Rural Exceptional Student Talent Opportunities, Resources, & Experiences
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EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Geronimo Stilton – World Explorer
Geronimo is a nervous, mild-mannered mouse who prefers a quiet life, yet keeps getting into faraway adventures with Thea, Trap, and Benjamin in both fictional and real locations.
These extension activities are based on the book series about Geronimo Stilton's adventures.
Geronimo Stilton – World Explorer
Focus: Reading comprehension, geography, creative writing
Anchor Activities: Mapping adventures, travel brochures, Geronimo-style story writing.
DOK 3–4 Questions:
Analyze: How does Geronimo’s personality affect the way he solves problems? Would a different character make different choices?
Evaluate: Which real-world place from Geronimo’s adventures would you most/least want to visit and why?
Create: Write a “missing adventure” where Geronimo travels to a place not in the books. Add puns, fonts, and illustrations.
Theme: Around the World with Geronimo
Core Activities:
Map out Geronimo’s adventures on a giant world map (geography integration).
Research one of the real places from the books and create a “mouse-sized” travel brochure.
Write a “Geronimo-style” story with lots of fonts, puns, and illustrations.
Extension: Build a diorama or Minecraft version of a setting.
Big Idea: Stories can inspire us to learn about the real world.
I Survived – Heroes in History
The I Survived book series by Lauren Tarshis is a collection of historical fiction stories written for young readers. Each book follows a child who experiences and survives a real-life disaster, such as the sinking of the Titanic, the attacks on September 11, or the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The stories combine fast-paced adventure with historical details, helping readers understand what it might have been like to live through these events. The main characters show courage, quick thinking, and resilience as they face danger and overcome challenges. Overall, the series teaches history in an exciting and personal way while inspiring readers to be brave in difficult situations.
I Survived – Heroes in History
Focus: History, resilience, science connections
Anchor Activities: Compare fiction with history, survival science experiments, “What if I survived…?” narrative.
DOK 3–4 Questions:
Analyze: What survival strategies are most common across different disasters?
Evaluate: Which survival strategy would be most effective in your chosen event, and why?
Create: Invent a survival guide for kids: choose a disaster, explain warning signs, and design 3 survival tips with visuals.
· Theme: Facing Danger, Showing Courage
· Core Activities:
o Read or listen to an I Survived book and identify survival strategies.
o Compare fictional survival stories with real accounts of historical events.
o Create a “What if I survived…?” personal narrative (choice of event: volcano, shipwreck, blizzard, etc.).
· Extension: Science tie-in: build a simple model (volcano, earthquake table, storm in a bottle).
· Big Idea: Stories of survival help us understand history and human resilience.
My Weird School - Humor and Writing
The My Weird School series by Dan Gutman is about a boy named A.J. and his very unusual teachers and classmates. Each book introduces a new teacher who does funny, silly, and often strange things at school. The stories are filled with jokes, wild adventures, and lots of laughs. This series makes school seem wacky and fun while showing that learning can happen in surprising ways.
My Weird School – Humor & Writing
Focus: Writing craft, humor, creativity
Anchor Activities: Humor study, Weird Journal, collaborative class story.
DOK 3–4 Questions:
Analyze: What techniques does Dan Gutman use to make ordinary events funny?
Evaluate: Which is harder to write: a funny story or a serious one? Why?
Create: Write your own “Weird School” chapter featuring a teacher at your school with an unusual talent or flaw.
· Theme: What Makes a Story Funny?
· Core Activities:
· Study Dan Gutman’s humor techniques (exaggeration, silly names, surprise endings).
· Keep a “Weird Journal” of funny or unusual real-life observations.
· Write & illustrate a class “Weird School” story set in their own school.
· Extension: Record a podcast episode reading aloud their own silly story.
· Big Idea: Humor is a powerful tool for storytelling and creativity.
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