The Houdini Box Unit 4 , Week 1

Genre – Historical Fiction Historical Fiction has characters and events based on real people and events in history.

Vocabulary Strategy – Synonyms and Antonyms Synonyms are words that mean almost the same thing. Example: Mad and Angry Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Example: Happy and Sad

Comprehension Skill – Compare and Contrast When you compare and contrast, you tell how two or more things are alike and different.

Comprehension Strategy - Predict Active readers predict. They use what they know as well as what the author tells them to form ideas about what might happen next.

Vocabulary Escape Crumbled Magician Vanished Bustling Appeared Monument

Escape To break loose; to get out and away

Crumbled Fell to pieces

Bustling Being noisily busy and in a hurry; scurrying

Appeared Came into view or sight; was seen

Magician Person who performs tricks

Monument Memorial; something to set up to honor a person or event

Vanished Disappeared, especially suddenly

Victor was upset because he could not --- Visit his Aunt Harriet Do the things that Houdini did Find the box with initials carved on it.

What did Victor and Houdini have in common? They liked to perform magic tricks. They asked people a lot of questions. They had a box with their initials on it.

Right after Victor learned about Houdini’s tricks, he - Told Aunt Harriet his secret Got stuck in Aunt Harriet’s trunk Tried to do what Houdini had done.

Houdini probably promised to write Victor’s letter because he was -- Impressed with Victor’s determination Angry that Victor could not do any tricks Annoyed by all of Victor’s questions

What is the most likely reason the author wrote this story? To explain why magicians have secrets To entertain with a story about a boy who wants to be a magician To persuade children to do magic tricks for their friends

What kind of person was Victor? Fearful because he never wanted to try new things Daring because he approached Houdini at the train station

Why did Mrs. Houdini cry when she read the letter that Victor showed her? She was sad because her husband had just died She was embarrassed because she did not know how to read

Victor was excited after reading Houdini’s monument because he -- Had always wondered what Houdini’s real name was Realized the box that he was given as a boy had belonged to Houdini

How was Victor the same at the beginning and the end of the story? He was excited about magic He took a train to visit someone He followed his mom’s directions

What happened after Victor played ball with his son? He went to visit Houdini He found Houdini’s box in the attic He wrote Houdini a letter

How could you tell that Houdini and Victor, as adults, were both kind people? Houdini was willing to share his secrets with Victor, and Victor helped his son learn how to hit a ball with a bat.

At the end of the story, why didn’t Victor tell his wife and son about the box? Houdini’s secrets were meant only for him.

What was in the box that Houdini’s wife gave Victor? The secrets for how to do Houdini’s tricks were in the box.

The Author – Brian Selznick This author is worth checking out!! He is also the illustrator for Andrew Clements!!