The Tiger Rising, by Kate DiCamillo Lit Link Grades 4-6

Rob Horton is a young boy whose mother has recently died. His father uproots him from everything he knows and takes him to Lister, Florida to live in a seedy motel. Rob keeps all of his emotions locked up inside and will not share his feelings with anyone. When ugly red blisters appear on Rob’s legs at school, the principal fears it is a contagious infection and sends him home. On his way home, while walking through the misty Florida woods, Rob is shocked to find a real-life tiger pacing back and forth in a cage. On the same day, Rob meets Sistine Bailey, a girl who is outgoing and readily displays her feelings.Reproducible chapter questions, plus comprehension questions, a story summary, author biography, creative and cross-curricular activities, complete with answer key.Novel by Kate DiCamillo.List of SkillsVocabulary Development:1. Using content clues2. Locating descriptive words/phrases3. Listing synonyms, antonyms, homonym4. Use of capitals and punctuation5. Identifying syllables6. Listing compound words7. Determining alphabetical order8. Use of singular/plural nouns9. Developing dictionary skills10. Identifying parts of speech11. Identify an analogy12. Identifying an idiom13. Identifying a simile14. Identifying alliteration15. Identify onomatopoeia16. Identify personificationSetting Activities:1. Identify the details of a settingPlot Activities:1. Complete a Story Map2. Determine the role of others in one’s personal growth3. Identify the climax of a novel4. Identify conflict in the story5. Develop a Storyboard6. Identify point of view7. Predict an outcomeCharacter Activities:1. Determine character traits2. Compare two characters3. Relating personal experiences4. Understand concepts: coping with loss, friendshipCreative and Critical Thinking:1. Research2. Create a Reader’s Theatre presentation3. Write a letter to a character from the novel4. Conduct an interview5. Create an Observation Chart6. Write a description of personal feelings7. Create a poemArt Activities:1. Design a cover for the novel1. Develop a Storyboard2. Design a posterOverall ExpectationsThe students will:• develop their skills in reading, writing, listening, and oral communication.• use good literature for developing skills: reasoning and critical thinking, knowledge of language structure, vocabulary building, and use of conventions.• become meaningfully engaged in the drama of literature through a variety of types of questions and activities.• identify and describe elements of stories (i.e. plot, main idea, characters, setting)• learn about the dynamics of grief, anger, and isolation, coping with the loss of a parent, forging healthy relationships, accepting responsibility for one’s actions.• learn the healthiness of expressing one’s feelings/needs to those close to us.• relate events and feelings found in the novel to the student’s own lives and experiences.• appreciate the importance of friends and how relationships can contribute to personal growth.• appreciate that the growth of one’s character is often the result of opportunities and trials that come into one’s life.• learn the importance of dealing with adversity and developing perseverance in the face of difficult experiences.• state their own interpretation of a written work, using evidence from the novel and from their own knowledge and experience.