CALENDAR CLUB MYSTERIES

MYSTERY of the SNOW DAY BIGFOOT JANUARY

By Nancy Star

Name: ______

Places we will visit while reading… Legends http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend

Bigfoot http://skepdic.com/bigfoot.html http://www.oregonbigfoot.com/ superstitions http://urbanlegendsonline.com/superstitions.html canada http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/visit12_E.asp http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/inc/PM-MP/visit/visit12a_e.pdf

Before you read

Explore the World of Legends.  Make a list of make believe creatures and superstitions about them below ______Predictions  Look at the front cover of the book. Use it to predict the following… - What do you think the story is about? - Who are the characters? - Where does the story take place? - What might be the problem in the story? - How do the characters solve this problem? Do they? ______

 Read the back cover of this book. Use what you read to change/add to what you have predicted… - How do you think those footprints got in the backyard? - What is the “Calendar Club”? - What does the club do to solve this mystery? - Is it possible that Bigfoot made his way to that backyard? ______

Group calendar MON TUES WEDS THURS FRI 2 3 4

7 8 9 10 11

14 15 16 17 18

21 22 23 24 25

28 29 30 31 1

Who is the author? Where is Nancy Star from? ______

What did she like to read as a child? ______

How did the idea of the Calendar Club Mysteries come to her? ______

List three other books she has written, including the genre of each book. ______

Most wanted characters Write the name and a description of each character you discover. In the empty boxes draw a picture of that character. Use the clues you get from the book.

Name: ______Description:______

Name:______Description: ______

Name: ______Description:______

Name: ______Description:______Name: ______Description:______

List of mysterious words You’re on the hunt for some mysterious words that the author uses in this book. Mysterious words are words that you cannot read or you have no “clue” what it means! Write the word and the page you found it on in the boxes below. Be prepared to share with other word detectives! Mysterious Word and Page Number Mysterious Word and Page Number Mysterious Word and Page Number Mysterious Word and Page Number

Chapter 1 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Snow Day ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Siren-

Cousin-

Gigantic-

Toward-

Business-

Measure-

Straight-

Pajamas-

Questions to Investigate 1. How does the school let students know there is a snow day? How do you know when you have a snow day?______

2. List possible reasons for the door being open and then why Leon says it could not be those reasons? ______

3. Who is staying with Leon and why? ______

4. What did they find along with the door being open? ______

5. Why did they not want Stevie to look out the window? And what did they do to keep him from looking? ______

Special Assignment:

Draw a line to match the tracks below to the animal it belongs to.

1. Deer

2. seal

3. bird

4. bobcat

5. cow

6. raccoon

7. rabbit

8. turkey

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter!

Chapter 2 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Footprints! ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Research-

Favorite-

Worried-

Realized-

Yardstick-

Collection-

Geography-

Famous-

Questions to Investigate 1. Why does Stevie think there are bears in Canada? ______

2. What does Dottie keep in her notebook? ______

3. What did Stevie want to put on the snowman that they normally don’t wear? ______

4. What does Leon collect and why? ______

Chapter 2 Continued… Special Assignment:

Stevie was told there were bears in Canada. Are there???? Research these websites to find out! http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/visit12_E.asp http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/inc/PM-MP/visit/visit12a_e.pdf

______

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 3 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Peanut Butter, Banana, and Bigfoot! ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Tally-

Listen-

Overheard-

Double-

Canopy-

Huddled-

Pretended-

Signature-

Questions to Investigate 1. What is the Help Box for and what did they find in it? ______

2. What did the kids find out at school about legends? ______

3. Why does Leon agree to build a snowman even though he does not want to? ______

4. How does the library help the Calendar Club? ______Special Assignment:

Create a classroom help box:

With the Kleenex box provided create your own help box. Make it creative and label it. Be ready to explain its purpose to the class. Then get ready to be helpers!

Make a list below of all the ways the calendar club would have advertised their help box.

______

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 4 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Bigger than a Gorilla!_____ Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Shoveled-

Library-

Several-

Evidence-

Aisles-

Statue-

Mention-

Creature-

Questions to Investigate 1. Why did Leon wonder off and what did he find? ______

2. What did they have to go back to the clubhouse to get and what were they going to use it for? ______

3. How does the Calendar Club keep Stevie busy at the library? ______

4. Where is a statue of Bigfoot found, and why is it in that location? ______

Special Assignment:

The Calendar Club finds out some information about Bigfoot. List the information they found and find some on your own. You can use the websites and books provided. Include interesting information!! Then draw a picture of Bigfoot. http://skepdic.com/bigfoot.html http://www.oregonbigfoot.com/ ______

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 5 & 6 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Biggest Bigfoot Ever!___ Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Give a “lead” to this chapter: They’re Back___ Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Figured-

Recording-

Believe-

Twice-

Exactly-

Brighter-

Peaked-

Explanation-

Questions to Investigate 1. Describe the snow race. Who won? ______

2. What two things did Leon hear when he got up? What does he find? ______3. Where do the footprints lead? ______

4. Who is the new character introduced in this chapter? What is his job and how do you know? ______

5. Predict if they will have a note. What do you think it will say? ______

Special Assignment:

Bigfoot Math

Find these three measurements in Ch. 1-6. Write down what they stand for.

10 ft. tall ______

5 in. ______

19 in. ______

Measure the feet and height of the member of your group. Write the measurements below.

______Feet______Height______Feet______Height______Feet______Height______Feet______Height______Calculate the difference between the measurements of your group and the measurements of Bigfoot. Do your math below. Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 7 Give a “lead” to this chapter: The Ivy Covered House ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”.

______Uncover the Meaning Afternoon-

Famous-

Questions-

Unusual-

Statue-

Glanced-

Avoid-

Superstition-

Questions to Investigate 1. Who is the note in the box from? Why? ______

2. What do you know about the ivy-colored house? ______

3. Why do the kids avoid the house? ______

4. What do they notice about the women outside the house? ______

Special Assignment: Research the state of Washington. What is it famous for? What is the state symbol? State Flower? Where is it located on the map? What is the Capital?

______

Use the same questions above to research your state.

______

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 8 Give a “lead” to this chapter: The Suspects___ Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Scare-

Another-

Enough-

Agreed-

Convince-

Flashlight-

Listened-

Hurried-

Questions to Investigate 1. Who are the suspects? ______

2. Why do they not think it is the woman that lives in the ivy-colored house? Why do they think it is the woman that lives in the ivy-colored house? ______

3. How do they decide to investigate the woman’s foot size? ______4. Who goes to investigate and when do they go? ______5. Who is Ginger? ______

6. Where do they find footprints and what number does Dottie write down? ______

7. Where do they hear voices and who do you think they are coming from? ______

Special Assignment:

Make a map of Fruitvale and label all the streets named in the book. Label where the group has found footprints they have used.

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 9 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Ghost Story! ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Different-

Reason-

Purpose-

Crutches-

Moment-

Superb-

Ignored-

Adjusted-

Questions to Investigate 1. Who were the voices coming from and why are they there? ______

2. How do you know these boys are telling the truth? ______

3. Is the woman a suspect? Why or why not? ______

4. What does the Calendar Club find when they get home? ______

5. Where did the rocks come from? ______6. What is Casey’s idea? ______

Special Assignment:

Gather a snowball or ice and each member of the group make a prediction about how long it will take for it to melt. You could even add some rocks!

Predictions:

______

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 10 At this point of the story, write down before you read it, who you suspect?

______

Give a “lead” to this chapter: Keeping Watch ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”. ______Uncover the Meaning Promised-

Strange-

Meant-

Expected-

Boasted-

Finished-

Faucet-

Meantime-

Questions to Investigate 1. What is there plan of action? ______

2. What is the hardest thing about their plan? ______

3. What solution did they find? ______

4. What wakes up the Calendar Club? ______5. Who is Bigfoot and how did it make big footprints? ______

6. What did it leave for Leon? ______

Special Assignment:

You are having your own sleepover!! Who will you invite? What will you do? What will you eat? Where will everybody sleep? Answer these questions and more below. ______

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter! Chapter 11 Give a “lead” to this chapter: Not a Snow Day! ______Explain the “evidence” used to determine the “lead”.

______Uncover the Meaning Arrived-

Beamed-

Boasted-

Driveway-

Annoying-

Finally-

Agreed-

Heavy-

Questions to Investigate 1. Did Stevie’s parents know about his problem? ______

2. What steps does Stevie’s mother take to help him with his problem? ______

3. What did Leon give Stevie and why? ______

4. Who wins the second snow race? ______

5. Why does the Calendar Club say they will miss Stevie, if they think he is so annoying? ______

Special Assignment:

Research Stevie’s problem and find out the percentage of Americans that have it. ______

Monthy Calendar

Solve Dottie’s Weather Box

Answer:______

On a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to Leon asking him a question about the Calendar Club or about himself.

Don’t forget your Mysterious Words and Foul Play for this chapter!

The Snow Day Bigfoot Mystery Unit Final Project

The Calendar Club take solving mysteries very seriously. This time they had extra help solving the Bigfoot mystery…you! To help the Calendar Club remember how they solved this mystery and what things helped them along the way, you will need to put all your memories onto paper. On separate paper you will write a summary of this mystery. You will need to include all the main events of the story, from beginning to end, including anything that helped you discover clues, the main characters and those who were helpful in solving the mystery, and places that this mystery took you. This writing assignment will be longer than you may be used to doing. You will need to include enough details so that if another detective were to read your story they would be well prepared for this situation, if it were to happen again (hopefully not!)

Here are your general guidelines: Length: 2-3 pages (front only and writing on every other line) Must include: Characters (names) Settings (names) Problems (small events that were important) - Why did they happen and how were they solved Major Mystery - What was the mystery and how was it solved.

On the next page you will see a detailed outline of due dates and activities for the last week of our Mystery Unit!

Final Week

The Grading Rubric for your web is on the following page in this packet.

Monday- -Look back in your packet and use your notes to help guide you through your paper. You will have two days to complete your first draft. -Ask one person (not in your group) to look over your paper, discuss neatness and make any proofreading marks, then ask that person to sign their name on your paper. Tuesday- - You will have class time to work on your paper. It will be due at the end of the class period so use your time wisely!

Wednesday- -I will meet with you and read through your first draft, then give it back to you. ***When you are waiting to meet with me please look over your paper and make any last minute changes. Skim through the book to make sure you have all the information you want in your paper. Do not waste class time! -When you get your first draft back, begin your second draft. If you have thought of any important pieces of the story, now would be the time to put those in! This draft will be due Thursday.

Thursday- - You will hand in your second draft. I will check it the same way I did on the first draft. As long as you followed the comments and suggestions your score should be very good. I will give your paper back to you at the end of the day. If you are happy with your score, you can give me back the paper and I will put it in the grade book. If you are not happy with your score, you can take it home and write a final draft. The final draft will be due Friday morning.

Friday- - We will be reading and discussing a wide variety of short mysteries. We will talk about the clues and pieces of these mysteries that are similar to the Calendar Club. - We will be exploring various websites about the Calendar Club as well as a variety of sights exploring the world of legends, mysteries, and crime solving!

The Sbow Day bigfoot Mystery Unit Benchmarks

 Students will be able to identify logical reasons to support the title for each chapter in the book.  Students will be able to use appropriate resources and strategies to find the meanings to unknown words.  Students will be able to identify characteristics of main characters from the book.  Students will be able to monitor their own reading by identifying words that are unknown or words they are unable to decode (“mysterious”).  Students will be able to make logical and reasonable predictions about the book and about the continuation of the story.  Students will be able to use a variety of comprehension strategies to answer questions about the book.  Students will be able to use problem solving skills and collaborative work efforts to complete various tasks throughout the unit.

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