Reading: Magic Tree House Book :
Vacation Under the Volcano
by Mary Pope Osborne
There are other books in the series which go along with this unit. Check out the student bibliography.
Objective: to recognize fiction and nonfiction information in a historical fiction book
Materials: Magic Tree House Book:
Vacation Under the Volcano
Summary: In this story the main characters Annie and Jack travel back in time to Pompeii just as Mt. Vesuvius is about to erupt, and they must find a In the process the characters introduce some basic facts about ancient life in Pompeii and about earthquakes.
Graphic organizer that consists of two columns one labeled fictional details and the other factual details.
Procedure:
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1. Students will have read the story in class.
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2. Teacher will review characteristics of historical fiction (telling a story where the setting and some characters, and/or events are historically accurate)
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3. Have students orally offer suggestions about what aspects of
Vacation Under the
Volcano
is fiction and nonfiction.
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4. Have students fill in their graphic organizers - if possible let them work in teams.
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6. Discuss with students why the author sets her books in historical settings?
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Does this make the story more interesting to them? Would they get more out of just
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reading a nonfiction book about earthquakes? Did it help them to understand what the
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people in Pompeii experienced?
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5. Create a classroom chart of their findings. Emphasize to students that they must understand where the fictional parts are so they aren't misinformed.