COURSE PLAN THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE

COURSE PLAN THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE COURSE PLAN METHODOLOGY: The by George Selden is represented by the abbreviation. Each weekly assignment is summarized in the first lines of the week s daily course plan. The specific daily assignments are outlined in the following lines indicated by the 1, 2, 3 and 4 abbreviations. The chapter study questions, chapter vocabulary and glossary are located in the Elementary Literature Study Question booklets available for purchase from. Answers should be given in complete written or oral sentences. We suggest reading the weekly written assignment to the student at the beginning of the week. The student should write the assignment down on a note card (to be used as a bookmark) so that he can think about the assignment as he reads. The written assignments are suggested to be started on Thursday after the reading is done and completed by the following Monday. As the teacher, be sure to review the exam now to ensure all concepts are covered with your student as he reads the book. The was first published in 1960, and its popularity inspired six more Chester cricket and friends books. These stories follow adventures of Connecticut cricket Chester and his many New York City animal friends. Extra Credit: Read another George Selden book, and include information on it in your book report at the end of the course. Characters: Tucker: mouse who lives in an abandoned drain pipe in the subway station at Times Square. Mario: son of Papa and Mama Bellini who own the newspaper stand Paul: shuttle train conductor and friend of Mario. Mama Bellini: short, stout mother of Mario Papa Bellini: tall father of Mario that had a kindness that shone Chester: small, black Connecticut cricket that ends up in Times Square Harry: a cat who is Tucker the mouse s best friend and lives with him in the drain pipe. Mr. Smedley: Music teacher who is Mr. and Mrs. Bellini s best customer at the newspaper stand. Mickey: counterman at local dinner who likes Chester the cricket. Sai Fong: Chinese shop owner who sells Mario a cricket cage for Chester and tells him stories. The Old Chinese Man: Sai Fong s friend who comes to all of Chester s concerts. 1

COURSE PLAN Notes WEEK 1 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week Chapter 1 6 Review the vocabulary words with the student prior to reading. If any are unfamiliar, have the student look up the vocabulary words in the glossary. You may want to have the student write each one in a sentence. Study questions may be completed as the student reads or at the end of the week when reading has been completed. Weekly written assignment is optional. Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines 1 2 3 Chapter 1-2 Chapter 3-4 Chapter 5-6 Have the student read Chapters 1-2 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 1. Anthropomorphism is a literary device that gives human like qualities to animals. The setting of a story is the time and place where the characters live. Tucker the mouse sits and watches Mario tend to his father s newsstand. Paul the conductor buys a newspaper. Tucker the mouse hears a sound he has never heard before. Chapter 2. A simile is a literary device in books that is used to describe two unlike things as being alike using like or as. Like Tucker, Mario hears a sound and follows it. He finds a cricket, cleans it, and makes a home for it in a matchbox. He sits looking at it for a while, then decides to feed it a piece of chocolate. His mother does not want him to take it home, so his father decides he can have the insect if he keeps it at the newsstand. Have the student read Chapters 3-4 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 3. Tucker the mouse introduces himself to Chester the cricket. Chester tells the mouse the story of how he came to New York by train from Connecticut. Tucker shares liverwurst with him. A cat appears. Chapter 4. Chester expects Tucker to be killed by the cat and is instead introduced to Harry Cat who is Tucker s best friend. Harry lives with Tucker in the drain pipe. Chester strums his wings and makes music for Harry. Tucker and Harry show Chester Times Square. Have the student read Chapters 5-6 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 5. On Sunday morning, Mario and Papa Bellini open the newsstand. Mario feeds Chester and takes him to a local diner where Mickey the counterman gives the cricket 2

COURSE PLAN 4 Glossary Sentences Study Questions Other: Assignments water. Music teacher Mr. Smedley, the Bellini s best customer admires the sounds Chester makes and says the cricket has talent. Mario gets permission from his father to go to Chinatown to buy a cricket cage for Chester. Chapter 6. Mario and Chester take the subway downtown. Sai Fong, a Chinese shop owner, tells Mario cricket stories and sells him a cricket cage. Student should complete written assignment for Monday. : Compare and contrast life in New York City s Times Square with country life in Connecticut. What is different for Chester and what is the same? Week 1 Grade Book Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 1 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 3

COURSE PLAN Notes WEEK 2 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week Chapter 7-12 Review the vocabulary words with the student prior to reading. If any are unfamiliar, have the student look up the vocabulary words in the glossary. You may want to have the student write each one in a sentence. Study questions may be completed as the student reads or at the end of the week when reading has been completed. Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines 1 2 Chapters 7-8 Chapters 9-10 Have the student read Chapters 7-8 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 7. The Bellinis go home. Chester tells Tucker and Harry about his trip to Chinatown. Harry lets Chester out of his cage. Chester offers Tucker a chance to sleep in his cage. Harry and Chester help Tucker make a bed out of money, and a pillow out of an earring. Chester goes to sleep on some Kleenex in the matchbox. Harry goes back to the drain pipe. Chapter 8. Chester Cricket dreams about eating a leaf and wakes to discover that he has eaten half of a two-dollar bill. Mama Bellini discovers Chester with the half eaten money as the cricket and Tucker the mouse finish their conversation about Chester s problem. Mama Bellini tells Papa Bellini and Mario how the cricket ate money when they arrive at the newsstand. It is decided that Chester will have to stay locked up in the cage until Mario can replace the money. Mario decides to take an extra job delivering groceries to earn enough money to get the cricket out. Harry Cat tells Tucker that he should replace the Bellinis money since he is a rich mouse. Tucker concedes and the friends spend the rest of the night moving money to the Bellinis newsstand. Mama Bellini finds Chester sitting on top of the change in the morning. Mama Bellini stops worrying about it and lets Chester roam free again. Have the student read Chapters 9-10 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 9. Mario takes Chester to visit Sai Fong to find out what to feed him. Mario and Chester eat Chinese food with Sai Fong and his friend the old Chinese man. Chester sings a beautiful song that brings tears to the men s eyes. Mario and Chester return home with Mulberry tree leaves. Chapter 10. 4

COURSE PLAN 3 4 Glossary Sentences Study Questions Other: Chapter 11-12 Assignments Chester Cricket, Tucker Mouse, and Harry Cat have a party at the newsstand to celebrate Chester s first two months in New York. Tucker Mouse brings a feast of lunchmeats and iced cold soda. Chester sings along to the music of the radio to the delight of his friends. Tucker Mouse accidentally knocks matches down while dancing and starts a fire. Chester alerts people to the fire by setting off the alarm clock alarm. Paul the conductor pries open the cover of the newsstand and the animals escape. Have the student read Chapters 11-12 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 11. Chester determines to go back to the newsstand to wait for the Bellinis. Paul the conductor guards the money drawer and waits for Mr. Bellini. Mama Bellini says the cricket is a jinx and has to go. The Bellinis clean the stand. Tucker Mouse visits to check on Chester. The cricket sings a sad Italian song. Mama Bellini sings along with Chester. He sings some opera after and she decides no cricket who sings so beautifully could have started a fire. Chapter 12. Tucker Mouse acts as Chester s agent and has the cricket memorize human music from the radio. The Bellinis hear Chester sing on Sunday morning and are pleased by the cricket s talent. Chester impresses music teacher Mr. Smedley with an hour-long concert. The teacher decides to write a letter to The New York Times to tell them of Chester s talent. Have the student complete the written assignment, due Monday. : How does Chester s music affect the characters in this story? Week 2 Grade Book Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 2 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 5

COURSE PLAN Notes WEEK 3 Book Weekly Breakdown Goals and Notes for the Week Chapters 13-15 Review Exam Review the vocabulary words with the student prior to reading. If any are unfamiliar, have the student look up the vocabulary words in the glossary. You may want to have the student write each one in a sentence. Study questions may be completed as the student reads or at the end of the week when reading has been completed. Student Daily Assignments Parent Daily Guidelines 1 2 Chapters 13-15 Have the student read Chapters 13-15 and answer Study Questions. Chapter 13. Chester becomes famous and gives two concerts per day. Business booms at the newspaper stand. His fame, and signs of autumn make Chester sad. Chapter 14. Chester tells his friends that he plans to go back to Connecticut and retire. The three friends go back to the drain pipe for a farewell feast. The city stops to hear Chester s final performance. Chapter 15. Mama and Papa Bellini leave Mario in charge of the newsstand for the evening. Chester plays games with Mario and then sings him to sleep. Tucker tells Chester it is time to go. Chester takes the bell with him when he leaves with his friends to meet the train. Chester, Tucker, and Harry say goodbye and Chester leaves on a train to Connecticut. Mama and Papa Bellini return to the newsstand. The Bellinis see Chester is gone and look for him. Mario realizes that Chester has gone back home when he thinks about the fact that both the bell and the cricket are gone. Congratulations! You have finished reading The Cricket in Times Square. Now you need to write a nice book report on the story. Work on your book report. Review your paper to make sure everything you have written supports your thesis statement, and the entire paper has a gentle flow from one supported idea to the next. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Rewrite the paper neatly if you are writing it in long hand. Extra Credit for the Course: Read another George Selden children s book. Incorporate information about the second book into your book report. 6

COURSE PLAN 3 4 Glossary Sentences Study Questions Book Report Exam: Review Exam Study for the Exam. Review all your Study Questions, vocabulary, and characters. Exam Week 3 Grade Book Assignments Include (A) Points Earned (B) Possible Points A/B x100 =% (C) Week 3 Average Add up column C & divide by number of included assignments = % 7

ASSIGNMENT ANSWER KEY WEEK 1 : Compare and contrast life in New York City s Times Square with country life in Connecticut. What is different for Chester and what is the same? Answers will vary and should include information about the differences in environment between the city and the country, the things Chester eats, and the friends he has. WEEK 2 : How does Chester s music affect the characters in this story? Answers will vary but may include the following: Chester and the Bellinis are helped by the cricket s musical talents. Sai Fong and the old Chinese man give Chester a bell and mulberry leaves because he brings them joy. Tucker Mouse makes sure Chester learns many songs, and Mrs. Bellini decides not to kick Chester out after the fire, because of the cricket s beautiful Italian song. Music teacher Mr. Smedley is so overjoyed by Chester s musical talents that the teacher writes a review for the New York Times that brings hundreds of people to the newsstand. People surround the newsstand and are happy when they listen to his music. Fame and autumn make Chester grow tired and sad and the cricket wishes to take his song back to the country so that he can sing when he likes instead of twice per day. 8

EXAM Grade: /70 Part I. Identify. Give a description of each character. (2 points each) 1. Chester 2. Tucker 3. Harry 4. Mario 5. Mrs. Bellini 6. Mr. Bellini 7. Paul 8. Sai Fong 9. The Old Chinese Man 10. Mr. Smedley Part II. Short Answer. Answer in complete sentences, giving as much detail as possible. (2 points each) 1. How does Chester end up in New York City s Times Square? 2. How does a fire start in the newsstand? 3. Why does the brown leaf make Chester want to stop singing? 4. What are two ways that Sai Fong helps Chester? 5. What does Chester bring with him when he leaves the Bellinis and why? Part III. Essay. The essay should be at least one full paragraph with plenty of examples from the story. (30 points) Chester s singing talent helps the Bellini family newsstand become famous and profitable. Do fame and money make Chester happy? What does Chester value and what does this say about his character? Part IV. Vocabulary. Use each word in a sentence. (2 points each) 1. Lurch: 2. Niche: 3. Subsided: 4. Shuttle: 5. Scrounging: 9

EXAM ANSWER KEY Part I. Identify. Give a description and brief character analysis of each of these characters. (2 points each) 1. Chester: Connecticut cricket with talent for making music 2. Tucker: Drain pipe mouse who collects many things and befriends Chester 3. Harry: Tucker s best friend who is a large, kind cat 4. Mario: newsstand boy who finds and keeps Chester 5. Mrs. Bellini: Italian mother of Mario who is co-owner of the newsstand 6. Mr. Bellini: father of Mario and co-owner of the newsstand 7. Paul: train conductor who is friends with the Bellinis 8. Sai Fong: Chinese store owner who helps Chester and Mario and loves cricket music 9. The Old Chinese Man: Chinese man who loves cricket music and goes to many of Chester s performances. 10. Mr. Smedley: Music teacher who writes about talent of Chester Part II. Short Answer. Answer in complete sentences, giving as much detail as possible. (2 points each) 1. Chester lands in Times Square after he falls asleep in a picnic basket in Connecticut that is taken to New York City. 2. A fire starts in the newsstand after Tucker accidentally knocks matches onto a pile of newspapers while dancing the rumba. 3. The leaf reminds Chester of Connecticut in autumn and makes him realize that fall is coming and he wants to go back home. 4. Sai Fong helps Chester by finding a cricket cage for Mario to buy for him and by giving Chester mulberry leaves from his tree to eat. 5. Chester brings the bell from his cage to remember the Bellinis and his time in New York. Part III: Essay. The essay should be at least one full paragraph with plenty of examples from the story. (30 points) Answers will vary but can include: When Chester starts giving scheduled performances, he becomes unhappy. 10

EXAM ANSWER KEY Part IV: Vocabulary. Use each word in a sentence. (2 points each) 1. Lurch: a sudden jerk 2. Niche: small space 3. Subsided: decreased; lessened 4. Shuttle: a train or bus that travels back and forth between two places 5. Scrounging: to get or find something by looking in different places 11