Someone Builds the Dream

Discussion questions

• It is very rare these days that one person can build an entire house from start to finish. Most people specialize in one trade or profession. We need to depend on many people to build a house. How many different skilled trades could it take to build a home?

• Is there a career featured in this book that you can picture yourself doing? Building trades? Publishing? Design? Which one(s) interest you the most? Did you already feel that way before reading the book or is it a new idea inspired by the book? Someone needs to do all the jobs. That someone could be you.

• In the opening page, it shows a run couple run down buildings that have been abandoned. At the end of the book, it’s been transformed into a nice park. Is there something in our town you’d like to see transformed? What is your dream it would become?

Vocabulary

• Ore -  a mineral containing a valuable component that is mined from the earth

• Smelt - process of heating and melting to obtain metal from ore

• Solder - joining metals by melting a low temperature material to act as glue

• Mystified - bewildered or confused by something amazing

Video content

• https://youtu -l.be/6AF8bFR0Cik 2 min 37 sec. Book creators talk about how the idea of the book came to the author and the importance of skilled trades workers in our society.

• https://youtu.be/_rvoIFiSZmc 4 min 14 sec. Time lapse video of a luxury log home being built. 

Publisher content 

• https://www.lisawheelerbooks.com/_files/ugd/bdf277_8ffeb235c7544b48b9de850361a52543.pdf 5 discussion questions, 3 activities on one page pdf

• https://www.lisawheelerbooks.com/_files/ugd/bdf277_3a65dabfba644f55b1010331f33b3c7c.pdf 3 page activity pdf with a drawing prompt, spot the difference, and a puzzle.

Activities

• Host a “We build a bridge” maker event. Someone sketches and someone else builds it as a model. If you want to get fancy, add painting, lights, decorations, etc. But make sure to give credit to each person or team that does each step.

• Someone builds our dreams! Create a collage or video compilation of local people that have the jobs featured in the book. Invite readers to submit a photo of someone they know and their job.

• Dinosaurs were the inspiration for the amusement park in the book. Design and sketch a ride using your favorite animal for inspiration.  Include who the ride is meant to be for (ages, interest). Make a display of all the wild rides kids create.

• Have a photo booth or center with props of different occupations for kids to ‘try on’.

• Identify your local tech high school. Have a video chat with a representative or show one of their promotional videos listing all the different fields they train people in.

• Dream up a little city. Construct some 3-d buildings. Search building or house template printable for endless options. Or just use legos or other building toys/blocks.

Companion books