Book Bag Activities for
Frindle
By: Kim Lewis

• Clements, Andrew (1996). Frindle. Ill. Brian Selznick. Aladdin Paperbacks.

Frindle is about Nick, a boy who invents a new word for a pen which causes disruption in Mrs. Granger’s fifth grade class. Mrs. Granger may appear upset over Nick’s new word but she felt someone needed to play the role of the “bad guy or girl.”

Author information:

• Andrew Clement was born in Camden, New Jersey. He attended both Northwestern University and National-Louis University, both in Evanston, Illinois. He received an M.A. in teaching at National-Louis University. He has served on the Children’s Book Council. He makes public appearances and speaks as an author and literacy advocate.

Rationale:

• I chose the book Frindle for my book bag because I like Nick’s persistence with using his newly invented word. I thought that Mrs. Granger played an important role in helping Nick to go as far as possible with his new word, getting it published in the dictionary (even though he did not know she was helping him until the end). This book made me think about how words are invented, even though it is fictional.
• I think this would be a good book to use with nine to twelve year old students because it will help encourage them to be persistent when they believe strongly in something. I also think it will help them to discover that there is a history behind words.

Questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy:

• Knowledge: Who is Mrs. Granger? Why did Nick always ask questions at the end of class? What was the pen called before it was called a pen?
• Comprehension: Explain why Nick had to give a report over the dictionary. Explain why Nick started calling a pen a "frindle." Describe Nick.
• Application: Using information from the book, draw a picture of a location where this book could have taken place, besides a school. Try to think of a new word for an object you use regularly.
• Analysis: Analyze the thoughts that were going through Mrs. Granger’s mind when she spoke to Nick about not using the word "frindle" (page 44-47). Identify what it means to be a hero. What other conflicts could occur between a student and a teacher?
• Synthesis: Decide how the story could have been different if Mrs. Granger was actually against Nick throughout the entire book. Imagine this story took place in another country, what might have happened if a student acted up the way Nick did?
• Evaluation: Decide what you would do if Nick wanted you to join his group when the first used the word frindle. Decide which character stands out the most in your mind and tell why. Think about Mrs. Granger’s actions; did she act appropriately? Why?

Ten activities to use with the story:

Before Reading:

• As a whole group: Ask students and discuss the question, How do you think objects that we use everyday got their name (i.e., notebook, chalkboard, chalk, desks, etc)? After that discussion, introduce a guest speaker such as, a librarian or someone from a museum, to talk to the students about the history of the pen. Allow the students time to ask the guest speaker any questions that they may have.
• In pairs: Show students a pinna (feather), a bottle of ink, and paper. Tell students that people used to write with a pinna and ink before pens and pencils were invented. Demonstrate for students how to use a pinna and ink. Then, have the students get into pairs and let them have a chance to write a vocabulary word with the pinna and ink. Each pair of students will have their own pinna and ink available.

During Reading:

• In small groups: After reading page twenty-four in the book, have students get into small groups of four or five. At a computer, they will use problem solving skills by using the Internet to visualize 43,000 words.
• Independent activity: After reading the fifth chapter (page thirty-two), have students keep a journal of a character that interests them. Allow the children to imagine they are the character and write down their character’s thoughts and feelings in their journals.
• In small groups: Have students get into groups of four and act out page thirty-four, which was when Nick was two years old. The student who plays the role of Nick will say the word, gwagala several times until someone puts the cassette into the tape player (gwagala was Nick’s invented word for music). Then, three to four students will make musical sounds with instruments and their voices. Discuss with the students what words they used when they were younger, before they knew the right word to use (i.e., how did they say spaghetti?)
• In small groups: After reading chapter six (page thirty-eight), have the students get into small groups and go on a tour of their classroom. Have the groups determine which object they would like to rename and have them agree on a new word to call the renamed object. Allow the students and the teacher to use the new word for two weeks. After the first week, discuss with the students how they felt about using their new word for an object that already had a name. After the second week, discuss with the students if they have thought of something that they would like to invent on their own (i.e., if you could invent something, what would it be and what would you name it)?
• In small groups: After reading pages seventy-four to seventy-six, have students get into small groups of approximately six to seven people. Then, have each group perform a reader’s theater of the scene where reporter, Alice Lunderson interviews Mrs. Granger and Nick and his parents. Include two people for the camera crew, as well. After all the groups have finished their presentations to the class, ask students to compare the presentations and how they thought it went.
• In pairs: After chapter fifteen (page ninety-five), have students get into pairs. Allow them to use a calculator, and ask them to figure out how many weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds are in ten years. Have them record this information on a worksheet. Note: Ten years is the time that had passed from when Nick has signed Mrs. Granger’s envelope when he was in the fifth grade.

After Reading:

• Independent activity: Have students create a picture of a scene from the book. They should not replicate any of the pictures that are already in the book or on the cover. They may use any materials they wish (i.e., crayons, pencils, colored pens, etc.).
• Independent activity: Ask students, How does one’s behavior affect another person’s behavior? Suggest to students: If Mrs. Granger had not played her role the way she did, Nick may not have stood firm on calling his pen a frindle. In addition, Nick had peer support in order to help him accomplish his goal. Teamwork came into play during this book. Have students write a reaction paper over the aforementioned question.

Props:

• Objects in the classroom such as, a notebook, chalk, pencils, etc.
• Pinnas, paper, and bottles of ink.
• Internet sites to visualize 43,000 words.
• Journal
• Cassette player, cassette, musical instruments, or anything that could be used as a substitute for instruments.
• Students will chose an object in the class to rename.
• Script for reader’s theater for pages seventy-four to seventy-six, chairs, television camera for camera people, if available.
• Calculators for students.
• Art supplies to draw a picture.
• Paper, pencil, and word processor, if available.

Bibliography of other related books:

• The Landry News, by Andrew Clements. Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Cara Landry claims that her teacher, Mr. Larson, does not teach. Mr. Larson makes a come back and starts teaching his students about words, the First Amendment, and their importance.

• The School Story, by Andrew Clements. Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Twelve year old Zoe believes that her friend Natalie should get her book published.

Assessment:

• Students will be assessed individually, in pairs, and in small groups, depending on the activity. After the book has been read, the tenth activity will be discussed during one-on-one conferences.
• For the teacher’s assessment, I would ask students their opinions of the book and what they thought of the activities. I would also ask them if they have any suggestions about other activities that could be used for the book.