A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon is a great book for teaching individuality, or being unique. I like to use the word unique because, to me, the sound of it and the spelling really make it a one of a kind word. This book really lends itself to showing students that it is okay to be yourself, to like things that other people may not like, to be good at something that other people may think is strange or different and to not worry about what those people think.
If you search for activities for this book, you will find plenty, but if you want to make your own, to fit with what you are teaching here is a list of reading skills and strategies and some ideas on what you could teach using this book.
Instead of creating my usual skills and strategies packet to go with this book, I took the character trait and created some activities that have to do with being unique, but first here is the information you will need for your lesson planning.
Reading level: 3.5
Theme: individuality
Genre: humorous fiction
Suggested Vocabulary:
lima beans, fretting, impress, relieved, ointment, distraction, contagious,
prodded, virus, bacteria, fungus, bizarre
Reading skills and
strategies:
- asking
questions - {possible
questions before}I wonder what made her striped? Is she sick? I think
this is going to be a silly story because David Shannon writes silly
books. {possible questions during}
What made Camilla get stripes? I wonder why her stripes keep changing?
What are specialists? I wonder why the old lady thinks she can cure
Camilla? {possible questions after}
What does eating lima beans have to do with getting a case of the stripes?
- author's
point of view - 3rd person point of view {evidence} have students find 3 examples that show 3rd person.
- author's
purpose - entertain {evidence} David Shannon is the
author and his other books are silly. No body has ever gotten a case of
the stripes. How can someone turn into their bedroom. All these things are
silly and make an entertaining story.
- beginning,
middle, end - {most
important event from beginning} Camilla was too worried about what
other people thought of her. {most
important event from middle} Every time someone suggested something it
happened to her: stripes, bacteria, virus, pills, her room. {most important event from end} The
sweet old lady came in and asked Camilla if she liked lima beans. When Camilla finally admitted that she did the lady gave her the lima beans and Camilla changed back to her normal self.
- cause
and effect - How come
Camilla never ate lima beans? because
her friends hated them and she wanted to fit in. Why did Camilla
scream? because she looked in the
mirror and saw the stripes. Why was Camilla relieved not to have to go to school? because she was afraid of what the
other kids would say. Why did the Dr. say Camilla could go to school
tomorrow? because she was not sick
she only had stripes. Why did Camilla's stripes change at school? because the kids kept yelling out
different shapes and colors. Why did Camilla turn into a pill? because that is what the Dr's gave her.
Why did Camilla start to grow fuzzy little virus balls and squiggly
little bacteria tails? because that
is what the specialists guessed was Camilla's problem. Why were there
reporters in front of Camilla's house? because
they wanted to tell the story of "The Bizarre Case of the Incredible
Changing Kid". Why did Camilla melt into her walls? because someone said she should become
one with her room. Why did the old lady give Camilla lima beans? because Camilla lied about liking them
and the old lady thought that if she admitted she liked them she could
change back. Why did Camilla not care that the kids thought she was
weird? because she ate her lima beans and never
got a case of the stripes again.
- characterization
- describe Camilla {looks like,
feelings, thoughts, character}
- classify
& categorize - Have your students classify and categorize
different shapes. Camilla was covered with many different shapes
because of the kids at school.
- compare
& contrast - Camilla and her classmates, Camilla and you, you
and a classmate
- connections
- {possible text-to-self
connections} Being afraid that people will laugh at you. Liking lima
beans. Liking something your friends don't. Being weird.
- drawing
conclusions & inferencing - Why do you think Camilla got a case of
the stripes? {text clues} Camilla
likes lima beans but wouldn't eat them because her friends didn't like
them. Camilla wanted to fit in. Camilla worried about what other people
thought. {what I know} I know
that it doesn't matter what other people think. I know that having stripes
that change is more embarrassing than saying you like lima beans. {my conclusion} I think Camilla got stripes because she wasn't
true to herself.
- plot
- the turning point or climax in the story was when Camilla finally
admitted that she liked lima beans.
- predict
- Why do you think Camilla got stripes? What do you think will happen at
school? Do you think the specialists will help Camilla? Do you think the
experts will help Camilla? Do you think Camilla will ever change back?
What do you think the old lady will do to help Camilla? Do you think
Camilla cares about what other people think now that she changed back? Why
or Why not.
- problem
& solution - {problem}
Camilla cared so much about what other people thought of her she got a bad
case of stripes. {solution}
Camilla finally changed back when she admitted that she liked lima beans.
- sequencing
- Camilla was worried about not
fitting in. Camilla put on a pretty red dress, looked in the mirror and
screamed. Camilla got a bad case of stripes. Camilla's mom called the Dr.
Camilla went to school and got teased and sent home. The Dr. called in
specialists, they turned her into a pill. The Dr then called in the
experts, they caused her to have virus balls, bacteria tails and fungus
blotches. News reporters wanted to tell the story of "The Bizarre
Case of the Incredible Changing Kid". An Environmental Therapist told
Camilla to become one with her room, Camilla became her room. An old lady
came to the door saying she could help. The old lady offered Camilla lima
beans but Camilla refused them. Camilla finally said she liked lima beans
and turned back into her old self.
- story
elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning,
middle, end, or problem & solution.
- strong
thought - the students might have strong thoughts as the experts
and specialists come in and keep changing her.
- summarize
- {someone}Camilla {wanted} wanted to fit in with
everyone so nobody would laugh at her {but} but she got a bad case of stripes {so} so all the kids laughed at her. {then}Then all these experts and specialists came to help but
they couldn't so {finally}
finally a little old lady came and helped Camilla change back by having
her admit that she liked lima beans.
Here is the "Unique Activities" activity packet that I created for this book.
Included in the packet is:
* Compare and contrast - 2 different sheets
* I am unique writing & coloring page
* I am unique folding activity
* Story Map folding activity
* A "unique" vocabulary card
* My favorite part of the book writing paper - unique because everyone might have a different favorite part.
* Patterning cards to practice patterns with recording sheet - unique because there are lots of different patterns
* Making number boards plus recording sheet - every number is unique
* Noun, Verb, Adjective, or ABC order cards plus recording sheet for each activity - because all words are unique
Preview pages of the packet.
Some of the completed activities from the packet
ACTIVITY PACKET
Last but not least a shape sorting
FREEBIE.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO DOWNLOAD
I have also created a True False Comprehension Game.
COMPREHENSION GAME
Happy reading,