A Light In The Attic
By Shel Silverstein
Activities by Kristen Carey
Overview
Title of Book: A Light In The Attic
Author: Shel Silverstein
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 1981
Brief Summary of Book:
A Light In The Attic is a children’s book filled with poems. The three poems I chose are, “Overdues”, “Snake Problem”, and “Homework Machine”. “Overdues” is a poem about a library book that is 42 years over due and the person does not know if he should turn it in or hide it again. “Snake Problem” is a very short poem about a child wanting to know what he should do if a 24-foot python says “I Love You”. “Homework Machine” is a poem about a machine that will calculate your homework if you put in your homework and a dime, then snap the switch and out comes your homework done for you. Except the homework machine calculated the problem wrong, so it is the not so perfect homework machine.
Grade Level Targeted by Learning Activities: 4th grade
Activity 1:
Title of activity: Snake Problem
TEKS addressed by this activity: 4.11 and 4.12
Source of this activity: Lisa Leonardi
Materials needed: One-foot paper snake (make out of construction paper)
Ruler
Paper clips
Craft sticks
Cotton swabs
Pencil
Instruction sheet (provided)
Problem sheet (provided)
Answer sheet (provided)
Procedures for students to follow: Measure the snake with each of the manipulatives (Follow the directions given and use the problem sheet)
Assessment: Measurement
Miscellaneous teacher notes on assembling this activity: You can cut a piece of yard 24 feet long so the students can see how long it is. You will probably want to make the paper snake just 1-foot. Laminate the snake.
Activity 2:
Title of activity: Overdues
TEKS addressed by this activity: Math 4.4
Source of this activity: Lisa Leonardi
Materials needed: Books (real or make your own)
Library pockets & cards (overdue price printed on cards)
Coins (plastic or paper)
Instruction sheet (provided)
Problem sheet (provided)
Answer sheet (provided)
Procedures for students to follow: Look at the problem sheet for the problems. Then calculate the total amount due for the overdue book by multiplying the number of days a certain book is late times the amount per day the library charges for overdue books. Then use the coins to pay for it.
Assessment: Multiplication and money
Miscellaneous teacher notes on assembling this activity: If you already have books just put library pockets in them or you can make your own books by printing a title of a book on paper and folding vertically to make it look like a book and put a pocket on the inside.
Activity 3:
Title of activity: Homework Machine
TEKS addressed by this activity: Math 4.3 and 4.4
Source of this activity: Lisa Leonardi
Materials needed: Poster board or 12 x 18 tag paper
Copy of poem “Homework Machine”
Dry erase markers
Instruction Sheet
Problem sheet (provided)
Answer sheet (provided)
Procedures for students to follow: Use the problem sheet for the questions. If the sheet says to compute the answer of 45 divided by 3, then you write the problem in the first blank of the poem on the poster board and then work the problem and write the answer in the second blank. Write both on your own paper as well. If the sheet tells you to compute a problem using divide and the number 3 with an answer of 15, then you write 15 in the second blank and try to figure out a divide problem using the number three and write it in the first. Wipe the board off with a Kleenex when you finish with a problem and are ready to start a new one.
Assessment: Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction
Miscellaneous teacher notes on assembling this activity: After writing or coping the poem on the poster board (make sure you leave a blank in the poem where the problem goes and a second blank where the answer goes) laminate it, so the students can write in the blanks with a dry erase marker that wipes off. In addition, when you copy the poem at the end when it says “I guess it is not as perfect as I thought it would be” take out the not and make it the perfect homework machine.