The Houdini
Box
Compiled by:
Terry Sams PES
by Brian Selznick
Study Skills
 Genre:
Historical Fiction
 Comprehension Skill:
Compare and Contrast
 Comprehension Strategy:
Predict
 Comprehension Review Skill:
Plot and Character
 Vocabulary: Synonyms/Antonyms
Summary
Young Victor wants to be a
magician like his hero, famed
escape artist Harry Houdini, but
his attempts at escape end up
as disasters. One Halloween
night, he receives a wooden box
at Houdini’s house. Victor
opens it many years later and
discovers Houdini’s secrets.
Genre: Historical Fiction

Historical fiction has
characters and events
based on real people
and events in history.
As you read, look for
historical details.
(Different PowerPoint on Genre)
Comprehension Skill Tested:
Compare and Contrast – TE392
A
Comparison tells how two or
more things are alike.
 A Contrast tells how they are
different
 Clue words such as like or as
show comparisons
 Clue words such as but or
unlike show contrasts.
Compare and Contrast PB 153
Special Effects and Magic Tricks
Alike
Both seem real
1. Both fool the eye
2. Both have hard
work
Different
3. how they work to
fool the eye:
computer vs. hands
4. new practice vs.
old
5. One is harder to
figure out.
Vocabulary Skill:
Synonyms and Antonyms TE 394
When you read, you may come across
a word you don’t know.
 Sometimes the author will use a
synonym or an antonym as a clue to
the meaning of the word.
 Synonyms are words that mean
almost the same thing.
 Antonyms are words with opposite
meanings.

Click on the title to practice this skill.
Comprehension Skill review – Plot
and Character TE 401
We learn about characters by noticing what they
say and do.
 The main character’s problem often drives the
plot. The plot begins when a character has a
problem or conflict.
 Main events usually focus on the character’s
efforts to solve the problem.
 Plot (problem) builds up during rising action, is
met directly at the climax, and comes to an end,
as the action winds down, during the resolution.

Comprehension Skill review – Plot
and Character PB193
Problem
1. Cory was trying out
for a dance group.
Rising Action
Cory waited for her turn.
Rising Action
2. Cory danced.
Climax
Resolution
3. Cory made it into group.
4. Cory cheered.
Comprehension Strategy
Predict TE 407
• Good readers think about what
will happen next.
• Patterns in the information in a
graph or chart can help you
predict.
Research/Study Skills –
Instruction Manuals TE 415L
•Procedures and instructions are
directions for using something.
• Instructions are given in order and
often included numbered steps.
•Read through the instructions before
you begin.
•Then do what is directed, one step
at a time.
Research/Study Skills –
Instruction Manuals TE 415L
•A manual usually takes the form of a
booklet or handbook.
•It contains a written set of instructions
that help the reader understand, use,
or build something. Take note of
illustrations, diagrams, headings, labels,
and sections (including index and table
of contents).
Weekly Fluency Check Emotion TE 415a
● You need to read with emotion
to help listeners understand
characters and events better
and to make the story more
enjoyable.
● Read Pg. 402, paragraphs 2-3,
expressing Victor’s excitement
and impatience. Practice 2
echo readings.
Other Things
Character Bookmarks
 Vocabulary Game
 A Review: Houdini in Children’s Literature
 Harry Houdini
 Time Line
 Teacher Guide

Question of the Week
TE 392L
Can
you
always
believe
what you see?
Day 2 - Question of the
Day
Why
do you think
Houdini is able to
escape and seems to
walk through walls,
but Victor cannot?
Day 3 - Question of the
Day
Why
do people
enjoy watching
magic tricks so
much?
Day 4 - Question of the
Day - Review
What
are some
things you would
and wouldn’t like
about being an
illusionist?
Review Questions
1.How can you tell Houdini and
Victor were both kind people?
2.Why did Mrs. Houdini cry when
she read Victor’s letter?
3.what did Victor try to do after he
learned about Houdini’s tricks?
4.Describe Victor’s character.
Review Questions
1. Why didn’t Victor tell his wife and
son about the box?
2. Why did Houdini promise to write
Victor a letter?
3. What was important about reading
Houdini’s monument?
4. What was in Houdini’s box?
5. When did Victor find Houdini’s box?
Vocabulary - Say It
vanished appeared
magician crumbled
escape
bustling
monument
More Words to Know
engraved
unexplainable
invisible
pretending
judge
invisible

Not visible; not
capable of being
seen
pretending
making
believe
judge
form
an opinion or
estimate about
appeared
was
seen; came in sight
vanished
disappeared,
especially suddenly
bustling
being
noisily busy
and in a hurry
monument
something
set up to
honor a person or an
event. A monument
may be a building,
pillar, arch, statue,
tomb, or stone.
monument
fell
crumbled
to pieces;
decayed
magician
person
who
entertains by art or skill
of creating illusions,
especially a sleight of
hand
engraved
cut
deeply in; carved in;
carved in an artistic way
unexplainable
unaccountable;
without apparent
cause or reason
escape
to
get out and
away; to get free
The clothes were
invisible to people
who were unfit for
their jobs.
The clothes were
invisible to people
who were unfit for
their jobs.
Victor was
looking around
the huge, bustling
train station when
he saw Houdini.
Victor was looking
around the huge,
bustling train
station when he
saw Houdini.
The king learned to
judge people by
their good work and
not how they
complimented him.
The king learned to
judge people by their
good work and not
how they
complimented
him.
The weavers were
only pretending to
weave cloth .
The weavers were
only pretending to
weave cloth .
The children like
Houdini because
he could do the
unexplainable.
The children like
Houdini because
he could do the
unexplainable.
Houdini could
escape from an
iron milk can in
under 20 seconds.
Houdini could
escape from
an iron milk
can in under 20
seconds.
Victor wanted to be
a magician when he
grew up, just like
Houdini.
Victor wanted to be
a magician when he
grew up, just like
Houdini.
Mrs. Houdini
vanished up the
staircase into the
library.
Mrs. Houdini
vanished up the
staircase into the
library.
The initials E.W.
were engraved on
the bottom of the
box.
The initials E.W.
were engraved on
the bottom
of the box.
They found the ball
lying in the corner
of a dark monument
in the graveyard.
They found the ball
lying in the corner
of a dark
monument
in the graveyard.
Two smaller
words appeared
directly below
“Houdini”.
Two smaller
words appeared
directly below
“Houdini”.
The lock was so
old that it
crumbled when
Victor brushed his
hand across it.
The lock was so
old that it
crumbled when
Victor brushed his
hand across it.
Writing Assignment
Write a Science Log Entry
 Think
of something in nature
that interests you.
 It might be a garden, a
snowstorm, a river, or a season.
 Write a description using exact
nouns and powerful verbs.
 Write in a way that allows your
personality to shine through.
Spelling Words
Contractions
haven’t
when’s
we’ve
it’s
they’re
aren’t
hadn’t
where’s
couldn’t
shouldn’t
Spelling Words
Contractions
wasn’t
here’s
I’ve
doesn’t
you’re
we’re
there’s
wouldn’t
won’t
don’t
CHALLENGE
it’ll
who’ll
might’ve
mustn’t
we’d
This Week’s Word Wall Words
Click and type your own
words for this week:
Let’s review our Spelling
words. Watch carefully
because they will flash on the
screen for just a moment. We
can clap as we spell the word,
or we might just practice
reading the words.
don’t
do not
won’t
will not
wouldn’t
would not
there’s
there is
we’re
we are
you’re
you are
doesn’t
does not
I’ve
I have
here’s
here is
wasn’t
was not
shouldn’t
should not
couldn’t
could not
where’s
where is
hadn’t
had not
aren’t
are not
they’re
they are
it’s
it is
we’ve
we have
when’s
when is
haven’t
have not
it’ll
it will
who’ll
who will
might’ve
might have
mustn’t
must not
we’d
we had