Book-Based Skill Builders
Mystery Noun
based on Magic Tree House: Carnival at Candlelight
by Mary Pope Osborne
Grades: K–3
View and print the student activity sheet (PDF)
About the Book
This book is the fifth book in a group of Magic Tree House books called the �Merlin Missions.� This one is different than the other four because the author combines magical adventures in real times and in real places. The setting is in Venice, Italy during a festival called Carnival, a magical time with people donning masks and colorful costumes. Their friends, Teddy and Kathleen, send Jack and Annie to Venice on a mission to save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon. They are sent back in time 260 years and given a letter from Merlin containing clues for their mission as well as a book with magic rhymes from Teddy and Kathleen. In the end, they are asked to use their imagination and save a city from total ruin.
Set the Stage
Use the following to get the students ready to read.
- Explore the cover and the title with the students. The picture is of a flying lion. Ask the students if this animal is real or not. Discuss what makes it real and what part of it is imaginary.
- Ask why Jack and Annie would be flying over a city dressed in the type of clothing they are wearing. Allow the children to make predictions and record their answers.
- Ask the students what a carnival is. Write down what their responses on a piece of chart paper. Compare their responses while reading the book to what information is given in the book about the carnival in Venice.
- Tell them the setting of the story is in Venice, Italy. Show them where this city is on a map and also show them pictures. Point out that Venice was built on a lagoon and instead of streets they have canals.
- Show them and gondola and a gondolier. Gondoliers are men who stand in the back of the gondola and use a long oar to make the boat move. People travel by way of the canals as we may travel on our roads.
Review
After reading the book, discuss the following:
- Why did Merlin send Jack and Annie to Venice?
- Who was the Grand Lady of the Lagoon? Why is she called that?
- Who was the Ruler of the Seas? Why was he needed to save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon?
- Jack and Annie were told to use the magic rhymes very sparingly. What did Kathleen mean by that?
- What were the four events that had to be happening at the same time for Venice to flood? Do you think these events can happen today?
Student Activity
Students will brush up on their knowledge of nouns by using facts from the book to find the fascinating person, place or thing.
Related Activities
To extend the students� comprehension of the book, try these:
- Marvelous Masks: The Carnival of Venice is the most important and magnificent of the Venetian celebrations. It has ancient origins, a celebration that greets the passing of winter into spring. It officially began in 1296. People come from all over the world to be entertained by street parties that include acrobats, actors, dancers and musicians. People wear masks and some attend lavish balls and galas. The masks were originally worn to unite the rich and the poor. Have the students construct their own masks for the carnival. Let them decorate with sequins, colored feathers, beads and glitter. (www.italyguides.it is a Web site where you can find some remarkable pictures of people and their elaborate costumes during carnival).
- Clay Creations: The winged lion was a creature that obviously never lived. Let the students use their imaginations and make imaginary clay creatures by parts of one animal on another type of animal. Display them in your classroom or media center.
- Rhyme Time: Teddy and Kathleen made a book for Jack and Annie of magic rhymes. They used �Make a Stone Come Alive� and �Make Metal Soft� in this book. There are eight other rhymes left for them to use on their next mission. Ask the students to make up a rhyme to one of the eight left or make up a category of their own and write a rhyme. Have them draw picture to go with their rhyme.
- Find the Boot: Find a world map and show the students where Italy is in relation to your hometown and state. Talk about the bodies of water you would have to cross to get there. Show them a map of Italy and have them locate the countries and bodies of water that border it. Show them where Venice is in Italy. Ask parent volunteers if they would make a few traditional Italian dishes so the children can taste authentic food from this country.
- Still as a Statue: Jack and Annie find many statues and sculptures, especially in the ruler�s palace. Play a game called Statues. It is much like the game �Red Light, Green Light.� One person is the grandmother/father. She/he is at one end of the room or play area and everyone else is at the other end. She/he turns her/his back and shouts �Go!� Everyone begins to move toward the grandmother/father. She/he will randomly turn around and everyone must freeze like a statue. If the grandmother/father catches a statue moving, that child must go back to the starting line. The first one to tag the grandmother/father wins. Another statue game is like musical chairs. Everyone walks around while the leader has his/her back to the group and plays music. When the music stops, everyone �turns� into a statue. The leader turns around to look for moving statues. If a statue is caught moving, he/she is out of the game. The last child left standing is the winner.
(PDF)
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