1.	Copy of the book, Because of Winn Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo.
2.	Copies of vocabulary flashcards posted in the classroom.

The main conflict in Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo is Opal's abandonment by her mother. Opal and her father, who is a preacher, have moved to Naomi, Florida. It is in this small town that Opal learns to live with the loss of her mother with the help of Winn Dixie and other new friends her adopted dog helps her to meet. Kate DiCamillo's lovely, short novel is full of charming, quirky characters and beautiful life lessons. Winn-Dixie becomes Opal's true friend and her reason for being. He's afraid to be alone, and so is Opal, but now they have each other, and the goofy dog helps the little girl make new friends.

In chapter four of the novel, Opal asks her father to tell her ten things about her mama. One thing for each of the ten years of Opal's life. The ten things are: 1) Your mama was funny. She could make anybody laugh. 2) She had red hair and freckles. 3) She liked to plant things. 4) She could run fast. 5) She couldn't cook. 6) She loved to be told a story. 7) She knew all of the constellations, every planet in the nighttime sky. 8) She hated being a preacher's wife. 9) She drank beer, whiskey, and wine. Sometimes she couldn't stop drinking. 10) Your mama loved you very much. No other reference to the mother leaving or abandoning Opal is mentioned throughout the novel.

The characters in the novel include a librarian Miss Frannie Brock, Otis a pet store employee who had a prison record, Gloria Dump-- a woman who some of the children in Naomi referred to as a witch until Opal gets to know her, and a few children with personalities unique to children.

The book has won a number of prestigious awards, including a Newberry Honor Distinction in 2001. The New York Times bestseller was adapted into a movie in 2005. Although she has gone on to write a number of successful children's novels, Because of Winn-Dixie is arguably DiCamillo's most beloved work.