Vocabulary FREEBIE Activity/Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

Enjoy this freebie vocabulary crossword as we continue the week with Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy. It was a fun start to all our book club activities! I know your kids will love it, too ;)

The definitions are included on page 2 (which I ran off as the back side of the crossword). 

Download/ Printer Friendly Version:

Vocabulary Crossword & Definitions

Looking for more Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy activities?

Freebie Bingo Cards (People, Places, and Things from the Story)

Book Review: The Sasquatch Escape by Suzanne Selfors {Vocabulary & Bingo FREEBIES}

Wow, that was a fast read! 

Our homeschool book club {grades 3-6} read The Sasquatch Escape by Suzanne Selfors for our May meeting. It's a fictional mystery with some fantasy thrown in.

At first, Madeline did not embrace the story. Every time we read one or two chapters, she wasn't eager to read more. That changed once events at Dr. Woo's worm hospital really got going ;)

From that point on, Madeline was hooked. Determined to keep reading until the book was finished! Even though the title is The Sasquatch Escape, the Sasquatch doesn't actually make an appearance for quite some time. We both wish he had appeared earlier!

The humor really picks up in the second half of the book. Sasquatch's escapades are HILARIOUS! The things he does will make you giggle and giggle.

Just toss out what you know about scary Bigfoot. Selfor's gentle giant is sweet, enjoys being cooed at like a baby, and loves his chocolate. You'll love him too.

Although the vocabulary wasn't overly challenging, there were many words new to Madeline. Since we purchased this book via Kindle, it was neat to be able to highlight the word and see the definition pop up!

SYNOPSIS
Benjamin {Ben} Silverstein has been sent to spend the summer with his Grandpa Abe while his parents work out some troubles. Since the button factory closed, Buttonville isn't very exciting. Most families have moved away leaving the town deserted. And worse, the senior center is pretty much the only place to hang out and socialize.

Ben meets Pearl Petal, a girl whose family lives above the Dollar Store. Everyone in Buttonville calls her a troublemaker. But when Ben finds a injured baby dragon, he and Pearl see if the town's new worm doctor {Dr. Woo} can help.

During the visit to the worm hospital, Ben leaves the deadbolt open resulting in Sasquatch's escape. It's up to Ben and Pearl to locate the missing Sasquatch and bring him back to Dr. Woo's hospital - a hospital for Imaginary creatures!

FREEBIES
What a bummer, there is no study guide for this book. Being type-A and all, I've been creating my own study guide. Expect another post with more activities once we meet for book club :)  

Enjoy my vocabulary and bingo freebies:

Click here to download ~ Vocabulary Definitions

Click here to download ~ Vocabulary/Character/Setting Bingo Caller List

Click here to download ~ Bingo Cards Set #1

Click here to download ~ Bingo Cards Set #2

Click here to download ~ Bingo Cards Set #3

RATING
We'd rate The Sasquatch Escape 4 of 5 stars! It's a must-read for any child that loves mysteries, adventure, or animals.

Will we continue with the series? Most certainly!

End of Year Curriculum Review: Vocabulary

Vocabulary:  240 Words Kids Need to Know Grade 3 by Scholastic

During the fall, it was evident Madeline was done reading level readers. But tackling the chapter books she wanted to read was difficult due to the more advanced vocabulary.

To read more challenging chapter books, I knew we'd have to start vocabulary lessons. Enter 240 Vocabulary Words Kids Need to Know: Grade 3. We began this book in January of this year {2014}.

Our vocabulary lessons definitely helped Madeline read more challenging material. This also meant we were able to jump to the next homeschool book club level, Grade 3 and up. Prior to vocabulary lessons, we were reading the Kinder - Grade 2 book club selections.

In the beginning of the book, most lists have four lessons. Some lists have only two or three. Total, the book has 24 word lists. Depending on your pace, you could finish the book in a semester or even over the summer. The first list: foe, vast, purchase, drowsy, absent, prank, feeble, annual, sturdy, reply. The last list: awareness, laziness, frightful, tactful, recently, quietly, arrangement, contentment, performer, trainer.

This is a reproducible book, meant to be used by a teacher. I photocopy the pages and keep my master book clean so that it can be reused later. You could also use a plastic sleeve with one side cut open to protect the page your student is currently working on. Use dry erase markers and wipe away after each lesson :)

WHAT I LIKE
The lessons are short, usually four lessons per word list. There is a variety of exercises including crossword puzzles, matching, synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blank, and picture clues. An answer key and master word list are provided at the back.

I also love the way the definitions are presented. The first exercise shows the definition in a short sentence. The vocabulary word is bolded. This enables the student to learn the definition without memorizing lengthy definitions.

Even though the lessons seem easy, the student really learns the vocabulary! Madeline has already recognized some of the words in our book club selections like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Pippi Longstocking. I love this book and the results!

WILL WE CONTINUE?
Yes! We plan to continue with 240 Vocabulary Words Kids Need to Know: Grade 4. I plan on alternating between Scholastic and Sylvan for vocabulary. Once we finish Grade 3, we'll tackle the vocabulary portion of Sylvan's Super Reading Success 3rd Grade. 

Chasing Vermeer Activities {FREE Printable Links}

Time flies when you're having fun. And yesterday, book club just flew by! Madeline's selection was Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet.

A member surprised us with pentominoes!

Vocabulary Bingo

Examples of vocabulary bingo cards

I used Print-Bingo to create vocabulary bingo cards. The caller's cards were cut from our vocabulary definitions printed on cardstock.

Print your own vocabulary list and definitions from Scholastic's Chasing Vermeer Teacher's Guide.

To make the bingo cards reusable, I slid them into plastic sheet protectors. The kids circled or drew a line through the called words with a dry erase marker. After there was a winner, they just wiped their cards clean :)

Next book club, it might be fun to add places in the book as well as characters to the bingo cards. I'm always looking to change it up!

Pentomino Rectangle Activity
A book club member surprised us by bringing pentomino sets! The kids tried to make as many rectangles as they could. If they completed a rectangle, they had the option of helping another student or making more rectangles. Most chose to help other students, which I thought was really cool!

Madeline is obsessed with pentominoes thanks to this book. The plastic pentominoes were so addictive, I ordered a set for her. My toddler will probably love working with them too, albeit at her own ability level.

Looking for free pentomino printables? Scholastic has this printable set. The sturdier the pentomino, the easier they are to manipulate. You might want to print on cardstock or construction paper, or possibly even laminate them.

MORE FREE PENTOMINO ACTIVITIES
Puzzling Pentominoes games and scavenger hunt

Pentomino Puzzles for math/geometry

Pentomino Exploration, Construction, Geometry, and Measurement

Character Name Acrostic Poem
We discussed how to write acrostic poems and viewed examples. Then students picked a character name from one of the 12:

• Petra Andalee
• Frank Andalee
• Norma Andalee
• Calder Pillay
• Walter Pillay
• Yvette Pillay
• Isabel Hussey
• Louise Sharpe
• Tommy Segovia
• Zelda Segovia
• Vincent Watch
• Xavier Glitts {a.k.a. Fred Steadman}

Using a character name, they created their own poem describing that character. They could choose to write a descriptive word for each letter or a descriptive phrase. Then each homeschooler read their poem aloud.

Chasing Vermeer Literature Unit 
To save time, I purchased a premade literature unit. It was awesome and totally worth the $10 price for a whopping 98 pages!

I will definitely purchase more units. This was my first time doing so, and I was so impressed by the quality. There is no way I could reproduce this print-ready unit without hours and hours of work.

Some of the activities included was a vocabulary list {students add their definitions}, chapter discussion questions, an art comparison activity {real Vermeer v. fake}, tons of writing prompts, pentomino activities, and more ideas for activities than I could ever imagine.

Here's a complete list of the unit components:

• Short Answer Comprehension Questions
• Short Answer TEST
• 12 Project Challenges
• Cover Analysis (2 cover options)
• Bookmark for writing story elements (2 cover options)
• Art Evaluation and Two Voice Poetry Sheets (2)
• Painting Evaluations and Questions (3)
• Real and Fake Vermeer Evaluation
• Compare/Contrast Two Paintings
• Vermeer Signature Evaluation
• Puzzling Pentomino Worksheets
• Creative Pentomino Project
• Chapter Title Connection Chart
• Character Motivation/Role/Impact Chart
• #12 Coincidences Chart
• Artifact Analysis- for Quill Feather
• Book Quotes Analysis (6)
• Figurative Language Sheets (10)
• RAFT Writing Prompts (10)
• Two Cover Comparison with Questions
• Vocabulary Packet, 54 words and blank sheets
• Frog Beanbag Project
• Frog Report Writing Sheets

There is no way we could ever finish all the activities in this unit during a book club meeting. But I will definitely incorporate these into our homeschool curriculum!

Enjoy all the activities and happy reading :)

Raiders' Ransom: Activities and Discussion Questions

Having a blast with vocabulary bingo ladders at homeschool book club

After searching but not finding a Scholastic study guide for Raiders' Ransom, I made my own! If you find a link to the official study guide, please leave me a comment so I can link to it :)

[Enjoy my book review too.] 

The kids liked all the activities at homeschool book club, but vocabulary bingo was the favorite! It never hurts to have extra activities, but we ran out of time before the character comparison. So Madeline will work that in at home later as one of our writing assignments.


Discussion Questions

Why is Lilly’s boat spared from the raider attack?

Why doesn't the Prime Minister want to give compensation for Lilly's fishing town to rebuild their boats and pay for the raider damage?

Why does Lilly decide to steal the jewel? How does she disguise herself and Cat?

Is the jewel a gem or something else? Why is it so important?

Why does Zeph have to make friends with Lilly in London?

Why does Mr. Saravanan pretend to disown/cast Lilo out of their family?

What is a fill miner? Why are fill miners needed?

Is trial by knife a scientific way to get facts and truth? Why or why not?

If Roba had thrown the knife {instead Zeph} at the trialing wheel, do you think the outcome would have been the same for Lilly? Why or why not?

What secret is Aileen keeping from Angel Isling?

Why does Zeph show kindness to Lexy when she is summoned to the feast? Who does she remind him of?

How does Cat set free Lilly and Lexy from their shackles?

Does the Prime Minister seem happy to see Lexy during the truce? Does he protect her after they are reunited?

Do you think Zeph finds war as wonderful as he imagined it in the beginning of the story? Why?

When Roba is drowning, Zeph helps him by giving Roba a piece of wreckage to use as a float. Is Roba kind to Zeph in return?

During the fleet battle, Lilly has to make a choice to rescue Lexy or Zeph. How does she choose?

Jasper hired Medwin to get the jewel. Did Jasper get what he wanted? Why or why not?


Sail Design Activity

The raider Families used symbols and colors to differentiate themselves from each other. Zeph’s family used the color red and the symbol of the lion.

Design your own raider sail to represent your raider Family!

- Name your raider family
- Choose one or two colors for your sail design
- Choose a symbol for your sail to represent your family

For inspiration and symbol meanings, print/view Common Archetypes and Symbols in Literature and Animals and Their Symbolic Meanings.

Students can draw freehand or use this sailboat template to make a three dimensional boat.


Compare and Contrast Two Characters

Choose from either:
- Roba and Zeph
- Lilly and Lexy
- Medwin the Untamed and Prime Minister Randall

1. List two ways they are the same/similar.

2. List two ways they are different.

3. Which one of the two would you rather be? Why?

Vocabulary Bingo
Provide definition list and have children take turns reading a word and its definition. Fill in blank bingo cards with your vocabulary words and get gaming! Kids can earn extra points by providing synonyms and antonyms for the words.

fury:  extreme anger

sly:  smart in a dishonest way, hiding your true reasons

ruins:  remaining pieces of something that has been destroyed

projection:  creating an image on a surface from somewhere else, an image that can be seen but isn’t a real object {like a movie on a movie screen}

swift:  very fast or quick

lassie: a young girl

malfunction:  to not work properly/correctly or to fail to work

sterile:  without germs or other microorganisms

scabbard:  protective case for a sword, knife,  or blade

kinship:  being related to other people

loyal: complete support for someone or something

arrogant:  believing or acting more important, smarter, or better than other people

activate:  to turn something on or make it active

antiquarian:  a person who collects, studies, or sells valuable old things

rudimentary:  the most basic or simple

artificial intelligence:   the power of a machine/computer to act and think like a person

delinquent:  a young person who regularly breaks the law or misbehaves

plead:  to ask for something in a serious and emotional way

unfurl:  to cause a folded or rolled up item to open

tattered:  old and torn

vital:  extremely important or necessary

traitor:  a person who is not loyal to their friends, family, or country

duress:  when someone is forced or threatened to do something they don’t want to do

kindling:   lightweight and dry objects that burn easily and are used to start a fire {like twigs or paper}