Teaching

Lesson Plans for Carl Hiassens

New York Times Bestseller HOOT
By
Jessica Lee Hellman
Copyright 2011 Jessica Hellman

Teaching Hoot Lesson Plans Include:

Printable Worksheets for Student

Distribution
Standards Based Rubrics
Cross-Curricular Educational Activities
Vocabulary Development
Reflection Prompts and Journaling
Activities

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Introduction to Teaching Hoot
How to use this guide
This guide is meant to be used one page for each day, for 30 days. On each page, you will
find an assigned number of pages for students to read (between 8 and 12), a vocabulary
section, a standards-based section and a reflection section. Each day should represent
around an hour of work, depending on the speed at which your students are able to read
the section, and complete the work. Please feel free to copy the worksheets for your own
students, and please encourage your colleagues to attain their own copy.
Based on the skill-level of your students, you can use the vocabulary section differently.
Here are some suggestions: have students identify the prefixes or suffixes in each word,
have students use context clues to write their definition, or have students practice their
dictionary skills by looking items up.
Because each states standard system is slightly different, the standards have not been
identified. However, there is a place on each page for you to enter the standard code, for
your own documentation. Each activity has a standard based focus at its core. There is
also a pre-created rubric available for each activity. Simply copy the page and distribute,
and your students have clear expectations for each day. Some of the common core
standards utilized within these lesson plans are below; however many more standards
are incorporated throughout all of the activities. This is not an exhaustive list.
Standard

Description of Common Core Standards

RL 4.6

Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are
narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.

RL 5.3

Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or

drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

RL 6.7

Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to

listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including
contrasting what they see and hear when reading the text to what they
perceive when they listen or watch.

RL 7.6

Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters or narrators in a text.

W 4-5.1

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with

reasons and information.

W 6-8.1

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

W 4-8.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,

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concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of
relevant content.
W 4-8.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using

effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event
sequences.

W 4-8.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,

and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types.

W 4-8.5

With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach.

W 4-8.6

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as

well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient
command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single
sitting.

W 4-8.7

Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several

sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

Some of the activities may require a small amount of preparation. There are some arts
and crafts and specific concepts that are not clearly defined in the book. Please make sure
to take a moment before each day to make sure you are prepared.
The journal response can also be differentiated by skill-level. Encourage beginner
students to write a few sentences, and allow more advanced students to keep a Hoot
Journal and extend their answers longer.
The first project listed for Day One may take longer than the average hour. This is a good
way to allow for differentiation throughout the lesson. Encourage students to continue
working on the project throughout the 30 days. There are also opportunities for students
to write some letters and poetry, which could all be incorporated into this initial project.
Get familiar with all of the activities, to determine the best way to use the project
throughout.
Similarly, the final project does not have any clear expectations. You can make it as
simple as presenting a paragraph to the class, or encourage something more timeinvolved. Based on your needs, the final project allows for significant time flexibility.

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constitute an infringement of copyright.

Teaching Hoot - Copyright 2011 Jessica Hellman

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Name __________________________________________________________________
Day 1: Pages 1 8 at break
Vocabulary
Vandalism:______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Vacant:_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Ambush:________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Standard: ______________________________________________________________
Use the directions on the website
http://www.thecraftyclassroom.com/CraftBirdOwlPaperPlate.html and build an owl.

Pieces

Creativity

Neatness

Owl includes all

pieces in the
appropriate
place
The owl has
significant
personalized
features
Entire project is
completed
neatly

Owl includes 3
pieces
appropriately
placed
The owl has a
few personalized
features

Owl includes 2
pieces
appropriately
placed
The owl has
only 1 or 2
personalized
features
Most of the
project looks
unplanned

Owl includes 1
or 0 pieces
appropriately
placed
The owl has an
average
appearance

Most of the
product has a
neat appearance

The project is
not completed
neatly

Journal Reflection
What is the problem with the owls? ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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Name __________________________________________________________________
Day 2: Pages 8 16
Vocabulary
Resemble:_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Shrubbery:_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Doggedly:_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Standard: ______________________________________________________________
Print the map of the World: Countries found at
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/world.html. Find Florida, Montana and Haiti using a
resource like an atlas or globe. Label the 3 locations and write a fact and an opinion about
each location.

Accuracy
Facts
Opinions

All 3 locations
identified
correctly

2 of the 3
locations
identified
correctly
2 of the 3 facts
are accurate
2 opinions are
written correctly

1 of the 3
locations
identified
correctly
1 of the 3 facts
are accurate
1 opinion is
written
correctly

0 locations
identified
correctly

All 3 facts are

accurate
All 3 opinions
are identified
correctly

0 facts are
accurate
0 opinions are
written
correctly

Journal Reflection
Who is the running boy? ___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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Name __________________________________________________________________
Day 3: Pages 16 24
Vocabulary
Reproachfully:____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Unprovoked:_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Consternation:____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Standard: ______________________________________________________________
Compare and Contrast Michigan to Montana.
4
Compare
Contrast
Legibility

4 or more
similarities are
listed
4 or more
differences are
listed
Legible
handwriting,
typing or
printing

3 similarities
are listed

2 similarities
are listed

3 differences are
listed

2 differences are
listed

Mostly legible
handwriting,
typing or
printing

Writing is not
legible in places

1
1 or 0
similarities are
listed
1 or 0
differences are
listed
Writing is not
legible

Journal Reflection
Do you think Roys punishment is fair? What should he do? _______________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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Name __________________________________________________________________
Day 4: Pages 24 - 32
Vocabulary
Contemplated:____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Leniency:________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Cinched:________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Standard: ______________________________________________________________
Write a letter to the school from Roys parents.

Main idea/
Concluding
sentence

Supporting
details
sentences

Mechanics

Topic sentence
is at the
beginning and
concluding
sentence ends
the paragraph.
Both match.
Paragraph has
three or more
supporting
detail sentences
that relate back
to the main
idea.
All sentences
start with a
capital letter
and end with
punctuation.

Topic sentence
is at the
beginning and
concluding
sentence is at
the end but they
dont match.
Paragraph has
two supporting
detail sentences
that relate back
to the main
idea.

Missing a topic
sentence OR a
concluding
sentence.

Missing both a
topic AND a
concluding
sentence

Paragraph has
one supporting
detail sentence
that relate back
to the main
idea.

Paragraph(s)
have no
supporting
detail sentences
that relate back
to the main idea.

Paragraph has 1
or 2 errors in
mechanics.

Paragraph has
3-5 errors in
mechanics.

Paragraph has 6
or more errors
in mechanics

Journal Reflection
How do you think the alligators got in the port-a-johns? __________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Teaching Hoot - Copyright 2011 Jessica Hellman

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Name __________________________________________________________________
Day 5: Pages 33 40 at break
Vocabulary
Clout:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Disgruntled:______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Skeptically:______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Standard: ______________________________________________________________
Measure 4 feet. Use art supplies to create a 4-foot alligator.

Measurement

Alligator
features

Neatness

Alligator
measures
between 310
and 42

Alligator
measures 3
inches more or
less than 4 feet

Alligator
measures 4
inches more or
less than 4 feet

Alligator has all

important
features: teeth,
scales, feet,
head and tail
Entire project is
completed
neatly

Alligator has 4
of the important
features

Alligator has 3
of the important
features

Alligator
measures more
than 5 inches
more or less
than 4 feet
Alligator has 2
or fewer of the
important
features

Most of the
product has a
neat appearance

Most of the
project looks
unplanned

The project is
not completed
neatly

Journal Reflection
Why did Dana call in sick? _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Hoot - Copyright 2011 Jessica Hellman

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I hope you enjoyed your first week of the Teaching Hoot lesson plans. Did you find the
first week helpful? I sincerely hope so. If you would like to use the complete 6 week
teaching unit, to save yourself some time, and the effort that it would take to plan your
next six weeks out, just click on Get Hoot Lesson Plans. You can also visit the website
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Thanks for downloading your Free First Week of Teaching Hoot. I hope youll stop by
again, and/or refer your friends and colleagues to my other helpful teacher resources in
the near future.
Happy Teaching!
Jessica Lee Hellman

Teaching Hoot - Copyright 2011 Jessica Hellman