1. The Houdini Box
Compiled by:
Terry Sams PES
by Brian Selznick

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

3. 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.

4. Genre: Historical Fiction
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)

5. 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.

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

7. Vocabulary Skill: Synonyms and Antonyms TE 394
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.

8. Comprehension Skill review – Plot and Character TE 401
We learn about characters by noticing what they say and do.
The main character’s problem often drives the plot. The plot begins when a character has a problem or conflict.
Main events usually focus on the character’s efforts to solve the problem.
Plot (problem) builds up during rising action, is met directly at the climax, and comes to an end, as the action winds down, during the resolution.

9. Comprehension Skill review – Plot and Character PB193
Problem
Rising Action
Cory waited for her turn.
Climax 3.
Resolution 4.
1. Cory was trying out for a dance group.
2. Cory danced.
Cory made it into group.
Cory cheered.

10. 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.

11. Research/Study Skills – Instruction Manuals TE 415L
Procedures and instructions are directions for using something.
Instructions are given in order and often included numbered steps.
Read through the instructions before you begin.
Then do what is directed, one step at a time.

12. Research/Study Skills – Instruction Manuals TE 415L
A manual usually takes the form of a booklet or handbook.
It contains a written set of instructions that help the reader understand, use, or build something. Take note of illustrations, diagrams, headings, labels, and sections (including index and table of contents).

13. Weekly Fluency Check - Emotion TE 415a
You need to read with emotion to help listeners understand characters and events better and to make the story more enjoyable.
Read Pg. 402, paragraphs 2-3, expressing Victor’s excitement and impatience. Practice 2 echo readings.

14. Other Things Character Bookmarks Vocabulary Game
A Review: Houdini in Children’s Literature
Harry Houdini
Time Line
Teacher Guide

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

16. Day 2 - Question of the Day
Why do you think Houdini is able to escape and seems to walk through walls, but Victor cannot?

17. Day 3 - Question of the Day
Why do people enjoy watching magic tricks so much?

18. Day 4 - Question of the Day - Review
What are some things you would and wouldn’t like about being an illusionist?

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

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

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

22. engraved unexplainable invisible pretending judge
More Words to Know
engraved
unexplainable
invisible
pretending
judge

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

24. pretending
making believe

25. form an opinion or estimate about
judge
form an opinion or estimate about

26. appeared
was seen; came in sight

27. disappeared, especially suddenly
vanished
disappeared, especially suddenly

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

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

30. monument

31. fell to pieces; decayed
crumbled
fell to pieces; decayed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

42. The weavers were only pretending to weave cloth .

43. The weavers were only pretending to weave cloth .

44. The children like Houdini because he could do the unexplainable.

45. The children like Houdini because he could do the unexplainable.

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

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

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

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

50. Mrs. Houdini vanished up the staircase into the library.

51. Mrs. Houdini vanished up the staircase into the library.

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

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

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

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

56. Two smaller words appeared directly below “Houdini”.

57. Two smaller words appeared directly below “Houdini”.

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

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

60. Writing Assignment Write a Science Log Entry
Think of something in nature that interests you.
It might be a garden, a snowstorm, a river, or a season.
Write a description using exact nouns and powerful verbs.
Write in a way that allows your personality to shine through.

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

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

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

64. This Week’s Word Wall Words
Click and type your own words for this week:

65. Let’s review our Spelling words
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.

66. don’t
do not

67. won’t
will not

68. wouldn’t
would not

69. there’s
there is

70. we’re
we are

71. you’re
you are

72. doesn’t
does not

73. I’ve
I have

74. here’s
here is

75. wasn’t
was not

76. shouldn’t
should not

77. couldn’t
could not

78. where’s
where is

79. hadn’t
had not

80. aren’t
are not

81. they’re
they are

82. it’s
it is

83. we’ve
we have

84. when’s
when is

85. haven’t
have not

86. it’ll
it will

87. who’ll
who will

88. might’ve
might have

89. mustn’t
must not

90. we’d
we had