Tales of a Fourth
Grade Nothing
Teacher’s Guide
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Lesson 1
Tales Chapter 1
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Journal Writing: Has anyone every annoyed you? Who was it and what
did they do to annoy you?
 Chapter 1 Vocabulary
1. cushioned
2. combination
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: What do you think this story will be about after reading
the title and looking at the cover?
During
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read Chapter 1, Comprehension and Response Questions
What did Peter win at the birthday party?
Where does Peter live?
How was Peter to care for his pet?
What does Peter’s father do for an occupation?
Discuss the three main characters and four words that would describe
each of them.
After
Discuss Chapter 1
1. What does Peter’s father do for an occupation?
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Lesson 2
Tales Chapter 2
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Short Vowels: Review short vowel words. Students will complete the
Using Short Vowels worksheet.
o Using Chart Paper- display all of the short vowel words the
students could find in the chapter in 3 minutes.
o Put sticky-notes with the short vowel words on the chart
 Chapter 2 Vocabulary
1. vanish
2. insulted
3. reptiles
4. resist
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: Do you think Peter’s father’s job will be important in this
novel? Why or why not?
During
Read Chapter 2, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. What does the chapter title, “Mr. and Mrs. Juicy-O” refer to?
2. Why were Mr. and Mrs. Yarby coming to visit?
3. Peter uses some “colloquial” expressions. What does he mean when he
says, “She really cooked up a storm”? How would you say this?
4. List two reasons Peter didn’t like Fudge sleeping in his room. If you
have a brother or sister who shares your room, what do they do that
disturbs you?
5. Name four things Fudge did that he shouldn’t have.
6. Why wasn’t Peter’s father upset when he lost the Juicy-O account?
After
Discuss Chapter 2
1. Is there going to be a villain in this story? What is a villain? Could
Fudge be a villain?
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Lesson 3
Tales Chapter 3
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Classifying Words: Do the Classifying Words activity using words from
the story. Students will complete the Classifying Words worksheet.
 Chapter 3 Vocabulary
1. account
2. impressed
3. clients
4. brilliant
5. nibbling
6. motioned
7. relieved
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: What do you think the problem is in this story? How will it
be solved?
During
Read Chapter 3, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. Illustration: Turn to Page 25. Look at the illustration. In your own
words, describe what led up to this event.
2. Why was Fudge’s mother worried about him?
3. Where was Fudge when he first started to eat?
4. What did Peter want to trade Fudge for?
5. Do you think trading Fudge in for a dog would solve all of Peter’s
problems? Why or why not?
6. What did Fudge’s father mean when he said, “You will eat that cereal
or you will wear it”?
After
Discuss Chapter 3
1. How would you handle Fudge’s eating problem?
2. What did Peter mean by “Fudge’s monkey business at meal times”?
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Lesson 4
Tales Chapter 4
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Context Clues: Introduce students to context clues. Students will
complete the Discovering Meaning Through Context worksheet.
 Chapter 4 Vocabulary
1. helium
2. pollution
3. perched
4. hollered
5. disgusted
6. motorcycle
7. cooties
8. squirmed
9. peroxide
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: Titles of Chapters are very important. What do you think
will happen in this next chapter titled, “My Brother the Bird”?
During
Read Chapter 4, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. Visualizations: Read pages 27-32 and STOP! After reading the
description of Central Park, draw what you think it would look like.
2. Why doesn’t Peter like Sheila?
3. While Jimmy, Peter and Sheila were fooling around, what kind of
trouble did Fudge get into?
4. Why do you think Mrs. Hatcher scolded Peter for not watching
Fudge?
5. What dreadful thought did Peter have about his mother? Do most
children have thoughts like this?
After
Discuss Chapter 4
1. Can parents make mistakes and have bad days?
2. How did Peter know his mother was his real mother?
3. Do you think Fudge learned anything from this incident?
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Lesson 5
Tales Chapter 5
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Prior Knowledge: Have you ever had a birthday party? What things did
you do at your party or another person’s party?
 Chapter 5 Vocabulary
1. bash
2. vampire
3. fang
4. complain
5. remind
6. embarrassed
7. flopped
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: Look at the title of “The Birthday Bash”. Whose birthday
will this be? What will happen? What do you think a bash is?
During
Read Chapter 5, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. What was wrong with Fudge’s name? Why did Peter want to call him
Fang? Why do you think Mrs. Hatcher didn’t want to use Farley Drexel
if she named him that?
2. What was wrong with each of these children before they came to the
party? (Ralph, Jennie and Sam)
3. What did each of these children do at the party that they shouldn’t
have done?
4. What did Peter and his mother agree about after the party?
After
Discuss Chapter 5
1. If you had a pet turtle, what would you name it? Why?
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Lesson 6
Tales Chapter 6
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Synonyms: Discuss synonyms. Students will complete the Matching
Synonyms worksheet.
 Chapter 6 Vocabulary
1. surrounded
2. considered
3. celebration
4. motioned
5. considered
6. tantrum
7. shoved
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: What do you think will happen in chapter 6?
During
Read Chapter 6, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. What did the dentist do to get Fudge to open his mouth?
2. Why was Mr. Berman a good show salesman?
3. What was the trick that Mother played on Fudge at the shoe store?
Are little kids like this? Can they be fooled easily?
After
Discuss Chapter 6
1. Where did fudge get the expression, “Eat it or wear it”? Why do you
think Fudge was so bad? If you were Fudge’s mother, how would you
have handled the situation? How would you have prevented the
troubles?
2. Do you think Fudge acted worse at the shoe store or at the
restaurant? Why?
3. Why do you think Mrs. Hatcher was embarrassed by the hole in Peter’s
sock and then acted like nothing much was happening when Fudge
was yelling and screaming?
4. Do you think Mrs. Hatcher was taking advantage of Fudge with the
show trick? Was it any different than the dentist counting Peter’s
teeth?
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Lesson 7
Tales Chapter 7
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Prior Knowledge: Have you ever had to work in a group? What is
positive and negative about working in groups?
 Chapter 7 Vocabulary
1. committees
2. transportation
3. congestion
4. pollution
5. solution
6. monorail
7. microscope
8. installing
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: What do you think will happen in chapter 7?
During
Read Chapter 7, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. What project did Peter, Jimmy and Sheila have to do together?
2. Why were the three working together? Do you think this is a good
idea? Why or why not?
3. Why did the boys agree that Sheila could be in charge of the booklet?
4. How did the boys trick Sheila into writing the entire project?
5. How was Fudge involved in the project?
6. Peter’s mother said he could not have a lock on his door. What
happened to change her mind?
After
Discuss Chapter 7
1. Why was this chapter called “The Flying Train Committee”?
2. How would you describe Sheila?
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Lesson 8
Tales Chapter 8
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Remembering Details: Students complete the Remembering Details
worksheet.
 Chapter 8 Vocabulary
1. type
2. agency
3. arrangements
4. huddled
5. manage
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: What do you think the Chapter 8 title, “The TV Star,”
refers to?
During
Read Chapter 8, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. Why did Peter look forward to his father taking care of him?
2. Why was Mrs. Hatcher worried about the father taking care of the
children?
3. How did Fudge get picked for the commercial?
4. Why do you think Fudge refused to ride the Toddle-Bike at first? Can
you think of another time when Peter had to con Fudge into doing
something?
5. What would Fudge get for being in a commercial?
After
Discuss Chapter 8
1. Think about how models on television looked. Why aren’t all models
good-looking? What did Mr. Vincent like about how Fudge looked?
2. How would you feel if someone wanted you to be in a commercial?
What kind of commercial would you like to be in?
3. Where do you think the author got the book’s title?
4. Do you think Peter was jealous? Why or why not?
5. How is Peter a hero?
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Lesson 9
Tales Chapter 9
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Prior Knowledge: Have you ever stayed home with just your mom or
dad or another family member? What was it like?
 Chapter 9 Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
concentrated
conclusion
omelet
ingredients
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: Sometimes Peter acts like he wishes Fudge had never been
born. Will Peter learn to accept Fudge or do you think Fudge will
start to grow up and act better?
During
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read Chapter 9, Comprehension and Response Questions
How did father try to dry out Fudge’s wet pants?
Fudge got in trouble before the movie started. What did he do?
Why did Fudge leave his seat in the theater?
Fudge liked the supper Father fixed. Why wasn’t Fudge much of a
judge of food?
5. What happened at the celebration dinner?
6. Who suggested a man’s secret? Why?
7. What were all the things in the “man’s secret”?
After
Discuss Chapter 9
1. Do you think Peter and his dad should have told Mother about all the
things Fudge did while she was gone? Why or why not?
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Lesson 10
Tales Chapter 10
Before
Activate Prior Knowledge, Vocabulary, Predictions
 Alphabetical Order: Students complete the Determining Alphabetical
Order worksheet.
 Chapter 10 Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
moaned
milk of magnesia
miserable
emergency
dreary
disgusting
Definitions, synonyms and antonyms available at: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Students will learn the definitions of these words and need to find 1-2
synonyms and antonyms for each word.
 Prediction: The next chapter is entitled “Dribble”. What could
happen?
During
Read Chapter 10, Comprehension and Response Questions
1. Why didn’t anyone believe Fudge when he said what he had done with
the turtle?
2. How did Peter feel about what happened to Dribble?
After
Discuss Chapter 10
1. Do you think Fudge will continue to eat and swallow things he isn’t
supposed to? Why or why not?
2. Do you like the name Peter picked for his new pet? Why do you think
Peter picked this name?
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Lesson 11
Tales Culminating Activities
Choose one of the following ideas for your final Tales of a Fourth Grade
Nothing Project:
 Pen Pal: Write a letter to one of the characters in the story. Tell
him/her how similar and different your life is to his/hers. Ask that
character questions and offer your opinions about some situations in
the story. Then, write a letter back to yourself pretending to be the
character.
 The Funny Papers: Make a comic strip about one of the scenes in the
story. Include a title frame and lots of conversation bubbles to retell
what happened.
 Movie Marquee: This story is about to become a major movie and you
have been chosen to design the promotional poster. Include the title,
author of the book, listing of the major characters in the book and
the actors and actresses that will play them and a short paragraph
summarizing the story.
 Mobile Magic: Create and assemble an exciting and colorful mobile to
display in the classroom. Using a coat hanger, string and heavy papershow the plot, setting and characters of the story. Start by placing
the setting at the top level, the characters at the middle level and
developing the plot at the bottom level.
 Patchwork Quilt: Use a piece of 18” x 26” poster or tag board and six
8” x 8” squares of paper (I can give you a sample size piece). Glue the
squares on the tag board- each square will tell specific information
about the story. One square should state the title and author and
the other squares should tell about the characters, plot and settings.
 Board Game: Create a board game using vocabulary, information and
characters from the story. Be sure to include a set of instructions
for your game that tells the rules and object of the game. Make the
game board, game pieces and cards.
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