The Houdini Box by Brian Selznick by Brian Selznick Compiled by: Terry Sams PESTerry Sams

Study Skills Genre: Historical Fiction Comprehension Skill: Compare and Contrast Comprehension Strategy: Predict Comprehension Review Skill: Plot and Character Vocabulary: Synonyms/Antonyms

Summary Young Victor wants to be a magician like his hero, famed escape artist Harry Houdini, but his attempts at escape end up as disasters. One Halloween night, he receives a wooden box at Houdini’s house. Victor opens it many years later and discovers Houdini’s secrets.

GenreGenre: Historical Fiction Genre Historical fiction has characters and events based on real people and events in history. As you read, look for historical details. (Different PowerPoint on Genre)

Comprehension Skill Tested: Compare and Contrast – TE392 A Comparison tells how two or more things are alike. A Contrast tells how they are different Clue words such as like or as show comparisons Clue words such as but or unlike show contrasts.

Compare and Contrast PB 153 Special Effects and Magic Tricks AlikeDifferent Both seem real Both fool the eye 2. Both have hard work 3. how they work to fool the eye: computer vs. hands 4. new practice vs. old 5. One is harder to figure out.

Vocabulary Skill: Synonyms and TE 394 Vocabulary Skill: Synonyms and Antonyms TE 394 Synonyms Antonyms When you read, you may come across a word you don’t know. Sometimes the author will use a synonym or an antonym as a clue to the meaning of the word. Synonyms are words that mean almost the same thing. Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Click on the title to practice this skill.

Comprehension Strategy Predict TE 407 Good readers think about what will happen next. Patterns in the information in a graph or chart can help you predict.

Question of the Week TE 392L Can you always believe what you see?

Why do you think Houdini is able to escape and seems to walk through walls, but Victor cannot?

Why do people enjoy watching magic tricks so much?

What are some things you would and wouldn’t like about being an illusionist?

Review Questions 1.How can you tell Houdini and Victor were both kind people? 2.Why did Mrs. Houdini cry when she read Victor’s letter? 3.what did Victor try to do after he learned about Houdini’s tricks? 4.Describe Victor’s character.

Review Questions 1.Why didn’t Victor tell his wife and son about the box? 2.Why did Houdini promise to write Victor a letter? 3.What was important about reading Houdini’s monument? 4.What was in Houdini’s box? 5.When did Victor find Houdini’s box?

Vocabulary - Say It vanished vanished magician magician escape escape bustling bustling appeared appeared crumbled crumbled monument monument

More Words to Know engravedunexplainableinvisiblepretendingjudge

invisible Not visible; not capable of being seen Not visible; not capable of being seen

pretending making believe

judge form an opinion or estimate about form an opinion or estimate about

appeared was seen; came in sight was seen; came in sight

vanished disappeared, especially suddenly disappeared, especially suddenly

bustling being noisily busy and in a hurry being noisily busy and in a hurry

monument something set up to honor a person or an event. A monument may be a building, pillar, arch, statue, tomb, or stone. something set up to honor a person or an event. A monument may be a building, pillar, arch, statue, tomb, or stone.

monument

crumbled fell to pieces; decayed fell to pieces; decayed

magician person who entertains by art or skill of creating illusions, especially a sleight of hand person who entertains by art or skill of creating illusions, especially a sleight of hand

engraved cut deeply in; carved in; carved in an artistic way cut deeply in; carved in; carved in an artistic way

unexplainable unaccountable; without apparent cause or reason unaccountable; without apparent cause or reason

escape to get out and away; to get free to get out and away; to get free

The clothes were invisible to people who were unfit for their jobs.

Victor was looking around the huge, bustling train station when he saw Houdini.

The king learned to judge people by their good work and not how they complimented him.

The weavers were only pretending to weave cloth.

The children like Houdini because he could do the unexplainable.

Houdini could escape from an iron milk can in under 20 seconds.

Victor wanted to be a magician when he grew up, just like Houdini.

Mrs. Houdini vanished up the staircase into the library.

The initials E.W. were engraved on the bottom of the box.

They found the ball lying in the corner of a dark monument in the graveyard.

Two smaller words appeared directly below “Houdini”.

The lock was so old that it crumbled when Victor brushed his hand across it.

Spelling Words Contractions haven’t haven’t when’s when’s we’ve we’ve it’s it’s they’re they’re aren’t aren’t hadn’t hadn’t where’s where’s couldn’t couldn’t shouldn’t shouldn’t

Spelling Words Contractions wasn’t wasn’t here’s here’s I’ve I’ve doesn’t doesn’t you’re you’re we’re we’re there’s there’s wouldn’t wouldn’t won’t won’t don’t don’t

CHALLENGE it’ll it’ll who’ll who’ll might’ve might’ve mustn’t mustn’t we’d we’d

Let’s review our Spelling words. Watch carefully because they will flash on the screen for just a moment. We can clap as we spell the word, or we might just practice reading the words.

don’t do not

won’t will not

wouldn’t would not

there’s there is

we’re we are

you’re you are

doesn’t does not

I’ve I have

here’s here is

wasn’t was not

shouldn’t should not

couldn’t could not

where’s where is

hadn’t had not

aren’t are not

they’re they are

it’s it is

we’ve we have

when’s when is

haven’t have not

it’ll it will

who’ll who will

might’ve might have

mustn’t must not

we’d we had