Do you love reading classics with your students? Then, here is a great book to add to your curriculum. Better yet, check out these teaching The Mouse and the Motorcycle activities to add to your unit.
In The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Keith and his family stop at an old run-down hotel while traveling across the country on vacation. There, Keith meets Ralph, a mouse that lives in the wall next to his room. Keith lets Ralph ride his motorcycle. Ralph loses the motorcycle when the maid comes in to vacuum the room. Ralph drives the motorcycle away from the vacuum into a pile of linens. The linens are carried away to the hamper. Ralph is able to chew his way out, but he must leave the motorcycle behind. Keith forgives Ralph for losing the motorcycle.
Later, Keith becomes sick with a fever. Ralph searches the hotel looking for an aspirin to help Keith feel better.
Read The Mouse and the Motorcycle to see if Ralph is able to help Keith.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle Activities
Book Unit Samples
This book unit sample contains the following:
- Vocabulary Practice for Chapter 1
- Comprehension Questions for Chapter 1
- Constructed Response Question
Teaching Idea #1 – Room Service
Amanda Hutson had this wonderful teaching idea. Here’s the description of her project.
“Reading came to life for Mrs. Hutson’s third-grade class when ROOM SERVICE showed up at “The Mountain View Inn”. After reading the book, The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary, students watched the movie and compared and contrasted the two. During the movie, ROOM SERVICE, a central focus of the novel, made a surprise visit with the very same food Keith brought to Ralph in the book- bacon, toast, and jelly! Reading is so much fun in third grade!!”
Teaching Idea #2 – The Play
The afterschool drama club at Amanda’s school also performed the play version of The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Check out these photos from the performance.
eaching Idea #3 – Using Youtube Videos
Below are four different videos to help teach Common Core Standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.7.
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#1 ~ Hear the book read in a series of Youtube videos.
#2 ~ Watch the movie [in 4 parts ~ Each part is approximately 10 minutes in length.].
#3 ~ Learn how to draw the mouse and the motorcycle. [9 minutes 36 seconds in length]
#4 ~ Watch a drama version of The Mouse and the Motorcycle. [8 minutes in length]
Teaching Idea #4 – Resources on the Web
Even though The Mouse and the Motorcycle was published in 1965, I had never read it until about a year ago. I was working with a teacher who ability grouped her students. During a 45-minute period on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the special ed teacher took a third of the class, I took a third, and she worked with the remaining third. During this 45-minute period, we practiced vocabulary, worked on comprehension skills, and read wonderful books.
As I walked my group of students down the hall to my classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the students excitedly filled me in on the portion of the story I had missed. I was amazed by their animated voices as they spoke of Ralph’s adventures. This book was magic! I immediately added creating a book unit for The Mouse and the Motorcycle to my “to-do” list. Here is the result.
See the product that inspired this post.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle Novel Study includes vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice.
