Teacher’s Guide for
Porcupining by Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Janie Bynum
Pre-reading:
Study the cover of the book. What do you notice? (Look for details). Can you tell if this book is going to have a happy ending? What makes you think so?
Comprehension Guide/ Quiz Questions
Knowledge:
- Describe where Cushion lives.
- Why is this a problem?
Comprehension:
- Restate all the things Cushion does to get a wife.
- Explain why the animals don’t like Cushion’s song to them.
Application:
- Choose one of the songs Cushion sings and rewrite it so the animal might like it!
- Who do you think reacts the strongest to Cushion’s songs? Why?
Analyze:
- Decide which picture is your favorite and explain why.
- Examine the grasshopper in each illustration. How does he add to the story?
Synthesize:
- What would you have said to Cushion had he sung you one of his songs?
2. How would you feel if you were Cushion?
Evaluation:
- Decide what happens after the story ends.
- Predict how the other animals react to Cushion and Barbara’s romance.
Multiple Intelligence Projects for
Porcupining by Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Janie Bynum
Verbal/ Linguistic
Pretend that Cushion keeps a journal (diary) about his life. Write at least three entries about what is happening in his life.
Logical/ Mathematical
Fill out the graphic organizer (below) about Porcupining.
Visual/ Spatial
Create a game board about Cushion and his adventures in Porcupining. Consider what things can make a player move forward, lose a turn, and win!
Body/ Kinesthetic
Notice the body language that each character in Porcupining uses to express their feelings. On slips of paper write the individual scenes from the book, and then using only the body language from the scene, see if students can guess which character it is.
Musical/ Rhythmic:
Either write the lyrics to your own song similar to Cushions OR using any instrument develop the tune that would accompany Cushion’s words!
Interpersonal:
Write a letter from one character to another in Porcupining. Be sure to let us know how the characters are feeling.
Intrapersonal:
As you read Porcupining you may discover some words you don’t know. Fill out the vocabulary chart below, and then on the bottom write a couple of sentences about how to figure out an unknown word as you read.
Vocabulary Development for
Porcupining by Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Janie Bynum
Color in the box that best describes your understanding of the vocabulary for Porcupining
I Know this word | I figured it out while reading | I need to learn more about this word | |
pining | |||
habitat | |||
appreciate | |||
discouraged |
Fill out this chart:
In my own sentence | How it appears in the book | Dictionary definition | |
pining | |||
habitat | |||
appreciate | |||
discouraged |
How can figure out words as you read?
