Enter the World of Patricia Polacco

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Enter the World of Patricia Polacco

• A Partnership Author Study
• By Dana McCormick

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Patricia Polaccos life story.

• Please click here to learn a little about
  Patricia Polaccos life. Remember whenever you
  want to come back to the slideshow from a website
  just click the back button or you can try closing
  the website out by clicking on the red button.
  Then, click back on the slide show and you will
  be right back where you started.
• Patricia had many influential people within her
  life. Do you? Who would you say is the most
  influential person in your life? Why?
• Make sure you turn and tell your partner.

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Inspiration

• Patricia has been inspired by many other authors
  throughout her life.
• Click here to see what books inspired Patricia to
  write.
• Who or what inspires you to write?
• Turn and tell your partner.

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Patricia Polacco has written many picture books
for children. Here are some of my favorites.
On the following slides I have given you
summaries, quotes, and have asked some questions.
Please turn and talk about these questions with
your partner.
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Thank You, Mr. Falker

• Thank You, Mr. Falker is the story of Tricia when
  she was young and learning to read. Reading did
  not come easily to Tricia. She was teased by
  classmates and figured out ways to cover up the
  fact that she couldnt read. Then, she met Mr.
  Falker, her fifth grade teacher. He figured out
  her secret and helped her to overcome her
  disability. Now she writes childrens books for
  a living.
• Have you ever had a secret, like Tricia, that you
  didnt want someone to find out?

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Thank You, Mr. Falker

• I saw Mr. Falker again some thirty years later
  at a wedding. I walked up to him and introduced
  myself. At first he had difficulty placing me.
  Then I told him who I was, and how he had changed
  my life so many years ago.
• He hugged me and asked me what I did for a
  living. Why, Mr. Falker, I answered. I make
  books for childrenThank you, Mr. Falker. Thank
  you.

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Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair

• This fictional tale tells the story of Triple
  Creek where everyone watched T.V. all the time
  except for Aunt Chip. Eli, Aunt Chips nephew,
  loved to visit his aunt and listen to her
  stories, always wondering where they came from.
  Aunt Chip explained they came from her mind,
  dreams, and books. Books were used all over the
  town, but never for reading until Eli decided to
  learn how to read and motivated the other
  children to do so too.
• What would our world be like without books? Do
  you think this could really happen?

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Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair

• Dear Diary,
• Aunt Chip taught me to read today. It is like
  going to a far away place. I never knew that I
  could dream like I do when I read. I hope that
  everyone in Triple Creek will learn to read like
  I did. Doesnt everyone want to feel like I do?
  
• Yours truly,
• Eli

• Absolutely everybody in Triple Creek loved
  their TV sets. Everyone loved their TVs, except
  Elis Aunt Charlotte.

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Thunder Cake

• This story is all about Patricias fear of
  thunderstorms and how she overcomes that fear.
  Patricias, Babushka (grandmother), helps her to
  do so by having Patricia make a Thunder cake
  while waiting for the thunder to arrive. When
  the thunder finally arrives, the cake is made,
  and Patricia eats it happily while feeling brave.
• Have you ever feared anything? If so, what was
  it and how did you overcome that fear?

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Mr. Lincolns Way

• This is a story about a boy, Eugene, who bullies
  anyone who is different. He learns to hate from
  his parents. Mr. Lincoln, the principal, helps
  Eugene to see that differences are what makes our
  world a beautiful place and he helps him to
  overcome his prejudices.
• Click on prejudices if you want to learn what the
  word means. Next, type in the word prejudice in
  the empty box at the top of the page next to the
  word find and then press find. Then the
  definition will come up.
• What do you think was Patricia Polaccos purpose
  for writing this book? Why is it important for
  Patricia to write about differences in our world?

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Questions for Eugene

• Eugene, why are you so angry?
• What makes you bully other students?
• Where did you learn to hate others who are
  different from you?
• At the end of the story, you really like Mr.
  Lincoln. You definitely changed a lot. What
  made you change your way of thinking?
• Did you end up making Mr. Lincoln proud like you
  had promised at the end of the story?
• Eugene will you take the bullying pledge?
• Help make the world a better place by clicking
  here to take the bullying pledge. First, click on
  I want to help on the left and then click on take
  the pledge.

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The Keeping Quilt

• This is a story of traditions. Traditions are
  the passing down of elements of a culture from
  generation to generation, especially by word of
  mouth. Patricias family kept the tradition of
  passing down a quilt. The quilt was made from
  Patricias, Great Grandmothers dress and
  bubushka, and other family members clothes. The
  quilt was then passed down from generation to
  generation along with jewish traditions.
• Do you have traditions within your family? If
  so, what are they? If you dont, could you think
  of a tradition that you would like to start?

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Your Job

• I am sure you have learned a lot about Patricia
  Polacco and her books. Now it is time to see
  what you learned by participating in a scavenger
  hunt. Click here to to answer the questions in
  this scavenger hunt. Write your answers in your
  journal.
• Remember you will have to navigate and click on
  the various links on the authors info page to
  answer the following questions.
• Where was Patricia born?
• At what age did Patricia Polacco start writing?
• Where did she learn how to put a childrens book
  together?
• Go to the next page

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Continuation of the Scavenger Hunt

• When was the most magical time in Patricias
  life?
• Who were the most influential people in
  Patricias life?
• Where does Patricia get her ideas?
• After viewing this author study, what is your
  opinion of her as an author?
• What do you feel is Patricias purpose for
  writing childrens books?
• Hope you enjoyed this author study and had fun!

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References

• Websites
• www.PatriciaPolacco.com
• www.bullying.org
• Books
• Polacco, P. (1996). Aunt Chip and the Great
  Triple Creek Dam Affair. New York Scholastic,
  Inc.
• Polacco, P. (2001). Mr. Lincolns Way. New
  York Scholastic, Inc.
• Polacco, P. (1998). Thank You, Mr. Falker. New
  York Philomel Books
• Polacco, P. (1988). The Keeping Quilt. New
  York, Scholastic, Inc.
• Polacco, P. (1990). Thunder Cake. New York
  Scholastic, Inc.