BDA: The Pigman & Me

Here are Before, During, and After activities for The Pigman & Me by Paul Zindel:

Before You Begin Reading…

Complete one of the following activities.

1. What is a big change that you have gone through in your life? Moving? A new school? Parents’ divorce? Making new friends? Describe what happened. How did you feel? How did you deal with the big change in your life? Write at least half a page.


2. Is there a person in your life whom you like or admire? Why do you like or admire this person? Describe this person’s qualities, and give examples of things this person has done. Write at least half a page.


3. Draw a floor plan of your home and a map of your neighborhood. Label interesting places and where interesting people live. Create a key that explains why these places and people are interesting.


4. Make a list of at least 15 things you have learned in your life. These should be things that you would help another person if you shared your tips with them.

While You Are Reading…

Complete one of the following activities.

1. Paul Zindel uses the technique of “foreshadowing” a lot in this book. Foreshadowing is giving hints about what is going to happen later in the story. Create a table including the following columns and fill in examples of foreshadowing as you read:
   
   • Example of Foreshadowing
   
   
   • Page Number
   
   
   • What do you think this foreshadowing is hinting at? What will happen next?


2. Nonno Frankie uses puns a lot to make the people around him laugh. Puns are a play on words that sound alike but mean different things. Keep a log of Nonno Frankie’s jokes. Write an explanation of each pun including definitions of the words used.


3. Make a scrapbook of this year in Zindel’s life, including important events from the book. Create this scrapbook from any of the character’s point of view: Nonno Frankie, Jennifer, Mother, Betty, Connie.


4. Create a booklet of advice including the best information from the book. Write one page describing why you chose to include the advice you did.

When You Have Finished Reading…

Complete one of the following activities.

1. Think of an interesting event from your childhood. Write this event up as a chapter in the style of Paul Zindel.


2. Do as Nonno Frankie describes in the last chapter of the book. Describe what you learn at the top of the volcano. Write at least one page.


3. Now that you know what a pigman is, do you have one in your life? Describe your pigman and how you met him or her. What have you learned from your pigman? Write at least one page.


4. Write a poem based on your reading. Your poem could be a summary of the story, a description of one or many of the characters, a list of wise words or punny jokes, a retelling of one of the events in the book, or something else from The Pigman & Me.

BDA: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

BDA stands for Before, During, and After.

I've created some BDAs with activities students can complete before, during, and after reading books. I've tried to create activity options that appeal to different intelligences. (Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory)

The first BDA I'm posting is for Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

Before You Begin Reading…

Complete one of the following activities.

1. Are we alone in the universe? Do you think there is life on other planets? If so, do you think there are aliens that are more intelligent than people on Earth? Write at least 1 page, discussing what you think. Give reasons for your positions.


2. If you met an alien from another planet at a party, and it asked you to describe your home planet, what would you say? Write at least one page, providing details about Earth.


3. Imagine your perfect planet. What would it look like? Draw pictures of at least 5 views of your planet. Write captions for each picture.


4. Pretend you are an alien. Describe Earth from the perspective of someone/something from another planet. Remember that it may not be familiar with things like cars, planes, sports, buildings. Write at least a page.

While You Are Reading…

Complete one of the following activities.

1. Write diary entries for one of the characters. Make sure you write an entry for each of the memorable moments.


2. Make a scrapbook of pictures, newspaper clippings, momentos for one of the characters.


3. Complete a chart of character traits for 8 characters in the book.


4. Choose at least 15 difficult vocabulary words from the book. Create a crossword puzzle using these words. Make sure you include an answer key.

When You Have Finished Reading…

Complete one of the following activities.

1. Write your own Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy based on your reading. Include at least 15 entries for important people, places, objects, and events.


2. What do you think Adams is trying to say about the meaning of life? Why do you think this? Give examples from the book. What do you think is the meaning of life? Write at least three pages.


3. There are many items advertised in the book. Create an advertisement for at least 5 items. Here are some examples you might choose from: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Encyclopedia Galactica, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, the Heart of Gold, Vogon poetry, Infinite Improbability Drive, Sirius Cybernetics Corporation robot with the new GPP feature, Magrathea planets.


4. Write 5 stories for a galaxy newspaper using important events from the book.

Poetry Unit Wrap-Up Activity 3: Class Poetry Compilation

Create a compilation book of your students' best poems. Put a copy in the library for the entire school to check out.

This could also be used as a resource to give next year's students (or another class) ideas for poems they might want to write themselves.

Poetry Unit Starter 4: Poetry Free-Write

This activity is done in three parts:

1. Ask students to take 5-10 minutes to write half a page about poetry.


2. Instruct them to circle any 10 words. (Don't tell them what the words are for.)


3. After they have circled the words, ask them to create a poem using the ten circled words. They may add 3 additional words if needed.

Variation: Display one or a few pieces of artwork. Have students do stream of consciousness writing for 5 minutes about one of the pieces of artwork. Have them circle 8 words or phrases in their writing. Then students can create a poem from the circled words and phrases.

Poetry Unit Starter 2: "Magnetic Poetry"

Cut words and phrases out of newspapers and magazines. (You can laminate these for later use.) You should probably have about 15-20 words/phrases per group/student.

Each group should arrange a poem out of the words and phrases like they would with "Magnetic Poetry." (It isn't necessary to use all the words, but they should use as many as possible.)

Then each group can share their poem with the rest of the class.

Variation: Have students cut out at least 20 headlines from newspapers. They should arrange the words on a sheet of paper to create a poem. They do not have to use all the words. They should glue down their poems on a sheet of paper and sign it.

Poetry Unit Starter 1: I Wish Class Poem

Ask each student to complete the sentence "I wish ________________" on a strip of paper. Collect the strips. Shuffle them. Then write out each line on the overhead to create a collaborative class poem.

Other sentence ideas:

1. I wish...


2. I am...


3. I like...


4. I like to...


5. I wonder...


6. I think about...


7. If I had a million dollars, I would...


8. If I could change anything, I would...


9. (pick a color) is like...


10. I am happy when...


11. I am (any emotion) when...


12. If I could go anywhere, I would...


13. I have learned that...


14. I like (season), because...


15. It's (season), so...


16. If I were an animal, I'd be a ______________, because...


17. If I were a car, I'd be a ________________, because...


18. If I were a place, I'd be __________________, because...

Dada Poetry / Found Poetry

Dada/Found Poetry is created by putting together words, phrases, and quotations from other sources such as songs, movies, advertisements, signs, TV programs, etc.

When you create Found Poems, you put words and phrases together so that the poem makes sense. When you create Dada Poems, the combination of phrases and words don't make sense; they are nonsense poems.

Possible topics for Found or Dada Poems:

• School


• Things I like


• Things I hate


• Favorite sports


• Newspaper headlines


• Weather


• Food


• Happy news

Examples of Found Poems:

APARTMENT FURNISHED
Bachelor
unique duplex
carpet, icemaker, microwave oven
fireplace
TV and AC
lakefront
555-1212

SHAMPOOING INSTRUCTIONS:
Wet hair
Massage shampoo into hair thoroughly
Leave in two minutes
Rinse
Repeat
Follow with conditioner

Example of a Dada Poem:

YUM!
Skiddles - taste the rainbow
Mentos - the freshmaker
Snickers really satisfies you
We love the Fishes 'cause they're so delicious
Double your pleasure. Double your fun.
Two for me. None for you.
Two scoops of raisins
in just one bowl of Total
They'rrrrrrre grrrrrreat!
The greatest taste sensation under the sun
We didn't invent the chicken.
They're made by elves.
Got Milk?
Melt in your mouth, not in your hands
Sometimes you feel like a nut
I feel like a Peppermint Patty
What do you want on your Tombstone?

Class Activity Instructions: Complete a poem (in a group or on your own) by piecing together words and phrases from newspapers. This poem should be glued attractively for display. The poem doesn't have to make sense, but it should be on one obvious topic. Make sure all your names are on your poster.

Homework Assignment Instructions: Complete a poem on your own. You may use words and phrases from magazines, newspapers, songs, commercials, signs, movies, TV programs, etc. The words may be cut out of magazines and newspapers or they may be copied down onto a sheet of paper. Your poem should be at least SEVEN lines long.