Chris Van Allsburg

 

Books Written By Chris Van Allsburg

Bad Day at River Bend

Ben’s Dream

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi

Just a Dream

Jumanjii

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

The Polar Express

Probudit

The Stranger

The Sweetest Fig

Two Bad Ants

The Widow’s Broom

The Wretched Stone

The Z was Zapped

Zathura

 

Find Fritz the Dog!!

     Chris Van Allsburg has hidden his dog, Fritz, in each of his books.  Find him!

 

Extension Ideas

 

The Polar Express

 

  Two Bad Ants

  • Have each student choose one illustration in Two Bad Ants and write a detailed account of how an ant would view this experience.

  • Have each student imagine another predicament that the ants could get into and draw a picture from an ant's point of view.  Have students write as if they were the ant. 

  • Have students read Hey, Little Ant by Philip M. Hoose (Tricycle Press, 1998) in pairs, which allows them to reinforce their concept of point of view. One student should read the part of the boy, and another should read the part of the ant.

  • Imagine that ants are continuing on their search.  Choose a location the ants can go to.  Write about their new adventure.  Be sure to include an illustration from the ants perspective.

  • A Read-Write-Think Lesson on Point of View:   http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=789

  • Teacher’s Cyber-Guide to TWO BAD ANTS ~ http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/badant/badanttg.html

     

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi

  • Discuss Fritz the dog and have students write about the animals they have at home.  Have them tell about what care the different pets need.  Create a word web to show what pets need to stay healthy.

  • Write a letter to Abdul Gasazi asking him to perform magic.  Have students describe what the magic trick would be and its purpose.  Explain that the letters can be funny or serious.

  • Imagine that a magician lived down the street from you.  Would your magician be kind or grouchy?  What kind of powers would he have?  Write about what would happen if you visited this magician.

  • Houghton Mifflin Teacher’s Guide ~ http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/thepolarexpress/tg/garden.shtml

  • Extensive Questions & Activities for THE GARDEN OF ABDUL GASAZI ~

        http://cfge.wm.edu/navigators/Garden_of_Abdul_Gasazi.htm

 

Ben’s Dream ~ Find Fritz on page 9!

  • Write:  If you could float around in your house and visit other lands, where would you go? Why?  Describe your adventure.

  • Design a tour to an important landmark in your town.  Which landmark?  What would you tell about it?

  • Rewrite the story with Ben visiting American Landmarks or symbols, such as the Stature of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, Washington Monument, etc.  Make it a SS lesson.

  • Leaping Landmarks Lesson for BEN’S DREAM ~ http://alliance.la.asu.edu/geoliteracy/intro/phillipsleapweb.html

  • Houghton Mifflin Teacher’s Guide ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/thepolarexpress/tg/bensdream.shtml

 

The Stranger

  • Make your own story about how the seasons change.  Your explanation can be realistic or make believe.

  • Write a story about what would happen if the seasons didn’t change.  What kind of trouble would it cause?

  • Write about why it is important to be kind to people who are different from you.

  • Houghton Mifflin Teacher’s Guide http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/thepolarexpress/tg/stranger.shtml

  • Great for teaching questioning!

 

Jumanji

 

Just a Dream

 

Bad Day at River Bend

  • Imagine that instead of being afraid of color coming to their town, Sheriff Hardy and the townspeople really liked it.  Rewrite the story.

  • Make a coloring book of your own.  What is the theme?  Who are the characters?

  • Think of one of your favorite coloring books.  Imagine that the characters came alive like Sheriff Hardy.  Write a story about their adventure.

  • Compare and contrast coloring books versus free drawing.  Make a Venn Diagram or other GO and have students write about their preference.

The Wretched Stone

  • Imagine that you are on a voyage across the sea.  Write a log of your adventures like the captain did in The Wretched Stone.

  • What happens to the stone?  Does anybody find it again?  Write the continuing adventure of the stone.

 

 

The Sweetest Fig

  • What would happen if you were given magic figs that made your dreams come true?  What would you do?

  • Imagine that you and your pet switched bodies.  Write about it.

 

 

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Internet Links

 

 

 

Chris Van Allsburg Books