Minds On
What’s your guess?
Explore the cover of the book Too Much Glue, by Jason Lefebvre. What do you think this book could be about?
- What clues did you take from the illustrations, title, words, and genre of the book?
- Did the picture help you make your prediction?
- Do you know of any other books by this author?
Student Success
Think-Pair-Share
If possible, with a partner, discuss your predictions. Were your guesses the same?
Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.
Let’s find out what the story is about
Too Much Glue is a story about a boy who loves to use glue to create. Matty and his Dad have lots of fun making glue projects at home. One day at school, Matty finds the fullest bottle of glue and pours it all over his desk. He does a belly flop into the middle of it and gets stuck! The school calls his Dad to come and take him home. Instead of being mad, his Dad celebrates Matt’s creativity!
Action
Break it down!
Let’s divide the story, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, into smaller pieces to make it easier to summarize or share the main ideas.
Using the Somebody Wanted But So Then (SWBST) strategy will make organizing our ideas easier. Explore the following parts of the SWBST strategy to check what each part includes.
Press ‘Somebody’ to reveal what this part of the strategy includes.
Who is the main character?
Press ‘Wanted’ to reveal what this part of the strategy includes.
What did the character want?
Press ‘But’ to reveal what this part of the strategy includes.
What was the problem?
Press ‘So’ to reveal what this part of the strategy includes.
How did the character try to solve the problem?
Press ‘Then’ to reveal what this part of the strategy includes.
What was the resolution to the story?
Let’s try!
When a bus driver takes a break, he warns the passengers to not let the pigeon drive! Once the driver is gone, the pigeon tells the passengers all the reasons why he should drive the bus. But the passengers don’t let him. The pigeon gets very frustrated. When the driver returns, he asks the passengers if they let the pigeon drive. Luckily, they didn’t. The driver leaves the pigeon on the street and drives away with the bus. When the pigeon thinks there is no hope that he will ever get to drive, along comes a tractor trailer! He gets the idea that the pigeon could drive the truck!
Complete all parts of the SWBST chart to record the important parts of the story.
You can record your thoughts by completing the Somebody Wanted But So Then Graphic Organizer document in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. You can also record your thoughts as an audio clip or on the computer.
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Somebody Wanted But So Then Graphic Organizer.
Student Success
Think-Pair-Share
If possible, once your organizer is completed, share your ideas with a partner. Did you both have the same ideas?
Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.
Consolidation
Create your own summary
Test Your Skills!
Test your skills
Using the notes that you made for the SWBST exercise, you are going to prepare a summary of the story, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! For your summary you’ll arrange your sentences to make a paragraph.
You may create the summary using paper, a computer, an audio clip, or a video clip. Or, you can choose any method of your choice to share your summary. It will give the reader an idea of what the story is about without reading the book.
- What helped you the most when creating your summary?
- Can you think of another way to organize your information?
- What questions do you ask yourself to make sure your organizer makes sense?
Reflection
How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel...
Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.