Twenty One Balloons (Skeleton for a Level 5 unit)

[Melissa]

Any ideas for a unit study on this book?

[robin d.]

I love that book!!! But I haven't read it since my now 19 year old son was in 5th grade so I'm going off memory. Hot air balloons, inventions, volcanos, the real Krakatoa, Pacific Ocean, would be some that I can remember without reviewing the book again.

[Wende]

Social Studies -

Geography - learn about the places he traveled. Teach continents and bodies of water (he was in North America, Europe, Asia, and hit the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans) or research each of the individual places and/or trace his route on a world map (San Francisco, Pacific Ocean, Bornea, Krakatoa, Java, Indian Ocean, India, Persia, Turkey, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Belgium, English Channel, England, Scotland, back to the US)
Outline map found here:
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/worldout.htm

Era - 1883 - what was the world like then?

Working Together/Communal Living -

Pros/Cons of island life -

History of Balloons -
Hot Air Balloon Shape Book:
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/document ... 20Book.pdf

*a unit will be out shortly about this

Science -

How Balloons Work -

Diamonds -
Make a diamond shape book to write diamond research. Diamond clipart:
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/20500/20596/ ... _20596.htm
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/20300/20308/ ... _20308.htm

Volcanoes -
Exploding volcano lift flap:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrep ... olcano.pdf


Inventions and Simple/Complex Machines - they had all kinds of devices on Krakatoa. Teach all the simple machines (axle, wheel, pulley, lever, etc.) and how they work together to make complex machines. Child can duplicate inventions with knex or other building toy.


Math -

Occupation - Sherman was an arithmetic teacher for 40 years.

Language Arts

Create a newspaper ad that Professor Sherman would have published to locate all the families from Krakatoa.

Make a travel brochure describing Krakatoa.

[Celia]

Moving this to the Skeleton Closet, now that the unit has some bare bones. Keep it up and we'll have a full-fledge unit.....a great addition to HSS!

[Nadene]

Here are some other fun themes that featured through the book:

1. All the houses were built in different styles - feature architecture of different countries
2. Each family made meals from different countries - food from around the world Cook food from each country.
3. All the famiies had a letter of the alphabet for their names. Each letter represented countries Mr. F = France, Mr. B = Britian etc. C name countries according to the alphabet around the world
4. Prof. Sherman arrived in the month of Lamb. Name all lamb meals from around the world. Menu planning
5. Mr. M's house was full of inventions. Describe steam driven machines. Create unique new inventions to help around the house.
6. List/ describe all balloon transport mentioned throughout the book.
7. Value, strength and importance of diamonds
8. The children of the island could create a fun play ground. What would you buy to fill your freighter?
9. Name all the important people who met Prof. Sherman when he returned to America.
10. Most of the book is Prof. Sherman's speech at the San Fransico Explorers Club. Give your own speech reporting your adventures on Krakatoa as if you were Prof. Sherman.
11. Draw a map of the Island from the air.