Title: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Author: Judy Blume
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Copyright: 1972
Age Level: 8 - 11 years
Grade Level: 4.9
Lexile: 470L
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud
Words to describe this book: hilarious, enthusiastic, troublesome, catastrophic, enjoyable
Summary: Peter Hatcher is a fourth grade boy with one troublesome brother. His brother, who everyone calls Fudge, is a mischievous two year old. Whether it's throwing temper tantrums or smearing mashed potatoes on the restaurant wall, Fudge is always up to no good. Fudge seems to take up all the attention of his parents, as well as everyone else who is around Fudge. Peter can't help but wonder if he'll ever get the same attentiveness as Fudge receives.
Key Vocabulary:
Definitions found at http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Before Reading Activity:
Electronic Resources:
http://www.judyblume.com/books/fudge/tales.php
Judy Blume's website where she shares a brief summary of her books, how she came up with her idea for the novel, who she dedicated the book to, and the creation of the title. Also, if students enjoyed Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, they can explore the other books in the Fudge series.
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/sibrivalry/index.html
This is a website where children can read and share their stories of what gets under their skin. Students share ideas about their sibling rivalries, their pets, etc. Also, the website provides a list of fiction and non-fiction books students can read regarding the topic they choose to write about.
Writing Activity:
Activity found http://pocket2012.weebly.com/uploads/7/0/1/2/7012666/tales_of_a_fourth_grade_nothing_teachers_guide.pdf
Author: Judy Blume
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Copyright: 1972
Age Level: 8 - 11 years
Grade Level: 4.9
Lexile: 470L
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud
Words to describe this book: hilarious, enthusiastic, troublesome, catastrophic, enjoyable
Summary: Peter Hatcher is a fourth grade boy with one troublesome brother. His brother, who everyone calls Fudge, is a mischievous two year old. Whether it's throwing temper tantrums or smearing mashed potatoes on the restaurant wall, Fudge is always up to no good. Fudge seems to take up all the attention of his parents, as well as everyone else who is around Fudge. Peter can't help but wonder if he'll ever get the same attentiveness as Fudge receives.
Key Vocabulary:
- Mugged - to attack of rob someoneshock
- Supervise - to be in charge of someone or something
- Vanish - to disappear without an explanation
- Insulted - to do or say something that offends someone
- Monorail - a type of railroad that uses a single track which is usually high off the ground
- Dreary - feeling, displaying, or reflecting discouragement
Definitions found at http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Before Reading Activity:
- Use the read-aloud strategy to introduce the novel. Read a section from the book where Fudge gets under Peter's skin (page 6, where we are first introduced to Fudge is a great introduction). Ask students to think about a time where someone annoyed them. What did they do that irritated you? How did you resolve the issue? If the problem didn't get resolved, how could you have handled it? Have them write their responses in their journals.
- The titles of each chapter provide readers with hints of what the next few pages will be about. Have students keep a journal and make predictions of what will happen next based on the title and details they already know.
- Use the language experience approach to discuss the events that happened to Peter. Have students retell the main ideas and key details of the story. Write them on the board in sequential order. If the students tell the story out of order, do not correct them until the story is complete. Read their retelling aloud and make any corrections to their sequence. Have students write the passage in their notebooks.
Electronic Resources:
http://www.judyblume.com/books/fudge/tales.php
Judy Blume's website where she shares a brief summary of her books, how she came up with her idea for the novel, who she dedicated the book to, and the creation of the title. Also, if students enjoyed Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, they can explore the other books in the Fudge series.
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/sibrivalry/index.html
This is a website where children can read and share their stories of what gets under their skin. Students share ideas about their sibling rivalries, their pets, etc. Also, the website provides a list of fiction and non-fiction books students can read regarding the topic they choose to write about.
Writing Activity:
- Write a letter to one of the characters to in the story. Tell him/her how similar or different your life is to his/hers. Ask that character questions and offer your opinions about some situations in the story.
- For an extension activity, have students write a letter back themselves pretending to be that character.
Activity found http://pocket2012.weebly.com/uploads/7/0/1/2/7012666/tales_of_a_fourth_grade_nothing_teachers_guide.pdf