Arthur Goes To Camp by Marc Brown - Teaching Ideas


If you have any reluctant campers in your midst, this is a fun book to read to them. Arthur is a very reluctant camper, he hates everything about camp. All his letters home are about how homesick he is. There are jokes played on him and his fellow camp mates and Arthur decides it is time to run away from camp. Arthur's other camp mates, Buster and The Brain, figure out who is playing the jokes on them so they make a plan to get back at the other camp. The day Arthur runs away is the day of the big scavenger hunt and the day Buster and The Brain put their plan into action. Their plan was a success the other camp gets scared and can't finish the scavenger hunt. Arthur gets lost as he runs away and wonders right into the middle of the scavenger hunt. Arthur takes out his flashlight to see where he is which is all that his camp mates need to win the scavenger hunt. All his camp mates cheer him and Arthur is happy, he now LOVES camp.

Reading level: 2.7
Theme: new life experiences
Genre: humorous fiction      

Suggested Vocabulary: fond, scavenger hunt, eager, flabby, phase one, nudged

Reading skills and strategies:
  • asking questions - {possible questions before}Where did Arthur go to camp? Is Arthur going to have fun? Why is Arthur in the woods {possible questions during} Why does Arthur not like camp? What is the name of Arthur's camp? How come the girls' counselor is nicer than the boys' counselor? Are they really not going to get any dessert all camp? Why does Muffy need electricity to brush her teeth? Why did Arthur scream when the frogs jumped around his room? Why are the girls winning at everything? Who really took the boys clothes? Why were all the campers too scared to tell ghost stories? Why was Arthur running away from camp? What was The Brain's plan? What was The Brain wearing to look like a bear? Is Arthur going to get lost?  {possible questions after} Was Arthur lost? Were the other campers still in the trees? Why does Arthur like camp now? Will Arthur have fun at camp the next time he goes?
  • author's point of view - 3rd person
  • author's purpose - entertain{evidence}animals can't talk, The Brain wore a mink coat to pretend like he was a bear, the picture of all the frogs in the boys cabin jumping around - all these things are silly and make the book entertaining.
  • beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Arthur gets to camp and his counselor is mean. {most important event from middle} Buster and Brain figure out who is scaring them. {most important event from end} Arthur helps the campers win the scavenger hunt.
  • cause and effect - Why does Arthur and his friends think the Camp Horsewater kids will win the scavenger hunt? because the look like they are in shape. Why does the boys' counselor say they get no desert? because he thinks they look out of shape. Why does Buster and The Brain stake out the woods? because they want to see what is making all the scary noises. Why do the Camp Meadowcroak kids win the scavenger hunt? because Arthur has the flashlight they need to win. Why do the Camp Horsewater kids get scared? because Buster and his friends scare them by dressing up as a bear. Why does Arthur run away from camp? because he hates camp. Why does Arthur decide he likes camp? because he helped his friends win the scavenger hunt and they cheered for him.
  • characterization - describe Arthur {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
  • compare & contrast - Horsewater campers to Meadowcroak campers 
  •  connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Going to camp. Hating camp. Playing games at camp. Being scared at camp. {possible text-to-text connections} The following books are about going to camp: The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp by Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain, Curious George Goes Camping (Curious George 8x8) by Margret Rey and H. A. Rey, P. J. Funnybunny Camps Out (Step into Reading) by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen
  • main idea & details - {main idea} Arthur doesn't like camp. {details} Arthur writes letters to his family telling them how much he hates camp. Arthur screams when they find frogs in their cabin. Arthur decides to run away.
  • plot - the turning point, or climax in the story is when The Brain and Buster figure out who is scaring them.
  • predict - Do you think Arthur is going to have a good time at camp? Who do you think is scaring the campers? Is Arthur going to get lost? Who do you think is going to win the scavenger hunt?
  • problem & solution - {problem} Arthur doesn't like camp. {solution} He helps his friends win the scavenger hunt so Arthur now Arthur loves camp.
  • sequencing - Arthur tells his parents he does not want to go to camp. Arthur meets at the bus for camp. They drive past Camp Horsewater and see all the campers in great shape. Arthur and the others get to Camp Meadowcroak. The girls' counselor is nice and the boys' counselor is mean. The boys find frogs in their cabin. The girls beat the boys in all the activities. A smoke bomb got thrown into the girls tent. Someone took all the boys clothes. The girls and boys heard strange noises in the woods and were too scared to tell ghost stories. Buster and The Brain found out that is was the Camp Horsewater kids scaring them. They made a plan for the scavenger hunt. Arthur runs away from camp. They scare the Camp Horsewater kids by pretending to be a bear. They find almost all the scavenger stuff except a flashlight. Arthur gets lost in the woods as he is running away so he turns on his flashlight. All the kids cheer for Arthur because he has the flashlight that helps them win the scavenger hunt. Arthur now loves camp.
  • story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
  • summarize - {someone}Arthur didn't {wanted} want to go to camp {but} but his parents made him {so} so he decided to run away. {then} Then he got lost in the woods and when he {finally} finally turned on his flashlight to help him he had the last item on the list that helped his camp win the scavenger hunt.
Here is a FREEBIE for you to use with this book. Click the picture to get the beginning, middle, end activity.

I have created a True False Comprehension game for this book also. There are 36 questions, one spinner, one game board, one direction sheet and one title page, everything you need to create a comprehension file folder game. There are 24 questions dealing with the comprehension of the story and 12 questions that deal with story elements (setting, character, problem, solutions, comparison, character description, genre, etc.).



https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/True-False-Comprehension-Game-inspired-by-Arthur-Goes-To-Camp-by-Marc-Brown-265868




Happy reading!!

11 comments

  1. I looove this book! I read it with my kids during Camp Learned A Lot at the end of the year!! Thanks for all your great resources and tips!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kelley,
      No problem, glad you can use them!
      Enjoy your summer!
      Shawna

      Delete
  2. Thank you for this freebie! You were one of the two ahead of me on the Classroom Freebies linky pary!

    Teaching With a Passion

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sallie,
      Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
      Shawna

      Delete
  3. What a great resource thank you for sharing!

    Marcy
    simply sprout
    www.simplysprouteducate.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Marcy,
      I hope you it is something you can use!
      Enjoy your summer!
      Shawna

      Delete
  4. Love this! Make sure you head on over to my blog, I have a few things I think you may like. Oh and be sure to join because I'm doing a giveaway soon!

    Kate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kate,
      I just got back from visiting your blog...I love it, especially the exit ticket board...great idea!!
      Enjoy your summer!
      Shawna

      Delete
  5. I'm your newest follower! I LOVE Arthur! Where did you find your cute little Arthur clip art? It is darling! Thanks for the freebie!

    Elisabeth
    www.missdelk.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Elisabeth,
      Thanks for becoming a friend. I just got back from visiting your blog, I can't wait to have more time to poke around! The Arthur clip art is my own drawing. My daughter and I usually draw most of the art for all my activities, it is easier than dealing with licensing and dealing with other peoples terms of use.
      Enjoy your summer!
      Shawna

      Delete
  6. Shawna, wow! I am so impressed with the detail of your blog post. This book would be too high for my kindergartners, but I'm really looking forward to reading more reviews. I'm wondering what grade you teach? It would be fab if you could stop by my blog if you have a moment or two, and let me know what you think. I love to read too, and I have the same dream of being a children's book author.

    Sharon Dudley, NBCT
    http://teachingwithsight.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

Thoughts and comments are always welcome!