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Discussion Questions
1. henRandytriestowarnhisparentsoftheimpending W doomhesees,theydontlistentohim.Doyoueverfeel likenooneislisteningtoyou?Insteadofarguingwithhis parents,whatdoesRandydo? 2. andyenjoysbaseball,butheisntverygoodatit.Doyou R thinkRandyshouldhavegivenupplayingbaseballbecause hewasnteverabletohittheball?Whyorwhynot? 3. owisRandyabletocombinehistwofavoritethingsin H ordertohelpsavethetown?
HC: 978 - 0 -7636 - 4946 -3
A Ride on Mars
Randylovesouterspaceandthinksitwouldbegreattoridea bikeonMars.Challengeyourstudentstoacreative-writing exercisebyaskingthemwhattheythinkitmightbeliketoride abikeonMars.Youngerchildrenmaywishtodrawapicture toaccompanytheirstory,whileolderchildrenmaypreferto researchtheconditionsonMarstomaketheirstorymore realistic.FeelfreetoguidetheclassbysharingfactsaboutMars thatwouldaidstudentsintheirwriting.
A Shapely Robot
Randybuildsarobottobattlethefireballthatthreatensthe town.Havestudentscreatetheirownrobotusingvarious householditems(suchastissueboxes,paper-towelrolls,juice lids,andsoon).Challengethemtouseitemsofmanydifferent shapes(square,rectangle,cylinder,oval,andsoon).Have themwriteadescriptionofhowtheymadetheirrobotandwhat materialstheyusedforeachshape.Invitethemtonametheir robotanddiscussitsattributes.
Candlewick Press
Discussion Questions
1. skstudentsiftheyknowwhatthewordegomeans.Youmay A helpdefineitbyexplainingthatanegocentricpersonis someonewhoisinterestedonlyinhim-orherselfandthat someonewithahugeegoisusuallyboastfulandconceited. 2. sbraggingeveracceptable?Doesanyonelikeapersonwho I constantlybragsabouthimself? 3. hatistheoppositeofbragging?Isitpossibletobeahero W andalsobehumbleandmodest?Canyouthinkofsomereallifeexamplesofpeoplewhofitthatdescription?
Lesson Learned
AfterstudentshavereadKing Hugos Huge Ego,explainthatsome storiesimpartamessage,calledamoral.(TheBoyWhoCried Wolfisagoodexample.)Askthechildreniftheythinkthere isalessontobelearnedfromKing Hugos Huge Egoandifso, whatitmightbe.Responsesmayincludedontbesofullof yourselfordontmistreatpeople.Invitestudentstocomeup withamoralthattheywouldliketosharewiththeclass.Then challengethemtowriteamini-storytoconveytheirmessage.
Valuable Vocabulary
AuthorChrisVanDusenoftenusesavarietyofwordsthatare similarinmeaningsuchasspout/spit/sputter, bobbed/dipped,and toppled/tumbled.Discusswhyhemightusesimilarwordsinthis way.Introduceyourclasstotheconceptofsynonymsandthe purposeofathesaurus.Drawacircleontheboardandwrite thewordegotisticalinside.ThenrereadKing Hugos Huge Egowith theclass.Challengechildrentolistenforwordsthatmeanthe samethingasegotistical.Writedownthewordsastheycallthem out.Then,whenyourefinishedreading,reviewthewords suggested;somemayneedtobedefinedordisputed. Challengestudentstothinkofawordandcomeupwith synonymsforit.Youcouldalsoexpandtheactivitytoinclude antonyms.
Story Structure
Holdaclassdiscussionaboutstorystructure.Explainthat storiesarepeopledbycharactersandthatmoststoriesfeature aproblem,asolution,andfinallyaconclusionorresolution. Usesomewell-knownfairytalesasexamples.Createafivecolumnedchartdisplayingthetitle,characters,problem(s), solution(s),andresolutionforeachtale.Thendistributesheets ofpaperandaskstudentstocreatetheirownchartforKing Hugos Huge Ego,identifyingthestoryscharacters,problems,solutions, andresolution.
Humble Hugo
Whenthehuge-headedHugomeetsupwiththesorceressa secondtime,shetweakshisears,whichcausesanexplosionof allthehaughtythingshehaseversaid.Hisheadthendeflates likeagiantpinkballoon.Playaversionofhotpotatowith yourclass,usingapinkballoon.Blowuptheballoonand decorateitwithpermanentmarkertolooklikeKingHugo. Havestudentssitinacircleandinstructthemtopassthe balloontothepersonontheirrightandgivethatpersona compliment.Oncethegameisinprogress,youmaysuggest thatkidsswitchthingsupbyreversingdirections,orbyhumbly statinggoodqualitiesoftheirown(forexample,Ihelpmy momdothedishes).
Candlewick Press
www.candlewick.com
page 2
Discussion Questions
Before Reading: 1.Howmanyofyouhaveeverbeentoacircus? 2. asedonthecoverofthisbook,canyoupredictwhatit B maybeabout? After Reading: 1. iscusswhosepredictionwasclosesttotheactualstory. D Diditsurpriseyoutofindoutthattheboatsankandthat theanimalshadtoswimtoshore? 2. hydidthetigerjumpintotheblazingfiretorescue W EmmaRose? 3. oyouthinkMr.Paineshouldhavebeenallowedtotake D hiscircusanimalsback?(Afterall,theydidbelongtohim.) Whyorwhynot? 4. othBostonandMainearerealplaces,sodoyouthink B thisisatruestory?
HC: 978 - 0 -7636 -3090 - 4 Big Book: 978 - 0 -7636 -5593 - 8
Animated Alliteration
InbothThe Circus ShipandKing Hugos Huge Ego,ChrisVanDusen usesalliterationtoenhancethestory.Explainthatalliteration istherepetitionofsoundsinneighboringwordsusuallythe beginningconsonantsound.ShowexamplesfromThe Circus Ship (suchasDottie DaileyandFannie Feeney)andfromKing Hugos Huge Ego(suchasmighty and magnificent, gleaming gold,androbes of ruby red). Challengestudentstousealliterationbyputtingtheirname togetherwithadescriptivewordorwords.(suchas:Brainy BrianorJumpingJillian.)
Candlewick Press
www.candlewick.com
page 3
3+ 2 = A 5+ 9 = K 16 10 = N
20 10 = B 10 2 = L 4 +3= M
2 14
10 2
2 14
TeachersguidewrittenbyKarenCardillo.
Chris Van Dusens Teachers Guide Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com page 4