Chapters 13 - 16 MPP

Chapter 13- "More Worries"

fare- the money a person pays to travel by public transportation 
perform- to do something requiring special skill 

portable- possible to carry or move about 

1. What does Mr. Popper train his penguins to do? 
2. What would you train your pet to do? 
3. Make a list of the various acts you would teach your pet to
perform. 
4.  What music would you play while your pet performed? Why?

Chapter 14- "Mr. Greenbaum"

transfer- to change from one vehicle or transportation line to another 
conference- a meeting for discussion or exchange of opinions
protest- a complaint, objection, or display of unwillingness or disapproval 
politely- showing consideration and courtesy 

Alliteration Activity:
Alliteration is the repetition of the first consonant sound in a phrase such as Popper’s Performing Penguins (or Popper’s Pink-toed Penguins).  Make up more alliterated names for the penguins or for another group of performing animals.  You will need to make up at least 3 sentences or phrases that contain alliteration.

Chapter 15- "Popper's Performing Penguins"

rehearsal- a private performance or practice session in preparation for a public appearance
audience- a group that listens or watches
dignified- showing importance
semicircle- an object or arrangement of objects in the form of a half circle 
sparred- to box or make boxing movements with the fists for practice or in fun 
indulge- to allow oneself the pleasure of having or doing something

1.  Why do Janie and Bill cry? 

 

Chapter 16- "On the Road"

Vocabulary
fender- a guard over a wheel of an automobile, motorcycle, or bicycle 
annoyed- to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts
berth- a place to sleep on a ship or train
ecstatic- a state of being beyond reason and self-control
novelty- something new or unusual

temptation- the state of being tempted especially to do something wrong.

We are introduced to various train occupations in this chapter. Can you remember some of the titles? List the name of the train operators below.  

Chapters 11 and 12

Chapter 11 " Greta"

Vocabulary
tremendous- causing dread, awe, or terror 
amused- to be pleased, entertained, or humored 

1. Why did Mr. Popper choose to use white paint on the penguins' backs?  Explain your answer.


Chapter 12 " More Mouths to Feed"

expensive- having a high price
credit- an amount or sum that a bank or company will let a person use 
astonished- struck with wonder or sudden surprise
droll- having an odd or amusing quality
toboggan- to slide as if on a sled
spar- a pole
solemn- serious 

Alphabetical Order
Put the names of the penguins in alphabetical order. 

Breeding Habits/Lifecycle of Penguins
Once a year penguins leave the sea and return to the place they were born. Male and female penguins call to each other and pair up. A burrow is prepared or a simple nest is prepared using feathers, grass, or rocks. The female penguin lays one or two eggs each time she nests (but never ten eggs- the Atwaters -the authors- included this in the book in order to have a fun, humorous story).

Penguins (both male and female) have a patch for incubation (known as a brood-patch); this is a special patch that is placed on the eggs when the penguin sits on them; this special patch releases just the right amount of heat to incubate the eggs. 

In an Adelie penguin, the patch is only the size of one
egg. Adelie females usually lay the eggs and then go out to sea for six weeks to feed.  At first, on the inside of the egg, you would see the yolk and a little red blob. After ten days, it begins to take shape. After about two months, the chick chips its way out of the shell using an egg tooth on the end of its beak. 

Chapter 9 & 10

Chapter 9 "In the Barber Shop"

Vocabulary -
Lather – suds formed by soap 
Unwearyingly – tiredly

Comprehension Questions –
1. Was Captain Cook a welcomed guest at the barbershop? Why or why not? 
2. What did Captain Cook do on the steps?
3. Why was Mr. Popper all untidy by the time he got home? 

Chapter 10 "Shadows"

Vocabulary –
Curator – a person in charge of a museum or institution
Rotogravure – the process of printing photographs from cylinders etched from plates and run through a rotary press
Mopey - gloomy
Sympathetic – feeling for another’s sufferings
Stupor – when your senses or faculties are greatly dulled

Comprehension Questions
1. What were Captain Cook’s symptoms of illness?
2. What did the curator of the aquarium think might be the cause? 
3. Who is Greta? 

ABC Book Activity

 ABC BOOK (I will provide you with a hard copy of this sheet too!)

Choose 1 or 2 items from the chart below to create pages for an alphabet book for all to share.  Each page should include a large capital letter, an illustration or some artistic impression, and a paragraph (at least 5 sentences) explaining your letter representation. Design your page with an interesting format and type font.  Your page should be vertical. The following are examples you may use but are not limited to:

A Antarctica American Revolution Admiral Drake		B Bill		C Captain Cook Calcimine		D Drake Antarctic Expedition	E Egg Expedition
F Flippers Fame		G Greta Gawk!		sHrimp		I Ice box	J Janie
orK!		palace theater		M Military March		N North Pole	O Ork! Orchestra
P Popper’s Performing Penguins	Q Quork!		R Rookery Regal Theater		S South Pole Stillwater Stage		T Toboggan
pengUins	Victoria		Widow Waltz iceboX		moneY doZen

MPP Chapter 7 and 8

Chapter 7 "Captain Cook Builds a Nest"

Vocabulary:

Idle – not engaged in work
Rookery – a breeding place for sea birds, seals, etc. 

Comprehension Questions –
1. What was the result of Captain Cook’s trips through the house? 

2. From memory, name ten items Captain Cook had in his rookery.

3. What do you think Mr. Popper is going to do with a few yards of clothesline? 

Chapter 8  "Penguin's Promenade"

Reasonable - sensible
Derby – stiff felt hat with a curved, narrow brim Graciously – kindly; politely
Tripod – article having three feet or legs Bystander – an onlooker

Comprehension Questions –
1.What did Mrs. Callahan think Captain Cook was? 

2. What did the photographer think Captain Cook was? 

3. Where did Mr. Popper take Captain Cook to escape the crowds? 

4. What makes you curious about the statement at the end of the chapter (“The man who kept the barbershop had, up to this time, been a very good friend of Mr. Popper’s.”)? 

Vocabulary Words and Activities

Hi Rachel,

Below you will find some additional vocabulary words from the story "Mr. Popper's Penguins".  Try to pronounce the words because you will need to know how to say them as you are reading.  You may then follow the directions with the words.  For you illustrations and using the words in a sentence, you will need to use a sheet of paper.  These words will be placed in Spelling City also.  You can go there to play vocabulary games with these words.  Have fun!  

Mom :)

Act out these words:

• pompous
• tobogganed
• stupor
• strut
• subdued
• promenade
• reclining
• spar
• prostrate

Illustrate these words:

• spectacles
• debris
• derby
• troupers
• icebox
• rookery

Use these words in a sentence:

• expedition
• missionary
• trilled
• reproach
• droll
• indulgence
• burly
• judiciously
• haggard
• testimonial
• warrant
• belatedly
• spar
• debris
• subdued

 

Chapter 5 and 6

Chapter 5- "Troubles with a Penguins"

Vocabulary –
Ice Box – refrigerator
Indignantly – righteously angry 
Remodeled – to make over or anew

Comprehension Questions –

1. What did Mr. Popper pay the serviceman with? 
   
2. What did the serviceman do to the icebox? 
   
3. What happened when the serviceman spotted Captain Cook? 

Chapter 6- "More Troubles"

Vocabulary –

Municipal – pertaining to a town or city or its local government 
Ordinance – a law of a municipal body

Comprehension Questions –

1. Where did Mr. Popper call to obtain a license for Captain Cook? 
   
2. Act out Mr. Popper’s phone call with City Hall. 
   

Chapter Three - "Out of the Antarctic" /Chapter Four "Captain Cook"

Vocabulary Words for Chapter Three:

Vocabulary -

Meekly – gently, mildly, kindly
Receipt – a written acknowledgement of payment for or delivery of goods 
Debris – scattered fragments or remains
Pompous – marked by exaggerated self-importance

Comprehension Questions –
1. What was delivered to Mr. Popper’s home?
2. Describe how it was packed.

3. What did Mr. Popper think the bathroom tile reminded the penguin of? 
4. What did Mr. Popper name the Penguin? 

Vocabulary - 
Solemnly - seriously 
Bore – drill

Comprehension Questions –
1. What did the penguin eat that upset Mrs. Popper?
2. Where did the penguin fall asleep?
3. What do penguins make their nests out of? 

Chap. 2 "A Voice in the Air"

Hello Rachel,
Are you like reading Mr. Popper's Penquin's so far?  I know that I am enjoying listening to you reading it.  Do you still think it took place in the year 2000?  There was one really good clue in Chapter Two "The Voice in the Air" that helped me realize that the "when" this story took place was not the year 2000.  Did Mr. Popper watch television or work on the computer?  How did he listen to the "Drake Antarctic Expedition"?  This clue will help you figure out the time period that the story took place.  If you don't understand how this clue will help you, let me know and I will give you some more clues.  Here are some questions that I want you to answer that go along with Chapter Two:  
1. What did Mr. Popper think was the nicest part of the Antarctic? 
2. What kind of pet did the Popper family currently have? 

3. Explain how penguins check to see if it is safe to go in the water for food. 

Chapter One

Hello Rachel,
I think today would be a great day to begin reading chapter one of "Mr. Popper's Penguins"!  Guess what?  You were right.  Mr. Popper is a house painter, but is that what he really wants to be?  In chapter one you will find out that he would like to do something different as his occupation or job.  Tell me about what you discovered about what Mr. Popper really would like to do as his occupation.   What other occupations were mentioned in chapter one?  Were there any other characters introduced in the first chapter?  What would you like to be when you grow up?  Be sure and tell me why you would choose that occupation.  

First book of the year for Reading!!! Mr. Popper's Penguins

Hi Rachel,
I hope you will enjoy the book "Mr. Popper's Penguins" written by Richard Atwater and illustrated by Robert Lawson
 It is a very popular chapter book written for children.  I want you to take a few minutes and preview the book.  When you make a prediction about a book, you basically are making a guess based on clues from the pictures, the text and your own ideas to let you know what the it is going to be about.  Check the front and back covers, table of contents, look for any pictures, etc.  Think about what you already know and what you have learned in the past that will help you get some clues about the story.  Predictions about stories can be made before you read as well as during the time you are reading.  Take a look at the making predictions posters that I printed off for you to help you with this assignment.  Next, write a paragraph telling me your predictions about the story. 
I hope you enjoy reading "Mr. Popper's Penguins".  Some vocabulary words you will encounter in chapter one are: 
Calcimine 

Expedition
Bungalow 
Absent-minded  

Mom