Adventure on Klickitat Island by Hilary Horder Hippely - Teaching Ideas

Adventure on Klickitat Island is one of my favorite picture books. It is written in rhyme, there is a teddy bear that talks, an adventure that the boy and his bear go on and in the end everybody works together to solve a problem, there is no better formula for a book! If you have not read this book, you really should, especially out loud to your students. Because it is written in rhyme, it is really a fun read. There are so many parts of this book that your students will connect with, it will quickly become one of their favorites. This story also lends itself to teaching incredibly well, just take a look at the skills and strategies that can be used.

Reading level: 2.6

Theme: friendship, teamwork

Genre: adventure

Suggested Vocabulary: snatched, crept, dinghy, pitched, loomed, clutching, deserted, pitiful, bedraggled, brambles, propped, wail, concocted

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the adventure is going to be? Where is Klickitat Island? {possible questions during} I wonder who is calling? Why are they going out in such a storm? I wonder who they are going to find on the island? How are they going to build something that fits them all?  I wonder what kind of shelter they are going to make?  {possible questions after} I wonder if the animals will keep that shelter they built? Why did the boy and Beary not stay till all the animals woke up. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• author's point of view - 3rd person. Have students find 3 examples from text to prove it.
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} Animals are talking. All the animals are working together. The boy's stuffed bear is talking. These things don't usually happen so the story was written to entertain us.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} The boy and his bear decided to go help. {most important event from middle} All the animals worked together to build a shelter so they could all be together. {most important event from end} Everyone was safe and warm and together out of the storm.
• cause and effect -  Why did Beary jump out of bed? because he heard someone calling. Why did Beary and the boy decide to not stay in bed? because they couldn't be much help if they did. Why did they almost lose track of which way to go? because the waves pitched them high and crashed them low. Why did Beary and the boy almost cry when they saw the rabbit? because he was such a pitiful sight. Why were the deer, birds and otters so drenched? because they were out in the storm. Why were the animals not in their nests, burrows and caves? because they wanted to be together in the terrible storm. Why did the boy yell "Stop it!" to all the animals? because all they were doing was crying. Why did the eagle find the best sticks? because he was an excellent scout. How come the animals stopped being scared? because there was so much work to be done they were not paying attention to the storm. Why did all the animals cry "Hip hooray!"? because they were amazed at the home they just built. Why was the baby otter crying? because no one was sharing the blanket with him. Why did Beary and the boy go home before morning? because the storm broke.
• characterization - describe Beary or the boy {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} A blanket that makes you feel safe. A stuffed animal that makes you feel safe. Being afraid of a storm. Working together to get something done.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - How were the boy and Beary feeling after they made it to Klickitat Island? {text clues}Beary and the boy were clutching their blanket. Their blanket makes them feel safe. They were clutching each other's hand. {what I know} When I hold my moms hand it makes me feel better. {my conclusion} I think the boy and Beary were a little scared when they got the island.
• main idea & details - {main idea} The storm made the animals a little scared. {details} Beary and the boy clutched their blanket. None of the animals were in their nests, caves and burrows. The animals wanted to all stay together.
• plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Beary and the boy came and they started making a shelter for them all to be in, to stay safe and warm.
• predict - What do you think the adventure is going to be on Klickitat Island? What do you think Beary and the boy are going to do about the call for help? Do you think they are going to make it safely to Klickitat Island?  What do you think they are going to find on Klickitat Island? How do you think Beary and the boy will help the animals? Do you think their shelter will be big enough for all of them? Do you think their shelter will keep them safe and warm? Do you think the animals will keep the shelter they built?
• problem & solution - {problem} The animals were scared of the storm and wanted to be together. {solution} They worked together to build shelter so they could all fit and be together.
• sequencing - A big storm is coming. Beary hears someone call for help. Beary and the boy go to Klickitat Island. The boy and Beary find a bunch of  very sad and scared animals on Klickitat Island. The boy and Beary get the animals to work together to make a shelter. When the shelter is done they all go inside to get warm. Grandma Otter made food for all the animals. All the animals fell asleep. Beary and the boy went home before morning.
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• summarize - {someone}The animals {wanted} wanted to be together during the storm {but} but their homes were too small {so} so Beary and the boy helped them make a shelter. {then} Then all the animals were safe from the storm and they {finally} finally all fell asleep.

Here is a differentiated problem & solution FREEBIE that you can use with this book.

IT'S FREE!!

Happy teaching!