© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Teacher Materials
Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12
0362001
2 Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12
AuthorDeborah Hayes
Design and LayoutTony Gervase
EditorsDeborah Cherlin, Ed. M.
Pamela Blanford
Reproduction of these pages by the classroom teacher for use in the classroom is permissible. The reproduction of any part of this book for an entire school or school system or for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Reading Blaster is a trademark of Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or its subsidiaries.
All trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
3© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Program Overview 4
Introduction 5
Unit 1 - The Mansion
Introduction 7Answer Key 8
1 Sentence Spinning 132 More Sentence Spinning 153 Sentence Spinner Game 184 It’s a Party! 225 Party Time at the Mansion 236 You Are Cordially Invited 257 To Catch a Ghost 288 More To Catch a Ghost 319 Homonym Happenings 34
10 Personal Digital Assistant 3511 Your On-line Journal 3612 Write a Travel Article 3913 Fortune Cookie Says… 4114 Secret Messages 4315 Fortune Flag Critters 4516 Cloud Walking 4717 Revenge of Cloud Walking 4918 The Six Degrees of You 5119 Spooky Sentences 5320 Spookier Sentences 5621 Horrifyingly Humorous
Headstones 59
Unit 2 - Bizarre Tales
Introduction 61Answer Key 62
1-2 He Turned Me Into a Wimp 673 Take Me Out to the Ball Game 69
4-5 My Dreams of a Hollywood Comeback Were Smashed! 70
6 Here Kitty, Kitty 727-8 The Joke Was on Me 73
9 Knock-Knock Comic Strip 7510-11 My Life as a Vacuum Cleaner 76
12 Political Hardball 7813-14 I Was a Human Garbage
Disposal 7915 The Garbage Gourmet 81
16-17 He Called Me “Queen of the Flies”! 82
18 There Was an Old Lady 84
Unit 3 - Dr. Dabble’s Diversions
Introduction 85Activity Instructions 86
1 Blueprint for a Mysterious Mansion 87
2 Publish a Bizarre Yearbook 893 The Catch-a-Clue Crash Course 91
Appendices
A Travel Article 95B Yearbook 96
Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12
Table of Contents
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Curriculum Skills
• Sentence Building• Parts of Speech• Antonyms and Synonyms• Reading Comprehension• Inferences and Deductions• Word Connections• Context Clues• Drawing Conclusions• Sequencing• Main Idea and Supporting Details
Special Features
• Interesting, Engaging Characters• High Degree of Interactivity• Three Levels of Difficulty• Game-Within-a-Game Format• Print Kit• On-line Reading• Two Modes: Mystery and Explore
4
Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12
Levels: For Ages 9-12Grades: 4-6
Activity Components
Personal Digital AssistantUse an on-line computer pad for navigationand keeping track of clues and progress.
ParlorPlay the resident ghost in a word-spinninggame of identifying parts of speech.
Dining RoomUse your reading comprehension skills tosequence Dr. Dabble’s plans.
KitchenMatch wits with some ghostly creatures asyou find words with similar and oppositemeanings.
GraveyardPut spooky sentences in order by the light ofthe cemetery moon.
BedroomRead the fortune cookies or secret bottledmessages to solve puzzles.
LibraryPlay the cloud-walking game, where you linkwords with commonalities.
Introduction
5© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
elcome to the weird, wacky, and always bizarre town of Bizarroville.
Bizarroville, the banana peel capital of theUnited States, is in a state of panic! Six of thetown’s most prominent citizens have disap-peared and the local mad scientist, Dr. Dabble,was the last one to see them. Your students joinforces with Rave, Bizarroville’s bravest youngsleuth, to search the creepy mansion and bringback the missing citizens. Only by using theirreading and language skills can players solvethe mystery and become heroes of the game.
Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12 is an excitingadventure game in which students use a varietyof reading comprehension and language artsskills. Students will enjoy getting to know theweird characters of Bizarroville and exploring a spooky mansion.
This teacher’s guide provides off-line activitiesthat complement the computer program. Eachlesson can be used as an introduction to a given
skill or as a follow-up to one of the computeractivities.
There are six distinct skill areas in Reading Blaster Ages 9–12: parts of speech, sequencing/reading comprehension,synonyms/antonyms, inferences, wordconnections, and sentence ordering. Unit 1,“The Mansion,” provides many off-line activities for each skill area.
Reading Blaster Ages 9–12 offers a print kit, which allows you to print the stories of each of the missing Bizarroville characters. Unit 2, ”Bizarre Tales,” offers many readingcomprehension activities to go with these stories.Unit 3, “Dr. Dabble’s Diversions,”offers three culminating activities.
Your students will have fun solving this bizarremissing persons‘ case and outsmarting Dr. Dabbleand the many traps he sets.
W
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© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
7
• Reading for understanding • Understanding and correctly using
parts of speech• Sequencing events• Understanding and using related
words, such as synonyms andantonyms
• Making inferences and deductionsfrom text
• Summarizing and paraphrasingtext
• Identifying details from text
The activities in Unit 1 cover a wide variety of language arts skills, includingparts of speech, reading comprehension, sequencing, synonyms, antonyms,inferences, and word connections. These activities correlate with the ReadingBlaster games and can be utilized as an introduction to a particular skill or forreview purposes. Each set of lessons provides activities with two levels ofdifficulty, the second activity being the more challenging.
1 Sentence Spinning2 More Sentence Spinning3 Sentence Spinner Game4 It’s a Party!5 Party Time at the Mansion6 You Are Cordially Invited7 To Catch a Ghost8 More To Catch a Ghost9 Homonym Happenings
10 Personal Digital Assistant11 Your On-line Journal
12 Write a Travel Article13 Fortune Cookie Says… 14 Secret Message15 Fortune Flag Critters16 Cloud Walking17 Revenge of Cloud Walking18 The Six Degrees of You19 Spooky Sentences20 Spookier Sentences21 Horrifyingly Humorous
Headstones
INTRODUCTION
Learning Objectives
Activities
Unit 1 – The Mansion
Activity 1 – Sentence Spinning
Review parts of speech (subject, adjective, verb,adverb) with your students before assigning thisactivity.
1. jolly, climbed, safely2. jolly, sailors3. jolly, climbed4. extremely, magicians, chased5. delightful, magicians (or dragons)6. magicians (or dragons), chased7. generous, never8. detectives, encourage, us9. never, encourage
10. generous, never, us
Activity 2 – More SentenceSpinning
Use the same instructions for Activity 1. Reviewmore parts of speech, such as pronouns, directobjects and prepositions.
1. forgetful, cherish2. scientist, patiently, them3. creepy, spiders4. fairly, devour5. armadillos (or hedgehogs), spectacular,
hedgehogs (or armadillos)6. venture, between7. distinctively, seemed, confident (or clever)8. clever (or confident), patriots9. zombies, immaculate (or charming)
10. immaculate (or charming), appeared, terribly
Activity 3 – Sentence Spinner Game
Make Sentence SpinnersThis activity is a sentence-making game.Reproduce pages 18–19 on cardstock. Cut out the circles and arms. Connect an arm to the center of each circle with a brad. Adjust the tightness of the brad so the arm will spineasily. Then cut out the game cards, shufflethem, and set them in the middle of the game playing area.
Play Sentence Spinning GameOne die is needed for each group of players.The game is best played with 2–4 players.Students will each need a piece of paper torecord their sentences.
The first player rolls the die. The number on thedie dictates which spinner a player uses.
Dice Code1 adjective 4 subject2 adjective 5 adverb3 subject 6 verb
Students take turns. The first student spins theproper spinner and writes down the word onwhich it lands. If the arm lands on the wordCARD, the student takes a word card from the center pile. If the arm lands on the wordFREEBIE, the student chooses a word of his ownas long as it is the part of speech representedon the spinner.
The game progresses in this fashion, with eachstudent taking a turn. The object of the game isto be the first to create a sentence. Determine aset time for the length of game play. At the endof this time, students use all of the wordscollected to create their sentences.
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Unit 1 – The Mansion
Answer Key
Note: When using the verb sentence spinner,players may change the tense to fit the sentence.
Create Your Own WordsPage 20 offers a blank spinner circle so studentscan create their own words. This can be helpfulfor spelling and vocabulary enrichment.
Activity 4 – It’s a Party!
1. Gloria Ghastly, Jackie O’Cassidy, Lou Fright, Bobbi Fright
2. Gloria Ghastly, Coach Gulliver Lilliput, Bobbi Fright, Gorky Barf
3. Bobbi Fright, Lou Fright, Jackie O’Cassidy, Coach Gulliver Lilliput, Gloria Ghastly
Activity 5 – Party Time at the Mansion
1. Gorky Barf, Coach Gulliver Lilliput, Gloria Ghastly, Jackie O’Cassidy, Lou Fright
2. Lou Fright, Bobbi Fright, Jackie O’Cassidy, Coach Gulliver Lilliput, Gloria Ghastly
3. Gloria Ghastly, Jackie O’Cassidy, Gorky Barf, Coach Gulliver Lilliput, Bobbi Fright, Lou Fright
Activity 6 – Your AreCordially Invited
Encourage students to be creative when arrang-ing a personalized dinner party.
Activity 7 – To Catch a Ghost
Review synonyms and antonyms with yourstudents before assigning this activity.
laugh chuckle, giggle, snicker, tittercastle mansion, manor, palace, fortresstalk chatter, discuss, murmur, speaksmart bright, clever, sharp, intelligent,
geniusyell shout, shriek, squeal, screamexit disappear, escape, flee, leaveagree argue, disagree, quarrel, bickernear distant, far, faraway, removedrough gentle, soft, tender, smoothclear cloudy, hazy, foggy, smoggy,
smokytiny jumbo, huge, giant, giganticweak strong, sturdy, brave, tough
Activity 8 – More To Catch a Ghost
This activity is the same as Activity 7 except ituses more challenging words.
annoy pester, tease, disturb, irritate, bother
abundant plentiful, generous, full,overflowing
guard protect, defend, shieldstroll saunter, amble, wander, dawdlelegend saga, epic, story, traditionpioneer colonist, leader, settler,
homesteaderclear cloudy, smoky, hazy, foggyweak strong, tough, brave, powerfulmisery elation, joy, happiness, delightboring exciting, rousing, stimulating,
thrillinghidden obvious, clear, evident, apparentluxurious humble, modest, lowly, poor,
ordinary
9© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion
Answer Key
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Activity 9 – HomonymHappenings
The two previous activities (7 and 8) focus onantonyms (words that are opposite in meaning)and synonyms (words that are similar inmeaning). Another type of word relationship is that of homonyms, words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.Introduce or review with your students theconcept of homonyms, then distribute Activity 9 for them to complete.
1. knew 7. bee2. hair 8. not3. would, heal 9. sight4. won, one 10. creak5. weak 11. bury6. foul 12. pleas
Activity 10 – Personal Digital Assistant
Refer to the Personal Digital Assistant used by Rave and your students when playing thegame. Encourage creativity. Encourage reallyambitious students to create a 3-D model.
Activity 11 – Your On-line Journal
Before assigning this activity, have your studentsread Lydia‘s e-mail diary. You can print it fromthe on-line print kit on the Reading Blaster Ages9–12 CD.
After they‘ve read the story, have your studentswrite their own e-mail diary on pages 36-38.
Have them share the stories with the class eitherorally or on a bulletin board display.
You can also create a class e-mail diary bycollecting the stories and putting them in afolder for all to read.
Activity 12 – Write a Travel Article
Have students read the travel article found in the living room of the mansion (on thearmchair). Access the article on-line by clicking the magazine on the armchair. Whenoff-line, reproduce page 95 (Appendix A) ofthis teacher’s resource manual. Gather furtherexamples of travel writing by collecting samplesfrom the travel section of your local newspaper or a travel magazine.
For an extended activity, gather brochures on a specific place from a travel agency andhave students write about faraway destinations.Information can also be gathered on theInternet.
Activity 13 – Fortune Cookie Says
1. C 4. B2. C 5. B3. A 6. C
Activity 14 – Secret Messages
1. B 3. B2. B 4. C
Unit 1 – The Mansion
Answer Key
Activity 15 – Fortune Flag Critters
This activity is enjoyed by students of all agesnot only for the fun they have creating a uniquecritter, but also for the fun of eating the finishedproduct!
As an extended activity, you may want to orderpersonalized fortune cookies for the class. Formore information:
Wonton Food Inc.220-222 Moore StreetBrooklyn, NY 11206Tel: 800-776-8889Web site: www.wontonfood.come-mail: [email protected]
Activity 16 – Cloud Walking
1. ink, pen, pencil, wood, tree, bird, mouse, cheese, milk
2. inches, feet, hands, clock, cuckoo, bird, egg, breakfast, morning
3. ocean, wave, hand, foot, yard, grass, green, lime, lemon
4. Mars, planet, star, movie, popcorn, salt, ocean, shark, fin
5. photo, camera, lens, glasses, drink, water, lake, boat, sail
6. salad, lettuce, carrots, rabbits, ears, hear, sound, loud, explosion
Activity 17 – Revenge of Cloud Walking
1. dragon, fire, smoke, cloud, rain, umbrella, raincoat, shirt, button
2. bride, wedding, cake, sweet, honey, bee, wing, bird, condor
3. heart, organ, piano, instrument, tool, hammer, nail, finger, glove
4. book, library, hospital, doctor, dentist, drill, saw, wood, fire
5. circle, shape, form, make, produce, fruit, banana, monkey, zoo
6. oyster, pearl, necklace, throat, windpipe, breathe, oxygen, gasoline, automobile
Activity 18 – The Six Degrees of You
This activity is a fun word-connection game. Cut the word strips on page 51, fold once andplace them in a shoebox. When small groups of students play this game, each student has aturn. When the whole group plays students canbe rotated. Each student chooses six word strips.After reviewing each word, he must connectthem so they all relate to each other and,ultimately, to himself.
For example:President Clinton, pizza, soccer, Elvis Presley, tacos, guitar
Six Degrees:President Clinton is from the South. TheSouth is also the birthplace of Elvis Presley.Elvis played the guitar. Guitars are fromMexico, which is also where tacos are from. Taco shells are round before they are folded. Soccer balls are round like flat taco shells. After my soccer games we always go out for pizza.
To personalize the game, have students use theblank page (pg. 52) to write in their own words.
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Unit 1 – The Mansion
Answer Key
Activity 19 – SpookySentences
Accept reasonable answers as students maycreate sentences others than the ones listed.
1. The graveyard gates creaked open.2. Skeletons rattle in the attic.3. Wolves howled throughout the night.4. The strong wind holds its breath.5. One by one, the skeletons rose.6. A stranger called my name.7. The glowing moon was my only friend. 8. He screamed in horror and never
returned.9. The moonlight shown into an empty
grave.10. The still pond reflects the moonlight.
Activity 20 – SpookierSentences
Accept reasonable answers as students maycreate sentences other than the ones listed.
1. The light flickers through the dusty window.
2. Mysterious things take place in the graveyard.
3. Her smile faded as the door swung open.4. The candles burned out and only
darkness remained.5. Haunting melodies played through the
still of the night.6. Read the headstones by the light of the
pale moon.7. When the rooster crows at dawn,
skeletons flee and are gone.8. The full moon sheds an eerie glow on
the dark wood below.9. When the stars come out at night
ghouls and ghosts delight.10. If you are wise, you will not venture
into the graveyard alone.
Activity 21 – HorrifyinglyHumorous Headstones
It would be beneficial for students to read thestories about each character before doing thisactivity. Or, have students write the epitaphs forthe characters based solely on their names, thenread the stories to see how their epitaphscompare. Use page 60 for student work.
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Unit 1 - The Mansion
Answer Key
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:Activity 1 Parlor
13
Sentence Spinning
Complete each of the sentence boxes below with the correct part of speech.
jumped jolly climbed sailors trolls safely
dragons delightful extremely magicians because chased
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 1 Parlor
Sentence Spinning (continued)
never generous encourage except us detectives
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 2 Parlor
15
More Sentence Spinning
Complete each of the sentence boxes below with the correct part of speech.
scientists them forgetful cherish patiently until
spiders devour them creepy unless fairly
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name
Activity 2 Parlor
More Sentence Spinning (continued)
between carefully venture armadillos hedgehogs spectacular
patriots seemed distinctively clever confident for
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 2 Parlor
appeared immaculate terribly unto charming zombies
More Sentence Spinning (continued)
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 3 Parlor
18
Sentence Spinner Game
B
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 3 Parlor
Sentence Spinner Game (continued)
B
B
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 3 Parlor
20
Sentence Spinner Game (continued)
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 3 Parlor
Sentence Spinner Game – Word Cards
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It’s a Party!
Read the story puzzles and solve them by placing the items in the correct order.
1. In what order did the guests RSVP to Dr. Dabble’s party invitations?
Bobbi Fright thought that Lou had sent RSVPs for both Frights, but Lou had only sent his in.Therefore, Lou’s RSVP was third and Bobbi’s RSVP was sent last. Gloria Ghastly couldn’t wait torespond so she got hers in the mail first. Mayor Jackie O’Cassidy wanted to be first, but she gother RSVP in the mail second.
1. 2. 3. 4.
2. In what order did the guests receive their invitations to Dr. Dabble’s party?
During the same week, Gorky Barf got his invitation on Friday. Glamorous movie star GloriaGhastly got hers on Monday. Bobbi Fright found her invitation in the mailbox on Thursday,while Coach Gulliver Lilliput got his Wednesday.
1. 2. 3. 4.
3. In what order did Dr. Dabble invite the guests to his party?
Dr. Dabble invited Mayor Jackie O’Cassidy third, just after he invited Lou Fright. Lou was invitedafter Bobbi, because she is his wife. Coach Gulliver Lilliput was invited fourth because the fourthdown is always lucky for the coach. Dr. Dabble invited Gloria Ghastly after the coach.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 4 Dining Room
LouFright
Gloria Ghastly
BobbiFright
JackieO’Cassidy
GorkyBarf
CoachLilliput
Gloria Ghastly
BobbiFright
BobbiFright
CoachLilliput
LouFright
JackieO’Cassidy
Gloria Ghastly
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 5 Dining Room
Party Time at the Mansion
1. In what order did the guests arrive at the party?
Gloria Ghastly made a brief publicity appearance at the Bizzaroville Theater, so she arrived justbefore Mayor Jackie O’Cassidy. Gorky Barf, who prides himself on promptness, arrived beforeeveryone else. Lou Fright forgot to set his watch and showed up after the rest of the guests.Coach Gulliver Lilliput was the second guest to arrive.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
2. In what order did Dr. Dabble put the place cards on the table?
Dr. Dabble wanted to sit next to glamorous Gloria Ghastly, so he saved her place card for last. He put Lou and Bobbi Fright’s cards next to each other, his before hers. Just after placingthe Fright’s cards, Dr. Dabble put Mayor Jackie O’Cassidy’s card down, followed by CoachGulliver Lilliput’s.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Jackie
O’Cassidy
Lou
Fright
Gloria
Ghastly
Bobbi
Fright
Coach
Lilliput
Gloria Ghastly
JackieO’Cassidy
Lou Fright
GorkyBarf
CoachLilliput
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Party Time at the Mansion (continued)
3. In what order did the guests drop their handkerchiefs when they disappeared?
Gorky Barf dropped his hanky at 8:30 p.m. As usual, Gloria Ghastly dramatically disappearedan hour before everyone else. Jackie O’Cassidy, who dropped her hanky after Gloria, leftaround 7:45 p.m. The Frights vanished around 10:00 p.m. (Lou let his wife Bobbi go first.)Gulliver Lilliput let his hanky go 1⁄2 hour before the Frights.
1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 5 Dining Room
Gorky
Barf
Gloria
Ghastly
Bobbi
Fright
Jackie
O’Cassidy
Lou
Fright
Coach
Lilliput
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 6 Dining Room
You Are Cordially Invited
Here is your opportunity to host the dinner party of the century! The sky is the limit, so use
your creativity and excellent host or hostess skills to arrange an unforgettable event for
six interesting guests.
The ThemeAll great parties have a theme. Your theme could center around a holiday or time of year, abirthday, or a tribute to your favorite kind of music.
Dinner Party Theme:
The Guest ListWhom will you invite? You can invite famous people (politicians, singers, sports figures, writers,actors) as well as your friends and family.
1. 4.
2. 5.
3. 6.
The MenuWhat will you serve for dinner? A smorgasbord of tasty treats from all over the world? Or yourown favorite dishes? Keep in mind your theme for the dinner party as you may want to servefoods which complement it.
Appetizer: Side Entree:
Main Entree: Side Entree:
Side Entree: Dessert:
Side Entree: Beverage:
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 6 Dining Room
You Are Cordially Invited (continued)
Seating ArrangementWho will sit by whom at your table? Don’t forget to seat yourself.
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 6 Dining Room
You Are Cordially Invited (continued)
You’ll need to send invitations to your guests. What will they say?
Please come …
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 7 Kitchen
To Catch a Ghost
Look at the word in the center of each ghost. Draw a line from the word in the center to the
surrounding words which are closest to it in meaning.
chuckle candy
tittersnickerfrown
gigglebird
LAUGH CASTLE
SMART
TALK
mansion
knight
king
palace
bridgequeen
fortress
chatter
dumbbrought
bright
clever
sharp
genius
silly
intelligent
quiet
silent
discuss
murmur
speak
peak
vocab-ulary
clown
manor
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 7 Kitchen
To Catch a Ghost (continued)
argue ask
showrespondbicker
saidquarrel
AGREENEAR
EXIT
YELL
close
far
hear
next
earfaraway
distant
whisper
arrivelever
flee
enter
escape
leave
flea
disapear
shout
squeal
shriek
quiet
scream
shorts
queasy
disagree
Draw a line from the word in the center to the surrounding words which are furthest from it
in meaning.
removed
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 7 Kitchen
To Catch a Ghost (continued)
Draw a line from the word in the center to the surrounding words which are furthest from
it in meaning.
bumpy soft
rockyunevencoarse
tendersmooth
ROUGH CLEAR
WEAK
TINY
clean
bright
cloudy
foggy
smoggysmoky
glass
jumbo
weekstrong
tough
day
sturdy
brain
brave
wreak
small
animal
baby
giant
little
huge
gigantic
gentle
hazy
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 8 Kitchen
More To Catch a Ghost
Look at the word in the center of each ghost. Draw a line from the word in the center to the
surrounding words which are closest to it in meaning.
allow defend
shackfreedomhouse
playershield
GUARD STROLL
ABUNDANT
ANNOY
saunter
race
amble
plot
wanderdawdle
ferry
pester
plentifulscarce
generous
rare
full
few
over-flowing
precious
tease
bother
irritate
disturb
show
respect
disagree
protect
pull
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 8 Kitchen
More To Catch a Ghost (continued)
saga poem
sagetraditionlong
epicstory
LEGEND PIONEER
WEAK
CLEAR
colonist
settler
tiger
teacher
skater
home-steader
leader
clean
weekstrong
day
tough
brave
wreck
powerful
wreak
cloudy
hazy
smoky
crystal
shiny
glass
foggy
essay
Draw a line from the word in the center to the surrounding words which are furthest from it
in meaning.
president
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 8 Kitchen
More To Catch a Ghost (continued)
Draw a line from the word in the center to the surrounding words which are furthest from
it in meaning.
clear obvious
dirtycoveredevident
apparentapparel
HIDDENLUXURIOUS
BORING
MISERY
wealthy
modest
poor
smooth
lowlyordinary
riches
happi-ness
lonelyexciting
rousing
exacting
thrilling
dull
stimul-ating
trusting
joy
pain
sadness
delight
sorrow
elation
sickness
shadowed
humble
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Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 9 Kitchen
Homonym Happenings
Complete the sentences by circling the correct homonym.
1. Dr. Dabble (knew, gnu, new) he would have revenge at long last.
2. “Do you like my (hare, hair)?” Gloria Ghastly asked her Hollywood agent.
3. Lou was hoping that the old wound between him and Dudley Dabble (wood, would) (heel, heal).
4. “I (one, won), I (won, one)!” exclaimed Jackie O’Cassidy upon winning the election for student council president.
5. “Dabble was a (week, weak) little kid who couldn’t play ball even with all the help I gave him,“ grumbled Coach Gulliver Lilliput.
6. If Rave hadn’t gotten to the captives in time, (fowl, foul) play would have occurred.
7. Bobbi Fright was pondering how to add a (bee, be) to her favorite song about the Old Lady Who Swallowed a Spider.
8. Dudley could (not, knot) tolerate one more of Gorky Barf’s knock-knock jokes.
9. “What a wonderful (cite, sight)!” Dr. Dabble said as he viewed all the prisoners in his lab.
10. The stairs began to (creek, creak) as Rave headed to the second floor.
11. “My Poopsie would never (bury, berry) your son!” Gloria Ghastly told Dudley’s mother.
12. Unfortunately, their desperate (pleas, please) for help could not be heard from the lab.
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
35© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 10 Living Room
In Reading Blaster™ 4th Grade Rave relies on his Personal Digital Assistant to read saved
clues and navigate through Dr. Dabble’s mysterious mansion. If you could have your own
personal digital assistant for school, what features would it have? Would it have a map of
the playground? Or, maybe a daily cafeteria menu? Perhaps a homework helper? Design
your own Personal Digital Assistant with at least three different features. You can add more
features if you wish.
Your On-Line Journal
36© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 11 Living Room
Date
Dear Diary,
Today, I received my first
e-mail message. It was from a
complete stranger. The
message read as follows:
Date
Dear Diary,
Yet another strange e-mail
message arrived for me. It
read:
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
37© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 11 Living Room
Your On-Line Journal (continued)
Date
Dear Diary,
Today was a very bizarre day.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Date
Dear Diary,
I haven’t received an e-mail from my
anonymous pen pal in some time. I wonder
what this means.
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
38
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 11 Living Room
Your On-Line Journal (continued)
Date
Dear Diary,
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
Date
Dear Diary,
Well, I received another e-mail
message today. You would not
believe what it said and whom
it was from. That’s right! The
anonymous writer told it all!
This experience has
been quite interesting!
________________________
________________________
________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
Write a Travel Article
In the living room of Dr. Dabble’s mansion is a travel magazine featuring an article about the
town of Bizarroville. The author of the article is a travel writer. Travel writers visit places all
over the world and write about their experiences. Travel magazines and articles are helpful
to people who want firsthand information about their destination from someone who has been
there. Travel writers enjoy their career because they have the opportunity to see the world.
Choose a LocationChoose a place to write about. It could be a place you have been before, one you would like to visit, or an imaginary place like Bizarroville.
Be Sure to Include:
Geographical FeaturesWhat is the climate like at your destination? What kind of clothes should a visitor bring?
Special EventsBizarroville hosted the annual Have-a-Banana festival. What special events happen at the placeyou chose to visit?
Unique FoodDescribe the different kinds of food offered at this vacation destination.
AccommodationsWhere can a visitor stay? Hotel, bed and breakfast, lodge, or inn? Describe the kinds of lodging available.
Web AddressIf a future traveler would like to get more information about this place, what might its Internet address be? For example, an Internet address for Bizarroville might bewww.bizarroville.com
39© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 12 Living Room
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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40
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 12 Living Room
Title: ________________________
Write a Travel Article (continued)
Fortune Cookie Says…
Read each clue, then choose the correct fortune cookie message.
1. After reading his fortune, Coach Lilliput believed his team would win the National Extreme RedRover championships.
Cheers will follow your efforts.
Many try but few succeed.
Victory will be yours.
2. When he read his fortune, Dr. Dabble decided to buy a supply of seasick tablets.
Health, wealth and happiness are yours.
Happy is the man who is the captain of his ship.
You will be crossing a large body of water soon.
3. Bobbi “Sox” Fright thought that her best friend from school would be coming for a surprise visitwhen she read this fortune.
A long lost friend will soon be knocking on your door.
You cannot escape the mistakes of your past.
Memories are more precious than gold.
41© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 13 Kitchen
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
42
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 13 Kitchen
Fortune Cookie Says… (continued)
Read each clue, then choose the correct fortune cookie message.
4. After reading her fortune, Mayor O’Cassidy couldn’t wait to find out who she would be havingdinner with.
You will be alone and hungry for the rest of your days.
The evening will bring good food and company.
Nighttime brings music and laughter.
5. Coach Lilliput immediately checked his bank account when he read this fortune.
You are rich in friends and family.
Problems with money are soon to be yours.
Someone you love will soon receive a surprise.
6. After reading his fortune, Gorky Barf was certain that Dr. Dabble would return the book he hadchecked out of the library 26 years before.
Books are a man’s best friend.
You will turn over a new leaf.
A lost treasure will be returned to you.
Secret Messages
Read each clue, then circle the correct title from the messages in the bottles.
1. Dr. Dabble, the world-renowned scientist, purchased Lydia Novella’s mansion for an undisclosedsum. A spokesperson for the scientist said that he plans to move into the historic mansion nextweek.
New Research Center to Open
Scientist Comes to Live in Bizarroville
Intrigue on the Hill
2. Bizarroville’s favorite Coach, Gulliver Lilliput, is being honored tonight at the Feeding Trough forhis long years of service to the community. Dinner and dancing will follow the ceremony.
Feeding Trough Opens for Dancing
Town Celebrates Coach
Teacher to Give Speech
43© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 14 Kitchen
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
44
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 14 Kitchen
Secret Messages (continued)
Read each clue, then circle the correct title from the messages in the bottles.
3. Sheriff John Law announced that newly discovered evidence proved that famous writer LydiaNovella has continued to leave messages in the Bizarroville mansion she occupied 150 yearsago. Special cameras have detected the figure of a woman seated at a writing desk, holding awriting quill. Notes in her handwriting have been recently collected, further supporting rumorsthat the old house is haunted.
Sheriff Proves Ghost Is a Hoax
Sheriff Uncovers Ghostly Evidence
Ghost Poses For Photographers
4. Gloria Ghastly reported that her pink poodle, Poopsie, is safe at last. After weeks of searching,Ms. Ghastly’s devoted pet was returned to the famous movie star by her number one fan, Rave.Posing for photographers with her dog and her hero, Ms. Ghastly states, “Rave, you are myhero! I simply couldn’t live without Poopsie!”
Famous Star to Make Dog Movie
Gloria Ghastly Pets Poodle
Star’s Best Friend Returns Home
Fortune Flag Critters
Students will have a great time creating their own bizarre version of a fortune cookie by
making critters or cyborg-type inventions from tasty treats. Each critter is constructed
from chewy candies, marshmallows and toothpicks. Top off the critter with a fortune flag.
Materials(Note: Quantities will vary depending on class size.)
1 bag of regular-size marshmallows1 bag of miniature marshmallows1 bag of multicolored gumdrops1 bag of multicolored jelly beans1 bag of gummy worms (or other gummy animal)2 boxes of toothpicksfortune flag for each critter
Making a FlagMessage
Students decide what message their flag will bear. These messages can be funny, inspirational orpredictions. Be sure to check student messages for appropriateness before fortune critters arehanded out.
Making the FlagCut out the strips on page 45.Distribute one strip and one toothpick to each student.Students write their message on one side of the strip, leaving a one-inch margin on the left.On the back of the message, rub a glue stick over the one-inch left margin.Wrap the strip around the toothpick, pinching the glued space shut with fingers. Let dry.
Making the CritterProvide students with a variety of chewy treats and plenty of toothpicks. Encourage them to becreative when constructing their fortune flag critters. When the critters are complete, poke thefortune flag into a sturdy section of the creation.
Sharing FortunesPlace all the critters on a cookie sheet or on a table covered with waxed paper. Have studentsclose their eyes when choosing a critter (so they won’t read the fortunes before choosing). Let thestudents share their fortunes with the rest of the class, and then enjoy munching!
45© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 15 Kitchen
Fortune Flag Critters (continued)
46© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 15 Kitchen
Cloud Walking
Put the words in each set on the cloud staircase so that each word has something in
common with the word before it.
47© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 16 Library
pencil
pen
cheese
bird
mou
se
tree
wood
feet
eggs
hands
clock
bird
breakfast
cuck
oo
yard
foot
hand
grass
wave
limegreen
11
3
2
ink
milk
inches
morning
ocean
lemon
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
48
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 16 Library
Cloud Walking (continued)
oceanstar
popcorn
mov
ie
shark
plane
t
salt
water
lens
glassesboat
drink
lake
camera
ears
hear
rabbits
loud
soun
d
lettuce
carrots
44
6
5
salad
explosion
sail
photo
Mars
fin
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
49
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 17 Library
Revenge of Cloud Walking
Put the words in each set on the cloud staircase so that each word has something in
common with the word before it.
shirt
smoke
rain
raincoat
cloud
fire
umbrella
sweet weddingwin
g
cakeho
ney
bee
bird
organ
hammer
instrument
nail
pianotool
finger
11
3
2
dragon
button
heart
glove
bride
condor
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
50
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 17 Library
Revenge of Cloud Walking (continued)
hospital
dentist
wood
doctorsa
w
drill
library
banana
make
produce
form
monke
y
fruit
shape
breathe
throat
windpipe
oxygen
necklace
pearl
gasoline
44
6
5
oyster
automobile
zoo
circle
book
fire
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
51
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 18 Library
The Six Degrees of You!
B
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
52
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 18 Library
The Six Degrees of You! (continued)
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
53
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 19 Graveyard
Spooky Sentences
Place the words from the gravestones in order to make spooky sentences.
1.
grave-yard The open.
gatescreaked
2.
rattle
Skeletonstheinattic.
3.
night.howled the through Wolves
4.
windThe
holdsits
breath.strong
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
54
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 19 Graveyard
Spooky Sentences (continued)
6.
strangerA my
name.called
5.
skeletonsOne
onerose.the
by
7.
glowingThe
wasmoon
friend. myonly
8.
screamedHe
andhorrornever
inreturned.
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
55
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Introduction Graveyard
Spooky Sentences (continued)
9.
grave.The
intoempty an
shownmoonlight
10.
moonlight.still
Thepondreflects
the
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
56
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 20 Graveyard
Spookier Sentences
Place the words from the gravestones in order to make spooky sentences.
2.
grave-yard
takethe place
1.
light thethe
dustythrough flickers
3.
4.
window
myste-rious
takein things
opendoor
her fadedsmile
asthe swung
remainedonly
the candlesdarkness
outand burned
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
57
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 20 Graveyard
Spookier Sentences (continued)
5.
melodies
hauntingof
the nightthestill
through
played
6.
pale of
read the
moon
by
lighthead-stones
the
the
7.
skeletons when
crowsare
and
the
atdawn
flee
rooster
gone
8.
below
eerie
on
glowthe
woods
the
fullmoon
sheds
an
dark
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
58
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 20 Graveyard
9.
ghouls
delight
and
come the
at
outghosts
night
stars
when
10.
venture
you
wise
aloneif
the
are
will
you
graveyardnot
into
Spookier Sentences (continued)
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
59
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 21 Graveyard
Here lies the
smelly body of
Dr. Dudley Dabble
*Born October 31, 1936
Died April 1, 2001
(No joke!)
*Survived by no one
because the
only person who liked
him was his mother
and the ole gal is
long gone.
*Bizarroville’s weirdest
and most despised
citizen. Best known for
the revenge plot that
backfired on him
at his mansion.
Coach Gulliver
Lilliput
Gloria Ghastly
Gorky Barf
Jackie O’Cassidy
Bobbi Fright
Lou Fright
Horrifyingly Humorous Headstones
A headstone, otherwise known as a gravestone or tombstone, is the stone marking a grave.
Each headstone contains an epitaph, information about the deceased person such as name,
birth and death dates, surviving family members, and often an inspirational quote or
comment about the life of the deceased. Choose one of the Bizarroville characters and write
a horrifying yet hilarious epitaph for his or her headstone.
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
60
Unit 1 – The Mansion Name:
Activity 21 Graveyard
Horrifyingly Humorous Headstones (continued)
61© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
INTRODUCTION
The activities in Unit 2 center around the important skill of reading comprehension.For each Reading Blaster story, there are two activity pages, one easy and theother more challenging. An illustration page accompanies each story so studentscan give their artistic interpretation of the text.
NOTE: It may be helpful for students to write their answers on a separate sheet of paper.
• Reading for understanding • Reading for contextual clues• Making inferences and deductions
from context
• Summarizing and paraphrasingcontext
• Identifying details from text
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales
Learning Objectives
Activities
• 1-2 He Turned Me Into a Wimp
• 3 Take Me Out ot the Ball Game
• 4-5 My Dreams of a Hollywood Comeback Were Smashed!
• 6 Here Kitty, Kitty• 7-8 The Joke Was on Me• 9 Knock-Knock Comic Strip
• 10-11 My Life as a Vacuum Cleaner
• 12 Political Hardball• 13-14 I Was a Human Garbage
Disposal• 15 The Garbage Gourmet• 16-17 He Called Me “Queen of
the Flies!”18 There Was an Old Lady
62© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Activity 1 – He Turned MeInto a Wimp
1. Accept any or all of the following: catch pop flies with his forehead, bat with his foot, round the bases in a go-cart.
2. Batting Machine3. Five-foot by five-foot4. He made Dabble the team mascot.5. He didn’t like it because he whined to
his parents.6. Dabble didn’t participate successfully in
class and wasn’t able to complete the athletic tasks asked of him.
7. To thank him for teaching good sportsmanship when he was a kid
8. A human baseball-pitching machine, with baseballs shooting out of his nostrils, belly button and mouth
9. Bizarroville Chicken Wings10. Dabble was allergic to flowers when he
was a kid.
Activity 2 – He Turned MeInto a Wimp
1. A) Accept any or all of the following: catch pop flies with his forehead, bat with his foot, round the bases in a go-cart.
B) Accept reasonable answers.2. Accept reasonable answers.3. He made Dabble the team mascot.
Dabble continued to whine to his parents.
4. Banana. Accept appropriate answers.5. Accept reasonable answers.6. Hazard School of Video Games and TV
Repair
7. He felt it his responsibility to assign a fair grade for Dabble’s performance; doing his job as a fair teacher wasimportant to him.
8. Cowardly plan of retaliation9. He thinks the team is lousy.
10. Dr. Dabble left flowers all over the house.
Activity 3 – Take Me out tothe Ball Game
Accept reasonable work.
Activity 4 – My Dreams of aHollywood Comeback Were
Smashed!
1. Hollywood2. 40 years3. 85. Her face was not in the shape it
should be. Her nose was where he right ear should be and vice versa.
4. Supervillain Scramble-Face. Her face was unique and the parts were “scrambled”.
5. Dudley6. He said that Poopsie had buried him
in her backyard along with a beef bone and that he was underground for five hours.
7. After school job at dog grooming store tying bows on the dogs’ hair after their fur-cuts
8. A human kitty-litter box9. Poopsie wouldn’t come near her
because she was afraid of cats.10. She was offered the chance to star in a
movie about her ordeal.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales
Answer Key
63© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Activity 5 – My Dreams of aHollywood Comeback Were
Smashed!
1. A fan letter2. Accept reasonable answers: unrealistic
looking, cartoony, impressionistic, crazy3. A woman who has the starring role in a
movie4. The Creature That Wouldn’t Stop Burping5. He was an annoying 12-year-old boy who
used to make constant complaints to the Bizarroville Animal Control about her pets.
6. He said that Poopsie had buried him in her backyard along with a beef bone and that he was underground for five hours. Accept reasonable answers.
7. Accept reasonable answers.8. 1– Being turned into a human kitty litter
box 2 – Scaring her dog, Poopsie, owing to the significant number of cats around her. 3 – Missing the opportunity to revive her career
9. Accept reasonable answers.10. She wondered where all those beautiful
flowers came from.
Activity 6 – Here Kitty, Kitty
Accept reasonable work.
Activity 7 – The Joke Was on Me
1. Twenty years2. Stand-up comic3. His father welcomed him happily and
offered him a job at the town library.4. The Ulysses S. Barf Memorial Library;
Gorky’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather
5. He started an After-Hours Comedy Club and made kids with overdue books listen to his new jokes.
6. Seltzer bottles, kazoos, springy snakes, whoopee cushions
7. Knock-knock jokes8. Rubber chicken head for face/head,
and a giant inflated whoopee cushion with joy buzzers all over it for the body
9. An old-fashioned writing quill10. 1 – Is Dabble taking up a new career as a
writer? 2 – To whom did the quill belong?
Activity 8 – The Joke Was on Me
1. A person who tells jokes or funny stories, to audiences
2. Las Vegas (or just Vegas), Atlantic City, Ypsilanti
3. When theater acts are very bad, the audience sometimes throws rotting tomatoes and other fruit at the actor/comic. Apparently, Gorky’s act was very bad, so he must have had many tomatoes thrown at him.
4. A joke that follows a pattern: Knock! Knock! Who’s there? XXXXX. XXXXX-who? Punchline. Accept reasonable jokes.
5. He returned a failure. When dogs do something wrong, they bow their head and put their tail between their legs.
6. The people of the area liked the club; they came from far and near just to hear his knock-knock jokes.
7. In the book storage room8. An absent-minded-genius type
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales
Answer Key
64© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
9. Dudley was always late returning his books, so he often ended up in the book storage room.
10. Since Gorky was such a jokester, it was appropriate for his revenge to include objects related to comedy, such as a rubber chicken and a whoopee cushion.
Activity 9 – Knock-KnockComic Strip
Accept reasonable work.
Activity 10 – My Life as aVacuum Cleaner
1. All the party attendees should have had a cozy after-dinner chat in the mansion library.
2. He took the mayor to a horrid laboratory with a disgusting chemical stench.
3. Dr. Dabble attached a vacuum cleaner attachment to the mayor’s nose.
4. Student council president5. Her mother was mayor.6. Jackie O’Cassidy threatened to hold her
breath if she wouldn’t help her.7. Jackie’s mother approved a Wildlife
Skunk Refuge to be built next door to the Dabble family home. The whole neighborhood smelled bad.
8. She allowed the end of Bizarroville’s airport runway to be connected to the Dabbles‘ driveway.
9. She allowed the Billy Bob Barf Memorial Freeway to be built right through Dudley Dabble’s bedroom.
10. The mayor thought Dabble had finally come to his senses and wanted to make up with her.
Activity 11 – My Life as aVacuum Cleaner
1. A fist in the mouth; to punch someone2. Domestic means ”something made in the
country“. The mayor thinks a beverage that comes from another country (imported) is of better quality and more fitting for her stature.
3. A politician, such as a mayor, has power and influence. If you stay on good terms with such a person, he or she may be able to help you.
4. He bribed other students with homemade candy and all the super-fizzy soda they could drink.
5. She would resort to unfriendly tactics in order to win the presidential race.
6. The young mayor’s big brother’s sweaty sock drawer
7. Coughed, wheezed and hiccupped8. Building the Billy Bob Barf Memorial
Freeway through his bedroom9. A quitter
10. She kept seeing the old-fashioned quillfloating around the house.
Activity 12 – Political Hardball
Accept reasonable work.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales
Answer Key
65© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Activity 13 – I Was a HumanGarbage Disposal
1. No. His only friend was Dudley Dabble.2. They didn’t like each other.3. Mother: Host of “The Garbage
Gourmet” TV cooking showFather: Garbageman
4. Both were inventors and were “weird”.5. They both liked the same girl at school
and she liked Lou best.6. They felt very happy.7. A creation that is part human and part
household appliance8. Since Lou had a lifelong interest in
recycling, Dabble thought it was fitting.9. Coffee grounds, corncobs, banana peels
10. Whose beautiful gems he kept seeing pop up around the house
Activity 14 – I Was a HumanGarbage Disposal
1. They were best friends.2. Being a garbage collector would mean that
he brought actual garbage home with him.3. “Pyew” is the sound someone makes
when there is a bad odor present.4. Compulsive garbage collecting from his
dad; creative flair from his mom5. Dudley always made fun of Lou’s
experiments and inventions.6. She was the high school debating team’s
cheerleader.7. He and Bobbi got married and he
became a full-time inventor.8. “Bury the hatchet” means to forgive and
forget. Dudley didn’t want to do this even though Lou did.
9. Four10. Accept reasonable answers.
Activity 15 – The GarbageGourmet
Accept reasonable work.
Activity 16 – He Called Me“The Queen of the Flies”!
1. They both were really weird.2. ... a mean streak3. 194. An origami bouquet made from
yesterday’s newspaper5. A perpetual-motion machine ate everything
inside her parents’ refrigerator.6. “There Was an Old Lady Who
Swallowed a Fly,” 1,2567. 1 – Wrapped her up in no-pest strips to
attract flies 2 – played “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” over and over again
8. The Queen of the Flies9. She still likes it.
10. Jewelry
Activity 17 – He Called Me“The Queen of the Flies”!
1. He wanted to be her boyfriend.2. The house looked exactly like a seashell,
and she said her parents were hermits.3. Because there are so many weird people
in Bizarroville, the weirdest would be really weird.
4. Nice, nasty5. He pulled one of the moons of Jupiter. It
was a small moon so it fit in her backyard.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales
Answer Key
66© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales
Answer Key
6. He hated her favorite song.7. A refrigerator box filled to the top with
angry buzzing flies8. Rejecting him9. A strip of sticky paper that attracts
bugs and traps them on the sticky material.
10. Gone crazy, out of my mind, lost it, etc. (Accept reasonable answers.)
Activity 18 – There Was an Old Lady
Accept reasonable work.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 1
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He Turned Me Into a Wimp
by Coach Gulliver Lilliput
1. Describe some of the ways Dabble tried to play baseballwhen he was a kid.
2. What is a RoboJock 2000?
3. How big was the catcher’s mitt specially designed for Dabble’s body?
4. Describe Coach Lilliput’s last attempt to get Dabble to participate on the baseball team.
5. How do you think Dabble felt about Coach Lilliput’s plan?
6. Why did Coach Lilliput give Dabble an “F” in gym class?
7. Why did Coach Lilliput think Dr. Dabble invited him to his party?
8. Describe in detail the kind of machine Dr. Dabble turned Coach Lilliput into.
9. What is the name of Bizarroville‘s minor league baseball team?
10. Tell why Coach Lilliput thinks it odd that Dr. Dabble has flowers throughout the house.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 2
68© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
He Turned Me Into a Wimp
by Coach Gulliver Lilliput
1. Describe some of the ways Dabble tried to play baseball when he was a kid.
Have you ever had difficulty learning a sport or game? Explain.
2. To help Dabble, evaluate Coach Lilliput’s two equipment choices, the RoboJock 2000 andthe specially designed catcher’s mitt.
3. Describe Coach Lilliput’s last attempt to get Dabble to participate on the baseball team and Dabble’s response to this plan.
4. What is the mascot of Barf High? Name the mascot of your school and tell what it represents.
5. Do you think it was fair for Coach Lilliput to give Dabble an “F” in gym class? Explain your reasoning.
6. Dabble‘s “F” in gym class prevented him from attending what special school?
7. What did Coach Lilliput mean when he said, “I always felt bad about that, but then again, I had a job to do”?
8. What did Coach Lilliput mean when he called Dr. Dabble’s plan “lily-livered revenge”?
9. What did Coach Lilliput think about the minor league baseball team, the Bizarroville Chicken Wings?
10. What is the clue Coach Lilliput referred to at the conclusion of his story?
69© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 3
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
In the three boxes illustrate 1) Dabble as a kid trying to hit baseballs from the RoboJock
2000, 2) Dabble wearing the life-size mitt and 3) Coach Lilliput as the human baseball-
pitching machine.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 4
70© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
My Dreams of a Hollywood Comeback Were Smashed!
by Gloria Ghastly
1. Where was Gloria Ghastly heading before she decided to attend Dr. Dabble’s party?
2. How long had Gloria planned her silver-screen comeback?
3. How many face-lifts did Gloria have? What was the result of these procedures?
4. Name the movie role Gloria was offered. Why do you think she was offered this role?
5. What is Dr. Dabble’s first name?
6. What story did young Dr. Dabble tell the Bizarroville Animal Control about Poopsie, Gloria’s pink French poodle?
7. What punishment did young Dr. Dabble receive for “harassing” Gloria?
8. After Dr. Dabble kidnapped Gloria and brought her to his lab, what did he turn her into?
9. What effect did Gloria’s punishment have on her dog, Poopsie?
10. Even though her ordeal with Dr. Dabble was terrible, what good opportunity resulted from it?
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 5
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My Dreams of a Hollywood Comeback Were Smashed!
by Gloria Ghastly
1. In addition to the invitation from Dr. Dabble, what else did Gloria Ghastly receive?
2. A modern surrealist artist offered to paint Gloria‘s picture. What do you think surrealist art is like?
3. What is a leading lady?
4. What was the name of Gloria‘s classic horror film of the Fifties?
5. Describe the first thing Gloria remembered about Dr. Dabble while eating dinner at his mansion.
6. What did Dudley Dabble say Gloria‘s dog, Poopsie, did to him?Do you believe him? (Why or why not?)
7. Do you think the punishment Dudley‘s mother gave him was appropriate?If you were Dudley’s mother, what punishment would you have given him?
8. What were the three main parts of Dr. Dabble‘s revenge on Gloria?
9. Create two different titles for the movie about Gloria‘s ordeal.
10. At the end of her ordeal in the mansion, what was Gloria still haunted by?
72© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 6
Here Kitty, Kitty
Pretend you are an editor of a pet lovers’ magazine. Create an advertisement that shows
and tells about Gloria, the Human Kitty-Litter Box.
73© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 7
The Joke Was on Me!
by Gorky Barf
1. How many years did Dudley Dabble hold a grudge against Gorky Barf?
2. What did Gorky always want to be instead of a librarian?
3. How did Gorky’s father respond when he returned to Bizarroville after his travels?
4. What is the name of the Bizarroville library and who is it named for?
5. How did Gorky punish kids who didn’t return their library books on time?
6. Name four types of props Gorky used on young Dabble.
7. What kind of jokes did Dudley Dabble hate most?
8. Describe the “human joke machine.”
9. What object did Gorky Barf keep seeing at Dr. Dabble’s mansion?
10. What two things did Gorky wonder about when he saw the mysterious writing quill?
74© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 8
The Joke Was on Me!
by Gorky Barf
1. What is a stand-up comic?
2. List some of the places Gorky performed before returning to Bizarroville.
3. Explain what Gorky meant when he said that one night he had almost died of an overdose of rotten tomatoes.
4. Explain what a knock-knock joke is. Write your own knock-knock joke.
5. What did Gorky Barf mean when he said he “went back to Bizarroville with my tail between my legs”?
6. What was the response of the Bizarroville Metropolitan Area to Gorky’s “After Hours Comedy Club”?
7. Where did Gorky make the kids with overdue books listen to his new material?
8. How did Gorky describe the young Dudley Dabble?
9. Why was Dudley Dabble considered Gorky’s “guinea pig”?
10. Why was Dr. Dabble’s revenge fitting for Gorky Barf?
75© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 9
Knock–Knock Comic Strip
Illustrate three of your favorite knock-knock jokes in the comic strips provided.
76© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 10
My Life as a Vacuum Cleaner
by the Honorable and Esteemed Mayor Jackie O’Cassidy
1. What did the mayor think should have occurred after the dinner at Dr. Dabble’s house?
2. Where did Dr. Dabble take Mayor O’Cassidy after dinner?
3. When Dabble had wheeled the mayor to this place, what did he do to her?
4. For what high school title did Dudley and the young mayor compete?
5. When Jackie O‘Cassidy was 16 years old, what was her connection to City Hall?
6. How did Mayor O’Cassidy get her mother to help her win the high school campaign?
7. Recall the first way the mayor‘s mother tried to get Dudley to drop out of the race.
8. Summarize the second way the mayor‘s mother helped her.
9. Describe the third way her mother tried to get Dudley to drop out of the presidential race.
10. Why did the mayor attend Dr. Dabble’s party when she knew he didn’t like her?
77© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 11
My Life as a Vacuum Cleaner
by the Honorable and Esteemed Mayor Jackie O’Cassidy
1. What does Mayor O’Cassidy mean by a “knuckle sandwich”?
2. Explain what ”domestic“ ginger ale is.Why does it bother the mayor that Dabble served domestic ginger ale?
3. Discuss what the mayor means when she says, “It’s best to stay on a politician’s good side, especially the town mayor‘s.”
4. During the race for student council president, how did Dudley Dabble bribe the other students?
5. Tell what the mayor meant when she said she “had no choice but to play hardball.”
6. After the Wildlife Skunk Refuge was built next door to the Dabble family home, what did the whole neighborhood end up smelling like?
7. List the three actions the mayor took to get her mother to help one last time.
8. What final tactic led Dudley Dabble to drop out of the race?
9. After all the hardball tactics the mayor used to get Dudley to quit, what did she end up calling him when he finally did?
10. Explain why Mayor O’Cassidy thought that Dr. Dabble’s house was haunted.
78© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 12
Political Hardball
In the boxes below, illustrate the three ways young Mayor O’Cassidy and her mother got
Dudley Dabble to drop out of the race for student council president.
79© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 13
I Was a Human Garbage Disposal
by Loo “Boo” Fright
1. Was Lou a popular kid in high school? Explain your answer.
2. How did Dudley‘s and Lou’s parents feel about each other?
3. Name the careers of Lou’s parents.Mother:Father:
4. What interests did Dudley and Lou share?
5. Recall the event which turned their relationship from bad to worse.
6. How did Lou and his wife, Bobbi, feel when they were invited to Dr. Dabble’s party?
7. Explain what a cyborg is.
8. Why did Dr. Dabble feel it was fitting to turn Lou into a human garbage disposal?
9. Name the three things Lou, as the human garbage disposal, could taste.
10. What was the one thing Lou couldn’t figure out after his rescue?
80© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 14
I Was a Human Garbage Disposal
by Loo “Boo” Fright
1. Explain the nature of Dudley and Lou’s relationship in high school.
2. Why was it unfortunate that Lou’s dad brought his work home with him?
3. Explain the meaning of Lou‘s dad‘s middle name.
4. What two personality traits did Lou inherit from his parents?
5. Why was it difficult for Lou to remain friends with Dudley?
6. What high school activity was Bobbi “Sox” Sax involved in?
7. Describe life for Lou after high school.
8. Explain what Lou meant when he said, “For years, I kept trying to bury the hatchet with Dabble but had no luck.”
9. Besides Bobbi and Lou, how many other Bizarroville citizens were trapped in Dabble‘s lab?
10. Describe Lou’s experience as a human garbage disposal.
81© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 15
The Garbage Gourmet
In each of the boxes illustrate a food-related product which would be consumed by Lou, the
human garbage disposal.
82© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 16
He Called Me “The Queen of the Flies”!
by Bobbi “Sox” Fright
1. How does Bobbi “Sox” compare herself as a high school student with Dudley?
2. Complete this sentence. “Dudley Dabble was a weird kid with _______________.”
3. How many brothers and sisters did Bobbi have?
4. Describe one of the small gifts Lou gave Bobbi in high school.
5. Describe the perpetual motion machine.
6. Name Bobbi’s favorite song in high school and tell how many verses it has.
7. Describe the two ways Dr. Dabble took revenge on Bobbi.
8. What did Dr. Dabble call Bobbi after he turned her into a cyborg?
9. How does Bobbi feel now about her favorite song of high school days?
10. According to Bobbi, what did Dudley Dabble have no use for?
83© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 17
He Called Me “The Queen of the Flies”!
by Bobbi “Sox” Fright
1. What kind of friendship did Dudley want to have with Bobbi when they were kids?
2. How does the house Bobbi grew up in correspond toher description of her parents?
3. Interpret what Bobbi meant by saying, ”Dudley, Lou, and I were the weirdest kids in town, and that’s saying a lot…“
4. Complete this sentence. ”Lou was as ____________ as Dudley was _________.“
5. Describe the spacey gift Dudley gave Bobbi in high school.
6. Aside from Dudley‘s being mean, why wouldn‘t he and Bobbi have been a good match?
7. Describe the wedding gift Dr. Dabble gave Bobbi.
8. Dudley never forgave Bobbi for what?
9. What is a no-pest strip?
10. What did Bobbi mean when she said, ”If Rave hadn’t rescued me in the nick of time, I would’ve gone bonkers“?
84© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 2 – Bizarre Tales Name:
Activity 18
There Was an Old Lady
Do you know the song “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly”?
The song begins as follows:
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly,I don’t know why she swallowed a fly—I guess she’ll die.There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,It wiggled, and jiggled, and tickled inside her.She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I guess she’ll die.
The old lady swallowed several objects in hopes of catching the fly.
The final object she swallowed was a horse. And she died, of course.
Write your own “Old Lady” song, using a variety of objects.
Each object must relate to the previous one.
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85
• 1 Blueprint for a Mysterious Mansion
• 2 Publish a Bizarre Yearbook• 3 The Catch-a-Clue Crash
Course
• Making deductions andinferences
• Exercising spatial sense• Utilizing geometric principles and
measurement skills
• Using effective page design andlayout skills
• Writing creatively• Working cooperatively in group
situations
The activities in Unit 3 provide culminating lessons that students complete after spending significant time exploring the program, and after completingthe activities for Units 1 and 2. While activities 1 and 2 can be doneindividually or in small groups, Activity 3 is for groups only.
INTRODUCTION
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions
Learning Objectives
Activities
Activity 1 – Blueprint for aMysterious Mansion
If possible, obtain actual architectural blueprintsfor the students to examine. Home brochuresfrom new housing developments also providegood hands-on materials for students.
Spend time observing the details in each print.Notice that the majority of views are from anoverhead angle (as in the Personal DigitalAssistant for Reading Blaster Ages 9–12).Inviting an architect to speak to your classwould be very beneficial as well. He or she can bring along drafting tools and samples ofwork, and discuss the skills and educationnecessary to be a successful architect.
Students can use page 88 as a “drawingboard” to draft the first plan for their mansion.Provide students with large sheets of construc-tion paper for the final “blueprint”. Students’drafting tools can be pencils, fine-tipped blue or black ink pens, rulers and compasses. Whenstudents‘ work is complete, display their blue-prints for the rest of the class to enjoy.
Activity 2 – Publish a BizarreYearbook
If your school publishes a yearbook, gatherseveral copies, both recent and from the past,for students to examine. If your school does nothave a yearbook, borrow some from the highschool library in your district. Be sure to bring
in your high school yearbooks for the students to look at!
The activity can be as simple or as complex as you dictate. The minimum requirements ask students to invent six high school studentsand provide illustrations and personal infor-mation about them. (See Appendix B, page 96, for a copy of the text passage from the Barf High yearbook.) For a more elaborateproject, organize students into groups of fourand assign them the task of creating andpublishing a fictitious yearbook. Sections of the yearbook might include listings of students,sports, members of student government, socialactivities, and faculty.
Determine whether you want students toillustrate the photographs of their inventedstudents or cut out pictures from magazines.
Activity 3 – Catch-a-ClueCrash Course
Preparation time is necessary for this funactivity. All of the instructions for the “Catch-a-Clue Crash Course” are on pages 91–94.
86© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions
Activity Instructions
87© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Blueprint for a Mysterious Mansion
Rave’s Personal Digital Assistant has an important feature that allows him to navigate throughDabble’s mansion. This feature is a map of all three stories, as well as the graveyard. However, the map on Rave’s PDA is different from a city or country map. This type of a map is known as a blueprint. A blueprint is a set of plans for a house or building. Blueprints are so called becausethey are photographic prints that show white lines on a bright blue background. The contrast in color gives good definition to the drawing.
Here are the blueprints for Dr. Dabble’s mansion.
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 1
Here’s your chance to design a mysterious mansion using a blueprint format. Create a mansion with every kind of room imaginable. Will there be any rooms with secret entrances? How manybathrooms will there be? How many bedrooms? Will the mansion be haunted or will it be even more mysterious and bizarre? Will it have one, two, or three stories?
Use page 88 as your ”drafting table“ to sketch outideas for your mansion. Then, using the paper yourteacher provides, create the final blueprint for yourmysterious mansion.
Blueprint for a Mysterious Mansion (continued)
88© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 1
89© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 2
Publish a Bizarre Yearbook
The students at Ralph Waldo Barf High School are indeed bizarre. You can read about each ofthem by visiting the library of Dr. Dabble’s mansion and clicking the yearbook on the table.
Yearbooks have been a long-standing school tradition. They provide a photographic record of theevents of a given school year and are fun to look from time to time.
Create your own bizarre yearbook for an imaginary school. Think up a name for the high school.Invent several students and write about their activities and future plans. Use the following exampleas a guide:
Gloria Ghastly
ActivitiesDrama Club: played Breadcrumb in“Hansel and Gretel”; understudy toGrandma in “Little Red Riding Hood”
Quote“A girl can never have too many pairsof sunglasses.”
Future PlansTo win the World’s Best Actress award
Favorite Barf High MemoryReceiving my first standing ovation (fordropping a tray in the school cafeteria)
Use page 90 for your own bizarre yearbook entry.
© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 2
90
Publish a Bizarre Yearbook (continued)
Excerpts from the _______________________ High School Yearbook
Future Plans:
Favorite _____________ High Memory:
Name:
Activities:
Quote:
91© Vivendi Universal Publishing and/or Reading Blaster™ Ages 9–12its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 3
Summary
This activity is a detective-type simulation for theentire class. Three hands-on activities make upthe simulation. The object of Catch-a-Clue CrashCourse is for students to use their deductive andanalytical skills to solve the clues. As a reward,offer an appropriate surprise for the entire class(such as additional recess, a tasty treat, or apopcorn and video party).
Materials• 2 letter envelopes• 2 index cards
Clue 1 - Fingerprinting• index cards (one for each student)• 1 black or blue ink pad
Clue 2 - Invisible Writing• white crayons• white construction paper (one for each
student)• black paint (blue or purple will also work)• paintbrushes (one for each student)
Clue 3 - Chromatography• coffee filters (3 per class of 30)• plastic or glass drinking cups of water
(3 cups per group of students)• 3 different types of black ink pens (ball-
point, felt-tip, fine-tip, different brands, etc.)• 3 pencils per group of students• water• clear tape
Setting Up the Simulation
1. Determine what the secret message will be. For example: “Friday will be a popcorn party!” Next determine what the three clues will say. Following the above example, the clues might read:• Clue 1: T.G.I.F.• Clue 2: Native Americans called it
maize; little did they know it would cause such a craze.
• Clue 3: The popping sound I hear is music to my ears.
2. Write clue 1 on an index card and place the card in a sealed envelope. Mark the envelope clue 1 and set it aside.
3. Tell students that they will be working in detective teams to uncover and solve the three clues which will reveal a secret message.
Catch-a-Clue Crash Course
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92
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 3
Catch-a-Clue Crash Course (continued)
Conducting Each Activity of the
Simulation
Read the instructions with your class beforeengaging in each activity.
1. For Clue 1 - Fingerprintinga. Select a student who will be the
undercover agent for this activity. This student will need to keep his composure so other students will not suspect that he is part of the clue.
b. Take a fingerprint of this student. Roll his thumb or finger on the ink pad from left to right. Then roll the finger in the same fashion onto an index card. Reproduce this fingerprint on the copier so each student has a print to examine.
c. Hand the undercover agent the envelope for clue 1. He will need to keep it in a safe place.
d. Tell students that one of their classmates has clue 1. It is their job to match the fingerprint of this student with the fingerprints of others in order to identify the undercover agent. Pass out copies of the undercover agent’s fingerprint to each student.
e. Distribute an index card to each student. Set up a “fingerprinting station” where students will be fingerprinted on their index cards. Write the name of each student beneath his or her fingerprint.
f. Place the fingerprint cards in a row. Have students analyze the fingerprint of the undercover agent and then compareit with the prints of the rest of the class.
g. Survey students as to the identity of the undercover agent. Go with whatever the majority of students decide. If this guess is wrong, ask the students to analyze the prints again.
h. When the correct match has been made, the undercover agent identifies himself then reads clue 1. Post clue 1 on the board.
Max Levon
Sandi
Tom
Jessie
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93
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 3
2. For Clue 2 – Invisible Writinga. Gather enough white construction
paper so there is one piece for each student.
b. Write the second clue on a piece of paper with a white crayon. Put the paper back into the pile.
c. Distribute a piece of construction paper to each student. Tell them that there is invisible writing on one piece of paper.
d. Distribute paint and brushes. Instruct students to paint over their papers to see if a secret message appears.
e. When a student discovers the message,have him or her read it and show it to the class. Post clue 2 on the board.
3. For Clue 3 – Chromatographya. Ask another teacher, your principal,
the school secretary, or another staff member to volunteer to help with this activity. Have the volunteer write a note on a coffee filter. The note should read something like this: “If you can find me, I will give you clue 3.” This clue should be written with a black ink pen.
b. Cut the other coffee filters into long strips that will fit lengthwise into the clear cups. Each filter should be
one inch wide and as long as the cup. There should be three filter strips and three cups per group of students. On each strip, draw a small circle of ink about 1-1⁄2 inches from one end of the paper.
Important: Each of the three dots should be written with a different black pen. At the top of each strip, write the letters A, B, C to indicate which pen was used. Be sure to remember this yourself!
c. Tell students that the person who has clue 3 has written the class a note. Show them the note on the coffee filter. Explain that if they can deduce who wrote the note, they can go to him or her for the third clue.
d. Tell students that the note was written with one of three black pens. Show the class the pens. If students can figure out which pen wrote the message, you will be able to tell them who wrote it.
Catch-a-Clue Crash Course (continued)
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94
Unit 3 – Dr. Dabble’s Diversions Name:
Activity 3
e. Explain that students will use chromatography to analyze the pens. Chromatography breaks down ink into its component colors.
f. Divide students up into small groups and give each group three filter strips and three clear cups. Pass out pencils and clear tape. Have students tape each filter strip to a pencil so the end of the filter with the black dot is farthest from the pencil.
g. Pour enough water into the glasses so the water level just touches the bottom of the filter strip when the pencil is placed across the top of the glass. (See illustration.)
h. Once the water touches the filter strip and travels to the dot of color, observe how the color separates. Look for different patterns and colors. Dependingon the type and brand of black marking pen, the colors and patterns produced will vary greatly.
i. After all the students have studied the ink samples, take a piece of the coffee filter containing the message and set up a chromatography observation station. Let students compare this sample with the three samples they have. Next, they must determine which pen wrote the message.
j. Once students are in agreement, take the class to the person with that pen (if possible) to hear the third clue.
k. Once all three clues have been obtained, tell your students what their surprise will be and congratulate them on their hard work!
Catch-a-Clue Crash Course (continued)
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95
Appendix A
Travel Article
f rest and relaxation are what you’re looking for, you won’t find it in the town
of Bizarroville.
It’s worth a visit, however, during the town’sannual Have-a-Banana festival.
For the entire month of April, Bizarroville, oncethe ”banana peel capital“ of the United States,celebrates all things banana.
Bizarroville’s love affair with the banana beganin the year 1520, when Spanish sea captainVasco de Bizarro was sailing his banana boat to India. He took a wrong turn and ended uplanding right on top of Barf Rock, in what wouldlater become the town named after him—Bizarroville.
De Bizarro only stayed long enough to leavebehind a whole shipload of rotten bananas. But, year after year, Bizarrovillians honor theirfounder by holding the Have-a-Banana festival.
If you visit Bizarroville City Hall on April 1, you’ll find the entire building wrapped in a giant plastic banana peel. Enter City Hall andyou’ll find the mayor and the entire city councilwearing banana suits. “Every year this wholetown goes completely bananas,” says MayorJackie O’Cassidy.
For some culinary delights, visit the Bizarrovilletown square. Throughout the month of April, amultitude of food booths serve up banana splits,banana pizza and banana burgers. Local momBobbi “Sox” Fright makes the best mashed-banana pie this writer has ever tasted.
On April 30th, the Have-a-Banana Festival ends with a banana-eating contest and thecrowning of King and Queen Banana. At night, you’ll be treated to an extravagant, all-yellow fireworks display.
You won’t be anxious to split from this highlyappealing banana celebration.
On the Road Again: Lost in Bizarroville
by Dusty Rhodes
I
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96
Appendix B
Barf High Yearbook
BOBBI “SOX” SAXActivities: Head cheerleader for “The Geek
Rockets,” Barf High’s championship debate team. Member of the Off-Key Glee Club
Quote: “You can never be too cheerful or too tidy.”
Future Plans: Playing “I Know an Old LadyWho Swallowed a Fly” on the harmonica
Favorite Barf High Memory: Dancing thehokey pokey with future husband Lou “Boo”Fright at the Senior Prom
LOU “BOO” FRIGHTActivities: President of the Inventor’s ClubQuote: “If it doesn’t exist, I’ll invent it!”Future Plans: To marry Bobbi “Sox” and raise
twins in the Bizarroville suburbsFavorite Barf High Memory: Being tossed out
of the Science Club for reinventing the wheel
GORKY BARFActivities: Joke-telling, Pie-Eating Club,
Book-of-the-Month ClubQuote: “Why did the chicken cross the road? ...
uh ... I forgot the punchline.”Future Plans: To perfect the squirting-flower
practical jokeFavorite Barf High Memory: Turning myself in
to the Principal’s office because I hadnothing better to do
GLORIA GHASTLYActivities: Member of Drama Club. Played
Breadcrumb in school production of “Hanseland Gretel”; understudy to Grandma in“Little Red Riding Hood”
Quote: “A girl can never have too many pairs of sunglasses.”
Future Plans: To win the World’s Best Actressaward
Favorite Barf High Memory: Receiving my firststanding ovation for dropping a tray in theschool cafeteria
GULLIVER LILLIPUTActivities: Captain of Full-Contact Chess Team
and Extreme Red Rover, Red Rover TeamQuote: “Drop and give me 20 push-ups!”Future Plans: To always have clean socksFavorite Barf High Memory: Scoring a perfect
checkmate after giving the opposing chessplayer a power-noogie
JACKIE O’CASSIDYActivities: Vice-President of Student Council;
President of Student Council; sole member of Student Council
Quote: “Ask not what Barf High can do for you.Ask what Barf High can do for me!”
Future Plans: To be able to talk on the phonefrom anywhere at any time
Favorite Barf High Memory: Having my ownroyal throne in the school cafeteria
Excerpts From the Ralph Waldo BarfHigh School Yearbook