Recorded Books Teacher s Guide Reading Support Collections with Downloadable Teacher s Guides Thank you for downloading your free Teacher s Guides! Reading Support Collections are a unique resource designed to support young readers three ways: 1. Authentic, relevant, topical books motivate even reluctant readers 2. Audio format allows all students access to the material, even below-grade readers 3. Students experience growth in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary as they listen to unabridged audio while following along in the matching print text. Teacher s Guides feature book summaries, author information, two student assessments with answer key, reproducible student worksheets, and creative thinking activities. Check out our other collections, including more Reading Support Collections, at www.recordedbooks.com. To download more free Teacher s Guides for collections, go to www.recordedbooks.com/guides. Save a copy of this guide to print as needed. You may also download and distribute guides by email. K Recorded Books
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden Teacher s Guide for the unabridged audiobook Introductory Material Summary: Chester the cricket arrives in New York in a picnic basket, and is quickly befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat. Chester becomes the pet to a young boy named Mario, and the three animals work to save his family s failing newsstand. Themes: Survival, Friendship, Value of hard work About the Author: George Selden George Selden Thompson was born May 14, 1929 in Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951. He adopted the pseudonym George Selden when he became a freelance writer after graduation. He has written books for both children and adults, and his children s book The Cricket in Times Square was a Newbery Honor Book in 1961. He enjoyed archaeology and music. He died in 1989. Objectives: By the conclusion of this audiobook, students should be able to do the following: 1. Identify the setting of a story and discuss the impact of the setting on the characters and plot. 2. Describe a character using evidence from conversations, tone of voice, physical descriptions, and actions. 3. Recognize and evaluate cause and effect relationships between characters. 4. Recognize how the narrator s voice pitch, speed, and tone affect the meaning of the story. 5. List the conflicts in the story. K Recorded Books 1
Preparation Questions Warm Up Questions: Use before beginning the audiobook. 1. How do crickets make their chirping noise? 2. What would you feel like if you were taken thousands of miles from your home without any of your family or friends? 3. If you could help out a friend with your talents, would you? 4. What would you do if people in two places both needed you very much? How would you choose? 5. What happens to someone who has an extraordinary talent? How do they become famous? Establishing a Purpose for Listening: Present before each chapter or section. Students should be alert for answers as they listen. Chapters 1 3 Who are Tucker and Chester? How does Mario find Chester? Chapters 4 6 Who is Harry? Why does Mario go to Chinatown? Chapters 7 9 How do the animals solve their money problem? What happens at Sai Fong s Chapters 10 12 What happens at the dinner party? What surprised Mr. Smedley? Chapters 13 15 What is wrong with Chester? What does he decide to do about it? Extending the Lesson: Use these cross-curricular activities for individual assignments or for collaborative work. 1. Multi-Media: Create a time line of the major events in Chester s life during his stay in New York. Draw or create a picture that shows each major event. 2. English: Write the first chapter in a sequel to The Cricket in Times Square, in which Tucker and Harry Cat go to visit Chester in the countryside. What is different in the country? What does the countryside have that the city doesn t? 3. English: Rewrite one of the chapters in the book from the view point of Tucker, Mario, or one of Mario s parents. Think about how the events taking place will be different from this new point of view. 4. Science: Learn all about one of the animals mentioned in this book. Are there any real characterisics that are shown in the book? How are the book s animals different from the real, wild version? Write an essay. 5. English: What is a myth? Find out, then write a myth like the one told by Sai Fong. You can tell how an animal was created, or how something else in the world came to be. 2 K Recorded Books
Name: The Cricket in Times Square Date: Period: After Listening: Chapters 1 3 1. What kind of business do the Bellinis run? 2. What does Mario decide to do with Chester? 3. Where did Chester come from? Chapters 4 6 1. Who is Tucker s best friend? 2. Who is Mr. Smedley? 3. What does Mario purchase for his cricket from Sai Fong? Chapters 7 9 1. Where does Tucker want to sleep? 2. What happens while Chester was dreaming? 3. Why does Mario go to see Sai Fong? Chapters 10 12 1. What happens at the dinner party? 2. What does Chester do that makes Mama Bellini change her mind about him? 3. What amazing thing happens the last Sunday in August? Chapters 13 15 1. What good comes of Chester s performances? 2. Why isn t he enjoying singing as much? 3. Why does he decide to go home? K Recorded Books 3
Name: General Questions: Date: Period: Use after listening to the entire audiobook. 1. Making Judgments: Discuss the importance of a large city as the setting of the story. How does it help or harm the characters? How would the story have been different in a small town, or on a farm? 2. Making Judgments: Describe Tucker. What can you say about him from the way he talks and acts? 3. Compare and Contrast: Compare and contrast Mario s life at the beginning of the story and at the end. How does Chester affect his life? 4. Interpreting Information: List the various attitudes people have toward Chester in the book. How do their attitudes change as the story unfolds? 5. Predicting Outcomes: What do you think will happen when Chester returns home? Do you think his friends will visit him? 4 K Recorded Books
Name: The Cricket in Times Square Date: Period: Comprehension Quiz 1. The Bellinis run a a. restaurant b. newsstand c. snack bar 2. When Mario finds Chester, he decides to a. leave him alone b. feed him to his snake c. keep him as a pet 3. Chester came from the a. south side b. Bronx c. country 4. Tucker s best friend is a. Mario b. Harry the cat c. Buster the rat 5. Mr. Smedley is a. a shop owner b. a music teacher c. a barber 6. Mario bought Chester a. a cricket cage b. food c. a collar 7. Tucker wants to sleep a. in the cash register b. on the table c. in Chester s house 8. When Chester woke up from his dream, he discovered that he had a. eaten money b. locked himself in his cage c. set off an alarm 9. Mario went to see Sai Fong because he a. was worried about Chester b. wanted a new cricket cage c. wanted another fortune cookie 10. The dinner was a disaster because a. Tucker failed to get any food b. the party ruined the Bellini s newsstand c. Harry couldn t come 11. Mama Bellini forgave Chester because he a. played her favorite song b. paid for the damage c. left the newsstand 12. The last Sunday in August, Chester a. played his music publicly b. ran away from his house c. had a fight with Tucker 13. Chester s performances were good because they a. brought him fame and fortune b. helped save the Bellini s newsstand c. cheered up the onlookers 14. Chester wasn t enjoying singing as much because a. his wings were getting sore b. he was exhausted c. he was not as good as he used to be 15. Chester decided to go home because he a. didn t like Mario anymore b. had a fight with Tucker c. wanted to spend fall in Connecticut Answer column 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. K Recorded Books 5
Answer Key: After Listening: Chapters 1 3 1. They run a newsstand. 2. keep him as a pet 3. Connecticut Chapters 4 6 1. Harry Cat 2. Mr. Smedley is a piano teacher who comes to the newsstand. 3. a beautiful cricket cage Chapters 7 9 1. on a bed of dollar bills in Chester s pagoda cage 2. He eats a two-dollar bill. 3. to find out what was wrong with chester Chapter 10 12 1. Tucker knocks over a atch box and the stand catches on fire. 2. He begins to play music especially her favorite song. 3. Chester plays for Mr. Smedley, who wrote about him in a letter to the newspaper. Chapters 13 15 1. People stop to listen and buy newspapers and magazines from the Bellinis. 2. Because he is not singing what he wants to, he is not happy. 3. He wants to go home to the country, where he will be happy. Student Worksheet 1. B 2. C 3. C 4. B 5. B 6. A 7. C 8. A 9. A 10. B 11. A 12. A 13. B 14. B 15. C 6 K Recorded Books