Chapter Chat (Language Arts) –

Draw an * beside your favorite part each night as you read together. Share that part the next day with a partner in class. Explain why you picked that part.

Pet Pix (Art, Language Arts) –

Have students bring in a picture of their pet, a former pet, a wanted pet, a neighbor’s pet. Hang these around the room to use as story starters and journal prompts.

Pick A Pet (Language Arts) –

Have students write a story about their pet, a pet they have had in the past, or a pet they hope to have in the future.

Pet Perspective (Language Arts) –

Have students write a story from the perspective of a pet. What do you think a dog does all day while its owners are at work and school? How would a gerbil entertain himself? This could be in the form of comics to get students to really focus on what the pet would “say.”

Pet Persuasion (Language Arts) –

Write a letter to your parents trying to persuade them to get you a certain pet. Be sure to give them many good reasons that having a pet would be a great idea. You may even want to research some helpful information about pet care so you can be extra convincing.

Pet Ads (Language Arts) –

Write an advertisement or poster showcasing your pet. Demonstrate why you think your pet is the best pet in the world. Hang these in your classroom or around the school to share the wonder of your pet with others.

Alone (Language Arts) –

Gwendolyn says, “Kona, my dear, there are some things in this life we must experience alone.” (p. 34) Are there activities that you prefer to do alone. Write about one, explaining why you like to do that activity alone. What does aloneness add to the experience?

Describing the scene (Language Arts, Art) –

On pages 53-55, the author describes the scene Kona finds in Gooseberry Park and how he feels about it. Ask your students to try their hand at this type of writing. Have them picture a place that is important to them and how it makes them feel. Then, they can write about it and illustrate it.

Stumpy’s point of view –

The whole story has been told through the experiences of Kona, Gwendolyn, and Murray. We know very little about what Stumpy has gone through. We learn about that in Chapter 17. So, before you get there, invite your students to write the story of what happened to Stumpy after the tree fell. Where did she go? How did she feel? How did she make a plan? And, how did she feel when she saw the watch.

Character descriptions (Language Arts) –

Now that the book is over, and your students know the characters well, ask them each to choose a favorite character and write a sketch of that character. Challenge them to use descriptive words and phrases that really get to the heart of what that character is all about. And, have them describe why that character resonates.

REMARKABLE (Language Arts) –

Kona really was remarkable. Create an acrostic poem using the word ‘remarkable’ to tell about Kona. Share your poems with your classmates. Did you come up with some of the same ideas? You can choose another word to describe Stumpy, Gwendolyn, Murray, or any of the other characters and make acrostic poems for them, too.

Picture Plot (Language Arts, Art) –

Using the pictures from the novel (you will need to copy them or take them from a spare book), have students put the pictures in sequential order. Have students notice which important parts of the story are not represented already by pictures. Encourage the students to create the missing pictures to include in the time line of the plot.

What comes next? (Language Arts)

Cynthia Rylant wrote a sequel to Gooseberry Park so these fun characters could have more adventures. Have your students write a sketch of what they think would make a good story for a sequel for Kona, Gwendolyn, Stumpy, her babies, and Murray. What other characters might enter the story? Would the adventures happen in Gooseberry Park or somewhere else? Then, you can make Gooseberry Park and the Master Plan (another Read to Them title) your next classroom read aloud.

Dear Cynthia (Language Arts) –

Cynthia Rylant encourages her readers to write to her. Have students to send her a note, a letter, or even a few questions and compliments. Getting return mail from a famous author would be thrilling!

Mr. Putter and Tabby (Language Arts) –

Cynthia Rylant and illustrator Arthur Howard teamed up for the early reader series, Mr. Putter and Tabby. Younger students will enjoy these sweet stories. Older students might enjoy pairing with younger students and sharing the books together.