1. Houghton Mifflin Theme Three Mr. Mills Grade Three
Incredible Stories!
Houghton Mifflin Theme Three
Mr. Mills
Grade Three

2. Read…Think…Dream J. Patrick Lewis Ride me the waves of a story,
Settle me down
by a brook,
Dream me the land
only dreamed of,
Book me a voyage
by book
J. Patrick Lewis

3. Introducing the Theme
Have you ever read a story that has taken you to a faraway place?
What does J.Patrick Lewis mean when he says, “Book me a voyage by book”?
What is the object or tool in the picture above?
What does a telescope have to do with dreaming and imagining?

4. Introductory Letter by Jerdine Nolen
What makes a story incredible?
Author Jerdine Nolen sometimes creates an “idea box” to help her create an incredible story. If you would create an idea box, what would you put inside?
Look at the book covers on page 307 and make predictions.
Complete practice book page 193

5. What is an “incredible” story?
Opposite of:

6. Teacher Read Aloud
Cows from Outer Space
By Jeanne Modesitt

7. Comprehension Skill: Fantasy versus Realism
In writing there are different categories or genres of books.
One category is “fantasy”, like the story The Lost and Found.
What makes a story a fantasy?
events & characters that can’t exist in real life
Fantasy stories often do include realistic details to make the story more believable, more interesting, and more humorous.

8. Think about the Read Aloud
What are some details that show that this is fantasy?
Why do the parents think that the children have good imaginations?
Why don’t the parents believe that their children spent the afternoon with cows in London?

9. Dogzilla
Written and directed by Dav Pilkey

10. Vocabulary colossal creature heroic horrifying monstrous terrifying
tremendous
Very big, enormous
A living being, especially an animal
Very brave or daring
Causing much fear
Extremely large, enormous
Causing much fear
Very great, large, or powerful

11. Applying the Vocabulary
colossal heroic creature terrifying

12. Synonyms and Antonyms Vocabulary Sort Link
Remember that a synonym is a word that means the same, while an antonym is word that means the opposite.
Vocabulary Sort Link

13. colossal creature heroic monstrous Terrifying tremendous horrifying
A monster is a make believe __________
you find in stories.
Words that describe
a monster’s size
Words that tell how
scary a monster can be
Words that describe a
brave character

14. Independent Vocabulary Practice
Read the Building Background vocabulary article on page 308 and 309.
Complete the vocabulary chart on page 195 of your practice book.

15. Skill: Fantasy versus Realism
What is the difference between fantasy and realism?
Give some examples of stories or movies you are familiar with, and explain why they are fantasy or realism.
Throughout this story, look for examples of both fantasy and realism.

16. Fantasy Versus Realism
Classify story details as fantasy or realism.
Fantasy
Realism

17. Critical Thinking Questions
Why is this story set in a large city instead of in the country?
How are the mice similar to people?
Why does the author include realistic details in the story?
Why does the author include a volcano in the story?

18. Critical Thinking Questions
How does the author show Dogzilla to be colossal?
Do you think Dogzilla is a terrible monster?
What characteristics of the mice might help them deal with Dogzilla?
How does the author show that Professor O’Hairy is smart?

19. Comprehension Check
Read the article on page 197 of your practice book. Draw a line through the mistakes and write what really happened.
Then rewrite the news article correctly.

20. The Bones Brothers and the Frozen Fence
Teacher Read Aloud 2
The Bones Brothers and the Frozen Fence
By Carol Ottolenghi-Barga

21. Think about the Story How does the writer describe Slim and Leroy?
Why don’t Slim and Leroy want to build the fence in the usual way?
What steps to Slim and Leroy take to build the fence?

22. The Mysterious Giant of Barletta
An Italian Folktale
Based on the title and the genre, what do you predict will happen in this story?
Written by Tomie DePaola

23. Vocabulary giant mysterious pedestal square statue weakling
A huge, strong imaginary creature
Very hard to explain or understand
A base or support for a statue
An open area like a center of town, where people can get together
An image made of wood, stone, or metal
A person who is not strong

24. Applying the Vocabulary
giant mysterious pedestal square statue weakling

25. Using the Vocabulary
giant mysterious pedestal square statue weakling
There is an open _____ in the middle of town where people can meet.
There, you will find a stone _____ of a man holding a huge hammer.
The statue has a strange, _________ look on its face.
The statue is so big that the man looks like a _________.
The __________ under the statue has writing on it.
The writing says that the man built our town and was a person of great strength, not a ________.

26. Independent Vocabulary Practice
Read the Building Background vocabulary article on pages 336 and 337.
Complete the vocabulary chart on page 215 of your practice book.

27. The Mysterious Giant of Barletta
Solution
Setting
Characters
Problem
Author’s Message

28. Critical Thinking
Why is the statue so important to the people of Barletta?
How do the townspeople react to news of the coming army? How do they feel?
How does the Giant’s action of stepping off the pedestal change the entire idea of the story?

29. What I know from Real Life
Making Inferences
Use story clues from page 351 and what you know to a complete the chart.
What the Giant Says and Does
What I know from Real Life
My Inference:

30. Think about the Story How would you describe the Giant’s personality?
How is the ending like most folktales?
Why is Zia Concetta the only one who doesn’t panic?
Why does the Giant decide to help the town?
Why is it better to trick them than to fight them?

31. Adapted by Marianne Mitchell
Teacher Read Aloud 3
Salt on a Bird’s Tail
A Swedish Fairy Tale
Adapted by Marianne Mitchell

32. Think about the Read Aloud
Why does Olle want to put salt on the magpie’s tail?
What can you tell about Olle from what he does to get the shiny knife?
Why does the magpie ask Olle to get her the items that he wants himself?

33. Raising Dragons
Written by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by Elise Primavera

34. Vocabulary appetite chores harvested hitched plow sown tended
The desire for food, hunger
Small jobs usually done everyday
Picked or gathered
Tied on or fastened by a knot, ring, or hook
To break up and turn over dirt so you can plant seeds
Scattered or planted
Looked after or took care of

35. Applying the Vocabulary
appetite chores harvested hitched plow sown

36. Vocabulary Sort
Noun, verb, or adjective?

37. Independent Vocabulary Practice
Read the Building Background vocabulary article on pages 362 and 363.
Complete the vocabulary chart on page 230 of your practice book.

38. Purpose Setting What genre of writing is this story? How can you tell?
Preview the selection, looking at the title and pictures. Make predictions.
When you are reading, remember to think about what you already know about farms and farming. This will help you make inferences about the story.

39. Character Development
The author shows a character’s personality through descriptions, dialogue, and his or her actions. What do we know about the girl in this story?

40. Think about the Story
What does the girl know that makes her different from her parents?
Why does the father insist the girl stay away from the egg?
Why does the author describe the girl waiting, watching, and wondering about the egg, day after day?

41. Written by Irene N. Watts
Teacher Read Aloud 4
A Shed Full of Tigers
Written by Irene N. Watts

42. Think about the Read Aloud
Who are the characters in this story?
Where and when does the story take place?
What problem does Jaimie face?
What does Jaimie do to solve the problem?

43. The Garden of Abdul Gasazi
Chris Van Allsburg

44. Vocabulary awesome convinced disappeared discovered impossible
incredible
Causing a feeling of wonder or fear
Made to do, feel, or believe a certain way
Passed out of sight, vanished
Found, learned
Not able to happen
Too unlikely to be believed

45. Applying the Vocabulary
awesome convinced disappeared discovered impossible incredible

46. Vocabulary Sort
Noun, verb, or adjective?

47. Independent Vocabulary Practice
Read the Building Background vocabulary article on pages 394 and 395.
Complete the vocabulary chart on page 245 of your practice book.

48. Story Element Chart Plot Characters Solution Setting
Problem or Conflict

49. Independent Vocabulary Practice
Complete the story element chart on page 246 of your practice book.

50. Critical Thinking
How does Ms. Hester feel about Fritz and how can you tell?
How seriously does Alan take his job of pet-sitting and how can you tell?
Based on the first paragraph on page 400, what can you tell about the relationship between Alan and Fritz?
Why does the author capitalize the letters of the sign on page 400?

51. Critical Thinking
What example of personification do you see on page 402?
Although Alan becomes bruised and tired, he still looks for Fritz. What does that show about his character?
How does the author create the feeling of suspense in the last paragraph on page 402?
In what ways might this story be similar to a dream?

52. Critical Thinking Should Alan be blamed for losing Fritz?
What detail shows that Alan truly believes Fritz has been turned into a duck?
Why does Alan say “You haven’t changed that much” to the duck on page 408?
What clue does the author give to show you that Miss Hester isn’t angry with Alan?

53. Ms. Matthews will miss you.
Homophone Practice
Homophones are two or more words that have the same sound.
They can be spelled differently and they have different meanings.
Example:
Ms. Matthews will miss you.
Who can circle the two homophones in this example?
Smartboard Practice

54. Connecting & Comparing Literature
We are going to be reading and comparing two stories in our theme, Incredible Stories.
You will use the reading strategies and skills we have studied in this theme to analyze, understand, and compare these two stories:
Fugitives on Four Legs and Dinosaur Bob

55. By Jean Kaplan Teichroew
Fugitives on Four Legs
By Jean Kaplan Teichroew

56. Escape Vocabulary fleeing escapade sanctuary wallow Running away
An adventurous escape
A safe place set aside for people or animals to live
Roll around happily or enjoy something a lot

57. Applying the Vocabulary
fleeing
escapade
sanctuary
wallow
Complete the vocabulary chart on page 261 of your practice book.

58. Critical Thinking
What are these pigs like? How can you tell?
How does the writer feel about the pigs and their adventure? How does her writing show her feelings?
How is the pigs’ adventure similar to Fritz’s?
What genre of writing is this story? How can you tell?
Complete the comprehension check on page 263 of your practice book.

59. Dinosaur Bob And His Adventures with the Family Lazardo
By William Joyce

60. A place to sleep on a ship
Travel Vocabulary
safari
rendition
liner
berth
serenade
menace
A trip to see wild animals
A performance of a song
A large passenger ship
A place to sleep on a ship
A musical performance that honors someone
A danger

61. Applying the Vocabulary
Practice Book Page 264
safari serenade menace liner berth

62. Critical Thinking
Scotty says he “caught” Bob. Do you agree?
Do you think Bob would make a good pet? Explain
How is the plot of this story similar to Raising Dragons?
How are the characters of the parents in this story and in Raising Dragons different?
Complete the comprehension check on page 265 of your practice book.

63. Comparing Two Stories
Dinosaur Bob
Fugitives on
Four Legs 1. 2. 3. 4.

64. Think and Compare
Think about Dinosaur Bob and the pigs in “Fugitives on Four Legs”. Why did the people in each selection care about them?
Can an author make a reader believe an incredible story? Use examples from our theme to explain.
The Lazardos keep Dinosaur Bog while the girl in Raising Dragons takes Hank back to Dragon Island. Why do you think they made different choices?
Which story in the theme was your favorite?

65. Time for Our Theme 3 Tests!