping. When we
stereotype, we can miss who people really are inside.

5. Answers will vary. Maybe Julian hasn’t ever been bullied and doesn’t understand how that feels. Maybe he’s seen that type of
behavior at home and thinks it’s normal. Maybe he feels threatened by Auggie in some way and is mean to him in an effort to
establish hierarchy. Auggie’s mom thinks it’s because Julian feels badly about himself.

6. Auggie’s mom says Auggie needs to be the bigger person when someone acts small, but Auggie’s dad says that Auggie should
push him back and not be afraid. Basically, Auggie’s dad is telling him not to take any garbage, and Auggie’s mom is telling him
to turn the other cheek.

7. Auggie’s mom says that if you don’t like where you are, you should picture where you want to be. It’s a good coping mechanism
in the moment, but it doesn’t solve the problem long-term.

8. Precepts are rules for really important things, like mottos, quotes, and lines from a fortune cookie. They help motivate us and
guide us when we have to make important decisions about important things. They reveal valuable insights about who we are.

9. Answers will vary.

10. Julian asks Auggie if he likes Darsidius because Darsidius is ugly and has facial deformities like Auggie. We should infer that this is
a burn because Darsidius puts his hand on his chest and says, “ouch.”

11. Answers will vary. Hopefully students will be able to identify a time when they chose not to make themselves look smarter,
better, or superior to someone else and, instead, decided to be humble and kind.

12. The science teacher asks about Newton’s First Law of Motion (An object in motion will stay in motion unless acted on by another
force. It will only change its speed or direction unless something else causes it to do that.) perhaps because in order for bullying
to stop, good people have to stand up for what is right, which requires bravery. Only then will the negativity move its speed or
direction.

13. Your heart is the map that shows you where you are going, and your face is the map that tells where you have been. It’s never
ugly, no matter what it looks like. Everyone has a unique beauty. As Via says, “You can’t blend in when you were born to stand
out.”

14. Justin seems to be very in tune with how people are feeling. He senses that Via is upset, and he goes out of his way to make a
connection with her. Justin’s kindness is the complete opposite of how Julian treats Auggie. This movie illustrates the two
extremes when it comes to how we should treat other people.

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide KEY

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

15. Via might be claiming she is an only child because she feels like she doesn’t matter. Miranda is the only person who
she truly had a connection with, but it seems that relationship has fizzled. Via’s parents don’t give her much
attention. She is just a planet circling around Auggie, who is the sun.

16. Auggie probably lets Jack Will copy off of him on the science quiz because Auggie knows that Jack needs help, and
Auggie wants a friend. It’s never the right thing to do to let someone cheat off of you, but the offense seems minor in
comparison to the feeling of isolation Auggie must have without any friends.

17. An astronaut costume is fitting because Auggie wants to fly to the moon, and it also represents exploration, freedom,
and encountering new territories. Astronauts are road pavers, and so is Auggie. The world is bigger than the small
middle school troubles that Auggie is experiencing. The astronaut suit represents how he will rise above them.

18. Jack Will says that if he looked like Auggie, he would kill himself. He also says that Auggie won’t stop following him
around after Tushman asked him to be Auggie’s welcome buddy. This scene is an important reminder that it’s so easy
for us to put our foot in our mouth at the wrong moment. What we say cannot be taken back. Apologies can help, but
words sting and scar.

19. Students might think that Miranda misses Auggie or that Miranda assumes Via is upset with her. Miranda just saw Via
with her boyfriend having fun, and maybe Miranda misses her relationship with Via but knows their divide is her
fault.

20. Miranda didn’t call Via after summer camp because she felt awkward. She spent all summer pretending to be Via and
didn’t know how to explain that. She is very unhappy with her life and doesn’t get much attention at home. It’s
slightly ironic that she pretends to be Via because Via is in a similar boat as far as feeling invisible at home.

21. “Your deeds are your monuments” means that what you do is what you will be remembered for. The takeaway is that
everyone should try to act with love and kindness. Those monuments are always something to be proud of. As
Summer says, “The things we do are the things that matter most.”

22. Jack will should definitely have stuck up for Auggie, but punching someone in the face to initiate a fight might not
have been the best approach. Involving an adult much earlier would have been the best option.

23. Nate says he and Auggie may be moving to a Minecraft world because they need to escape the heated argument
between Via and her mother.

24. Answers will vary. Daisy was a real friend to Auggie because she loved him unconditionally. Daisy was able to see
Auggie for who he really is on the inside.

25. Answers will vary. It seems a little bit insincere to apologize for something as hurtful as what Jack Will said over a
video game platform. It would have been more personal and believable to apologize in person.

26. Nate compares Auggie’s mother’s purse to Hoarders. This reference makes the mood humorous and the tone more
light hearted. Screen writers and novelists often incorporate humor to lighten the mood. The audience can’t handle
too much heavy content without any emotional breaks.
©Reading & Writing Haven
 Name: Class:

Wonder Movie Guide KEY

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you watch the movie. Be specific and thoughtful.

27. Perhaps Miranda gives Via the lead role in the play Our Town because she feels bad for not being a good friend to Via.
When Via’s boyfriend tells Miranda that Via’s family will cheer her on, she feels bad. Maybe she thinks Via deserves
that role more. Maybe for once in her life, Via should be the sun that everything else orbits around.

28. It’s appropriate that Via gets a standing ovation toward the end of the movie because it’s finally her turn to be
noticed. She’s the center of attention for once. Everyone can see her talents and appreciate her beauty.

29. We learn that Julian acts the way he does because he learns by example. His parents are rich and feel that they are
entitled. They think it’s normal to behave the way Julian has been acting. This scene is sad because Julian can’t
control the environment in which he is being raised, but we can see it is toxic to his relational development.

30. “Auggie can’t change the way he looks, so maybe we can change the way we see.” This quote means that we
shouldn’t judge people based on how they look on the outside. While Auggie can’t control his physical appearance,
he can control the type of person he is on the inside. Auggie’s inner beauty is endearing and inspiring. People need to
be able to see past the external and get to know who someone really is.

31. We can infer that Auggie cries because after all he has been through and after all the mean comments and bullying,
people are finally starting to rally around him. He now has a group of friends…something he wasn’t sure he would
ever have.

32. Nate hides Auggie’s astronaut helmet because he loves his son and wants to see his face. Nate loves the way Auggie
looks and was tired of Auggie using it as a crutch – hiding behind it all the time.

33. The movie is called Wonder because – as Auggie’s mother says at the end of the movie – Auggie really is a wonder.
He’s amazing, inspiring, and the epitome of a genuine human being. Readers and viewers should be left feeling a
sense o wonder after watching the movie. They should wonder how Auggie persevered as well as how they, too, can
be more like him.

34. “Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves
only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory. He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most
hearts by the attraction of his own.” This quote applies to Auggie because Auggie is not necessarily “strong,” but he
has strength where it matters. He is able to influence people and motivate them positively. Auggie’s inner strength is
a beautiful thing. It’s magnetic and attracts people who don’t even think they want to be attracted.

35. Answers will vary.

36. It is important to be kind. If we really want to see who people really are, we need to lose our close-mindedness, our
prejudices, our stereotypes, and our arrogance. We need to treat people with love and kindness, remembering that
every word we speak and every deed we do can bring life or death to those around us.

©Reading & Writing Haven

 Clipart Credit
Thank you to mae hates Mondays!

And Little Red fox shoppe!

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