Discussion Questions
1. What does it mean to have value?
2. Do you have value? What is your value?
3. Why do you think Zero only saw an empty hole inside?
4. Do you ever feel like a Zero?
5. Do you ever try to be more like other kids?
6. Why did Zero try to be like the other numbers?
7. Why wasn’t she able to change her shape?
8. How did Seven help Zero find her value?
9. How did Zero bring more value to everyone?
10. How do you bring more value to other people?
PRE-READING QUESTIONS
What does the number zero mean? Zero usually means that the quantity or amount is nothing.
Where do we usually see the number, zero? Price tags, money, rulers, thermometers, signs.
If you were asked to choose a number as a name which number would you choose? Why?
SEVEN says, “Every number has a value,” “Be open you’ll find a way.” What does it mean to be open? To be open is to think about more than one possibility, to wait, to explore, to be willing to change.
When ZERO has a new idea, ONE tells her to “Lead the way!” Why is it important that it is ONE who tells her this? ONE was the leader up until this point. He understood the value of encouraging others to lead. He helped ZERO find value in who she is.
What does ZERO mean, when she says “if we help each other SOAR, we can count MORE.” What does it mean to help someone SOAR? How can you help someone SOAR? Remind one another of their unique qualities, encourage one another.
What does the phrase in the book, “bringing more value to everyone” mean? What are some ways we can bring value to the people here? Appreciate those things that make each of us unique. Do something that requires everyone to contribute and work together.
POST-READING QUESTIONS
Explore the meaning of the metaphors “count” and “value” with the students. Talk about how they have more than one meaning in this story. Zero’s definition of count means not only to put numbers in order, but also to be of value or to be important.
a. What does it mean to have value? To count?b. Do you have value? What is your value?
Why does ZERO want to look like ONE? ZERO saw the “bold strokes and squared corners” of ONE and thought it was better than being big and round. What do you think it would feel to be like ONE?
Why do you think Zero only saw an empty hole inside? When she compared herself to others she felt like nothing and empty.
Why do EIGHT and NINE encourage her to look like them? Because they only know how to be EIGHT and NINE. Is this a helpful idea? Or not? No, because it causes ZERO to think that the answer is to be like someone else.
ZERO leaps and makes a grand entrance to impress the numbers. What do you think would have happened if ZERO was successful and she had impressed the numbers? ZERO would spend time and energy being someone else.