Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret Retrieved from http://www.eduplace.com

Awards Virginia Young Reader’s Award West Virginia Children’s Book Award Junior Library Guild selection International Reading Association “Children’s Choice” Children’s Crown Award

Genre: Realistic Fiction A realistic fiction story is about realistic (could happen in real life, but they aren’t real) people, things, and events. The plot-including events, problem, solution-is made up (fictional).

Summary While on a camping trip in California, Jonathan confronts nature’s fury as he struggles to save his sister and himself from a dangerous earthquake.

Background Information Earthquakes are caused by the shifting or breaking of plates within the Earth. Check out what National Geographic has to say about earthquakes for more information!

Causes and effects of earthquakes Key Concept Causes and effects of earthquakes

Key Vocabulary debris devastation fault impact jolt shuddered susceptible undulating upheaval

the remains of something broken or destroyed debris the remains of something broken or destroyed retrieved from: http://www.maximus.ce.washington.edu/ ~nisqually/

devastation destruction or ruin retrieved from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1011_051011_earthquake.html

a break in a rock mass caused by a shifting of the earth’s crust fault a break in a rock mass caused by a shifting of the earth’s crust retrieved from: http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/watch/seismology/pt_reyes.htm

the striking of one body against another impact the striking of one body against another retrieved from: http://star.arm.ac.uk/impact-hazard/

jolt a sudden jerk or bump retrieved from: http://www.clipartheaven.com/

shook, vibrated, or quivered shuddered shook, vibrated, or quivered

susceptible easily affected

moving in waves or with a smooth, wavy motion undulating moving in waves or with a smooth, wavy motion retrieved from: http://www.glennjamesphotography.com/photos/themes/sequim-9-04/crw_2710.htm

a lifting or upward movement of the earth’s crust upheaval a lifting or upward movement of the earth’s crust http://www.utahtrails.com/ Upheaval.html

Strategy Focus: Predict/Infer When we predict, use the information we have to make a reasonable guess before we read the story about what might happen. Use the title, pictures, and prior knowledge to help you guess: who the main characters will be what the problem might be how the problem will be solved

Strategy Focus: Predict Let’s try it! Strategy Focus: Predict What do you predict Jonathan will do to protect himself and his younger sister when a powerful earthquake strikes?

Comprehension Skill Focus: Sequence of Events The sequence of events is the order of the story events. Keep an eye out for words that signal sequential order such as at first, then, and last. Remember that the author sometimes shifts from present or main action to something that happened in the past. Be careful to use those signal words to keep things straight!

Record the main story events in the order in which they occurred. Graphic Organizer Event Map Record the main story events in the order in which they occurred. Page 30 At first Moose listens. Then he barks and paces back and forth as if he senses something is wrong.

Meet the Author Peg Kehret (pronounced "carrot") likes to write about ordinary kids who find themselves in extraordinary situations and use their wits to solve their problems — kids who are a lot like Kehret herself when she was growing up. At age 12, Kehret found out she had polio and became paralyzed from the neck down. Because she remembers that experience and her year of recovery so well, she says, she finds it easy to write from a kid's viewpoint. Kehret wrote her autobiography, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio, about that period in her life. Before she began writing for children, Kehret published plays, short stories, articles, and two books for adults.                                                      Retrieved from: http://www.pegkehret.com and http://www.eduplace.com

Link to Houghton Mifflin If you enjoyed reading Earthquake Terror and would like to check out some more information and activities, click below to go to EduPlace, Houghton Mifflin’s web site. Click Here!