Teachers’ Guide to the

First Novels Series

Formac Publishing Company Limited

Check out the First Novels website!For more information on the books and authors in the First Novels series,

check out the First Novels website

www.formac.ca/firstnovels

Kristen Hayes and Pam Sanford

Copyright © 2013 by Formac Publishing Company LimitedThis Resource Guide may be reproduced and distributed to educators for use with the First Novels books in educational settings. It may not be resold or included in any other print or electronic publication without prior written permission from the publisher. All other rights reserved.

Formac Publishing Company Limited5502 Atlantic StreetHalifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaB3H 1G4www.formac.ca

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1 Getting to Know You, Part One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Getting to Know You, Part Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2 Go with the Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3 Noticing Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4 Create a Character Quilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

5 Picking Favourites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

6 Write On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Cross-curricular Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Blackline Masters

Story Plotting . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Compare-and-Contrast . . . 12

Venn Diagram . . . . . . . . . . 13

Flow Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Character Quilt . . . . . . . . . . 15

About the Series and this Guide . . . 16

Table of Contents

Adam Adam’s Tropical Adventure

Arthur Arthur Throws a TantrumArthur’s DadArthur’s Problem Puppy

Carl Dear Old Dumpling

Carrie Carrie Loses Her NerveCarrie’s Camping AdventureCarrie’s CrowdGo For It, Carrie

Duff Duff the Giant KillerDuff’s Monkey Business

Fred Fred and the FloodFred and the Mysterious LetterFred and the Pig RaceFred and the Stinky CheeseFred on the Ice FloesFred’s Dream CatFred’s Halloween AdventureFred’s Midnight Prowler

Jan Jan and Patch Jan on the Trail Jan’s Awesome Party Jan’s Big Bang

Leo Leo and Julio Leo’s Midnight RescueLeo’s Poster ChallengeLeo’s Skiing Surprise

Lilly Captain Lilly and the New GirlLilly and the HullabalooLilly and the Snakes Lilly Babysits Her BrotherLilly in the Middle Lilly Makes a FriendLilly Plays Her Part Lilly Takes the Lead Lilly to the Rescue Lilly Traps the Bullies Lilly’s Clever Puppy Lilly’s Good Deed

Loonies The Loonies ArriveLoonie Summer

Maddie Maddie Goes To ParisMaddie in Danger Maddie in Goal Maddie in HospitalMaddie in Trouble Maddie Needs Her Own Life Maddie on TV Maddie Stands Tall Maddie Surfs for Cyber-Pals Maddie Tries To Be Good Maddie Wants Music Maddie Wants New Clothes Maddie’s Big Test Maddie’s Millionaire DreamsThat’s Enough, Maddie!

MarilouMarilou Cries Wolf Marilou Forecasts the FutureMarilou Keeps a CamelMarilou on StageMarilou, Iguana HunterMarilou’s Long Nose

Max Max the Superhero

Mia & MattMia, Matt and the Lazy GatorMia, Matt and the Pigs that SingMia, Matt and the Turkey Chase

Mikey Mite Good For You, Mikey MiteMikey Mite Goes to SchoolMikey Mite’s Best PresentMikey Mite’s Big Problem

Mooch A Gift from MoochHang on, MoochLife without MoochMissing MoochMooch and MeMooch ForeverMooch Gets Jealous

MorganCampfire Morgan Daredevil Morgan Great Play Morgan Morgan and the Dune Racer Morgan and the Money Morgan Gets Cracking Morgan Makes a Deal Morgan Makes a Splash Morgan Makes MagicMorgan on Ice Morgan’s BirthdayMorgan’s Pet Plot Morgan’s SecretMusic By MorganPucker Up, Morgan Super Move, Morgan!

RaffiRaffi’s Animal Rescue Raffi’s For the Birds Raffi’s Island Adventure Raffi’s New Friend

Raphael Video Rivals

Robyn Robyn Looks for Bears Robyn Makes the News Robyn’s Art Attack Robyn’s Best Idea Robyn’s Monster Play Robyn’s Party in the Park Robyn’s Want Ad Shoot for the Moon, Robyn Skate, Robyn, Skate Think Again, Robyn

Swank Swank Talk The Swank Prank

Toby Toby and the Mysterious

Creature Toby Laughs Last Toby Shoots for InfinityToby’s Best Friend Toby’s Very Important Question

ToniToni Biscotti’s Magic Trick

WillWill and His World

First Novels Series, Listed by Character

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www. for mac.ca

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instead, just like he did to you. It’s perfect! And if you do, I’ll give you first dessert.”Aldeen pushes up her glasses. “How do

you know you’ll get first dessert?”“Um, I’ve just got a feeling,” I say.“Hmmf,” she says.Curtis is coming back. “Do it!” I say. I run back to Charlie. Mom puts us in line. Everyone is still shuffling around. I look over: Aldeen is whispering to Curtis. “Ready?” calls Mom. Nope, Aldeen is gone somewhere. Now she’s back.“Okay,” calls Mom.“Wait!” Dad and Aldeen’s granny

squeeze in beside Charlie and me. “We want to play, too.”

“Ohh-kayyy,” calls Mom. “Why not? Everyone ready?”

Welcome to Formac Publishing’s First Novels beginner chapter book series. We hope that you will find these books useful to help your students to achieve many of your curriculum outcomes in English Literacy. There are also opportunities to extend their use to other areas of the curriculum, including Health and Social Studies. The books are generally designed for students at the transitional stage of reading development, mainly at the grades 3 and 4 levels.

This guide offers ideas for activities that you can use with your students. We would be happy to hear back from you regarding your use of these activities, and we’d be glad to learn about additional activities that you develop for the First Novels. Please send your comments to formaceditorial@formac.ca.

The First Novels series encompasses multiple books by an author and illustrator team which feature a single character (referred to as mini-series in this document). Characters such as Fred, Morgan, Lilly, Maddie, and Robyn are each featured in a number of titles. These characters are all aged 9 or 10, and they are portrayed living in a realistic contemporary world much like the world of your students.

In each book, there is an easily identifiable main theme, or sometimes a couple of themes. Also, in each book the leading character learns something or grows. You can use the activities here with individual books and also with any of the mini-series.

Introduction

5

10

11

2

My Friends

I wake up. Minna’s piano wakes me. Minna

is my best friend in the whole world. She

lives next door. She’s just a kid, but she

plays the piano like a grown up. Early every

morning she practices and wakes me up, but

I don’t mind. Minna’s mom and dad own a

shop in Chinatown. Her grandma looks after

her when her mom and dad are working.

6

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1 Getting to Know YouPart One

As a class, before the reading begins, generate a list of six questions that the students will answer about the main character in the books they read. Include a mix of literal and inferential questions. Things like: What do they look like? How old are they? What grade are they in? What kind of personality do they have? How do they get along with others? Who are their friends and enemies? Keep the list posted on the board for future reference.

Divide your class into two or three groups. Assign each group a main character from one of the mini-series (for example, the Morgan mini-series or Robyn mini-series). Give each group a minimum of three books in their mini-series. For each group, assign the following tasks.

• Have students in pairs. Have each partner take a turn reading aloud to the other. For purposes of comprehension, have each pair answer the six questions about the main character. Give each pair the generic learning experience, Story Plotting (page 11), that they can use to describe the setting of the story and the unifying concept/main idea. They should also identify the beginning (lead), middle (plot), and ending (resolution) parts of the story.

• As an individual assignment, ask the students to compare themselves to the main character in the books they are reading (making connections: text to self). Students can use the learning experience Compare-and-Contrast (page 12) to answer the following questions: How are you the same as the main character in this mini-series? How are you different from the main character in this mini-series?

• Lead a group discussion with each group to identify the main problem or conflict in one of the books in their mini-series. Ask students to individually answer the following question: What would you have done to solve the main problem if you were in the main character’s situation?

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1 Getting to Know YouPart Two

Have the groups switch mini-series.Pair students and have them repeat the learning experiences in Part One with

their new series.Provide students with the learning experience Venn Diagram (page 13). Ask

them to compare the main characters from the two mini-series that they have read. They should identify how the characters are the same and how they are different.

Have students identify any common unifying concepts or main ideas between the two mini-series they have read (making connections: text to text).

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2 Go with the Flow

Provide students with a blank Flow Chart (page 14) and have them chart the sequence of main events in the story they have just read.

3 Noticing Change

In each book, there is some kind of change in the character’s personal life, community, relationship or situation. Have each student choose one of the books they have read and describe the changes that they see through the story.

4 Create a Character Quilt

Give students a blank Character Quilt (page 15), or cut out different coloured squares of construction paper, and have students draw information about one of the main characters on each square (Ex: Draw the main character, draw a friend of the main character, draw where the character lives, etc.) Have students assemble the squares in a quilt-like pattern.

5 Picking Favourites

Once the students have read several books that feature different characters, such as Maddie, Jan, Mikey, etc., ask them to write about their favourite main character. They should describe the character, draw a picture of the character and explain why he/she is their favourite.

6 Write On

Using the main character from the story they just read, have students write a short story or sequel.

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Cross-curricular Opportunities

Some of the themes in these First Novels can be used in other areas of the curriculum. Here are a few examples:

Health: Values and Practices for Healthy Living• Families• Communities• Diversity• Changes in self, community, etc.

Health: Strategies for Positive Personal Development and Healthy Relationships• Friendship• Peer pressure

Social StudiesRole of change in people’s lives

Story Plotting

Name: ____________________________________

Story title:_______________________________________________________

Where does the story take place?

What is the main idea in the story?

Divide the story into three parts: the lead, plot and resolution.

Lead: Chapter ____ to _____Briefly describe what happens at the beginning of the story.

Plot: Chapter _____ to ______What are the main events in the middle of the story?

Resolution: Chapter _____ to _____What happens during the ending of the story?

Blackline Master 1

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Compare-and-Contrast

Name: ___________________________________

Use the chart below to show how you are the same as the main character in this mini-series and how you are different.

In the two top boxes, record the similarities between you and the main character. In the two lower boxes, record the characteristics that make you different.

How are _____________ and I alike?

How are ______________ and I different?

Blackline Master 2

12

Venn Diagram

Name:_____________________

Main characters: _________________ and __________________

Compare the main characters from the two mini-series that you have read. In the top circle, list the features of the character from the first series you read. In the bottom circle, show the features of the main character from the other series. In the centre where the circles overlap, describe the characteristics that are common to both individuals.

Blackline Master 3

13

Flow Chart

Name: _____________________________________________

Story title: __________________________________________

Using the boxes below and following the arrows, show the sequence of main events in the story you have just read.

ST

AR

T H

eR

e

Blackline Master 4

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Character Quilt

Name: _____________________________________________

Story title: __________________________________________

In each of the squares below, draw something to do with the main character from the story you have read. For example, you could draw the main character, draw a friend of the main character, draw where the character lives, etc. Use all of the squares. Cut the squares out and glue them on to a piece of heavy paper in a quilt-like pattern.

Blackline Master 5

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Formac First NovelsVisit www.formac.ca/firstnovels to find out more about the

more than 100 titles in the Formac First Novels series.

About the Authors of this Guide

KRISTEN HAYES has been an elementary school teacher for six years. She loves literature, music and art. She lives in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, with her husband and her sweet little boy, Lukas.

PAM SANFORD has been a School Library Specialist for twelve years with the Tri-County Regional School Board in Nova Scotia. She is a graduate of the Library and Information Technology Diploma program and currently sits on the Nova Scotia Provincial School Library Committee. Pam is also an active member of professional library associations. Her passions are the 21st Century Learner and the Learning Commons Model.

Check out the First Novels website!For more information on the books and authors in the First Novels series,

check out the First Novels website

www.formac.ca/firstnovels