Such a Classic Choice for a Classroom Read Aloud!

Title: Hoot

Author: Carl Hiaasen 

Copyright: 2005

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Guided Reading Level: T 

Genre: Fiction

This book has received: 

A John Newbery Honor

Summary: After Roy Eberhardt moves to the small town of Coconut Cove in Florida, Roy does not seem to be liking Coconut Cove very much. Roy is getting teased at school by a bully named Dana Matherson, and this does not help him feel at home in his new town. Dana always tries to pick fights with Roy, and one day Roy fights back. After Roy punched Dana, Roy takes off to find a barefoot running boy he keeps seeing, and does not succeed yet. The next day, Roy runs into a girl named Beatrice, and although Beatrice is tough at first, Roy and Beatrice become friends. Roy finds out that the mystery boy's named is Mullet Fingers - who is Beatrice's stepbrother. One day Roy and Beatrice discover that Mullet Fingers is severely injured from being attacked by dogs while he was trying to stop a construction site, so they take him to the hospital and lie about his identity. Soon, readers learn that Mullet Fingers was trying to stop the construction of a new pancake house because there are burrowing owls on the property! Due to this, Roy and all of his friends decide to team up against the construction of the pancake house, causing a wonderful outcome!

Suggested Delivery: Classroom Read Aloud

Key Vocabulary:

• Altercation
• Avail
• Dilapidated
• Dubiously
• Lumbered
• Peevish
• Tranquil

Electronic Resources:

• Here is an online reading of the novel. This can be a great resource for students to use when at home. If students need someone to read a novel out loud for them at home while they follow along, this is a perfect solution. 

Series of Chapter Readings in Hoot

• This is a great interactive online game for students to explore during their free time or independent reading time on a computer or an iPad. 

Increasing Comprehension Skills:

Before Read Aloud:

• Start a word wall for this great novel! If students struggle with new words that are not on the word wall, add it! Also, create a crossword puzzle or word search for morning warm ups before the novel is introduced.  

• Have students complete word sorts for the list of vocabulary words above. This will help students understand these key words even more. Here is a sample word sort found here:

During Read Aloud:

• Create a word journal for each of the key vocabulary words! Here is a sample word journal worksheet to use (found at this website):

• Have students create Text to Text, Text to Self, and/or Text to World connections to the characters and events in Hoot. Have them make a chart in their journals, or create a chart as a group.  Here is website with some great chart ideas: Making Connections

After Read Aloud:

• I would either give a summative assessment on vocabulary - either a multiple choice test or a fill in the blank test with a word bank -  or I would have them go up to the front of the classroom and play a vocabulary game.  The game could go something like this:

Rules:

1.  Give each student a note card which holds a typed definition of a word on it. 

• Cards should look like this:
• I have the first card.  The definition is: a heated argument or angry dispute.  

2. The next student shouts out the definition of the word, so in this case, a student would have a card that reads, "I have the word Altercation, the definition I have is reduced to or fallen into partial ruin or decay. "

3. The class then continues until all cards are read.  If a student misses or confuses a vocabulary word, I would ask the class to help the student, I would not help the student.  This is a constructivist approach, something needed more often in the classroom within our educational system.

• Students can improve their comprehension by completing a dictogloss.  Here are some instructions for implementing the dictogloss technique: 

           o  Give students a diagram for the dictogloss, like the one I have included after these

               directions. Make sure the poem was already read to the students before, so they are 

               already familiar with the text. This makes it easier for students to rearrange the text. 

               The section picked out will be read aloud three times, in total. Tell students to focus on 

               listening and remembering important factual content

           o   Read the text the first time. After the text is finished being read, make sure students

                write down notes in the leftmost section of a chart or a graphic organizer created for

                this activity. Give them about 5 minutes to do this individually. I found a sample

                located at the bottom of this document.

           o   Read the same text a second time and repeat steps above.

           o   Read the same text a third time and repeat steps above.

           o   Split students up into pairs or trios and make sure they compare their notes with each 

                other. Display the original text on a projector for the entire class to see. Give students 

                about 5-10 minutes to discuss their text and come up with similarities.  

*picture found here*

Writing Activity:

Students will likely have really awesome answers to a question like this:

Throughout Hoot, there were many different times Roy missed his old home. He did not feel like he fit in the small town of Coconut Cove. What do you think changed his mind towards the end of the novel? What truly made him come to love living in Coconut Cove?

Tiffany Tidbit -

This book is such a classic! I watched the movie after I read the book, and the movie is not great. The book is so much better! I love the theme of budding friendships in the novel. Roy, Beatrice, and Mullet Fingers were not close at first, but towards the end they were great friends. This strong friendship ended up helping the burrowing owls, and I loved that! There were quite a few funny moments in the novel also, and students will love a good laugh. It is also great for students to be learning about animals and their natural habitats, and this book addresses the issue of animals losing their natural habitats incredibly well with the burrowing owls.  Enjoy this original novel!