Reading Activities compiled by Elin Jenson |During Reading|After Reading| Before Connections 1. Blue Balliet’s Biography. 2005. Scholastic Books. 25 Jan. 2007. <http://books.scholastic.com/teachers/authorsandbooks/authorstudies/authorhomejsp?authorID=6148&collateralID=12772&displayName=Biography> . 2. Chasing Vermeer and the Wright 3. 2007. Scholastic Books. 26 Jan. 2007. <http://scholastic.com/titles/chasingvermeer/index.htm >. 3. Definitions Regarding the Structure of a Story: Mystery Novel. 25 Jan. 2007. Seattle Mystery Bookshop. 27 Jan. 2007. <http://www.seattlemystery.com/Definitions/definitions.html>. 4. Helquist, Brett. 19 Dec. 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 26 Jan. 2007. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Helquist >. . 5. Jenson, Elin. Film Clip. Watch film clip from one or all of the following: Charade, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow or another film. Focus on a scene that discloses clues or foreshadowing, etc. 6. Jenson, Elin. Introduce Mystery. Have the class explain what they know about mysteries and solving cases. Discuss their favorite mystery stories or movies. 7. Jenson, Elin. What Makes a Mystery? Discuss with the class the elements of a mystery novel or movie. (Crime, detectives, investigation, identify culprit, clues, foreshadowing, disguise, etc.) 8. MysteryNet’s Kids Mysteries. 2005. MysteryNet: The Online Mystery Network. 25 Jan. 2007. < http://kids.mysterynet.com/>. 9. Pentomino. 26 Jan. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 26 Jan. 2007. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentominoes >. 10. Vermeer, Johannes. The National Gallery in Trafalga London. 25 Jan. 2007. <http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects.dll/ Collection Publisher.woa/wa /artistBiography?artistID=719 >. During Connections 1. A Lady Writing a Letter. 2006. Ballandclaw.com. 5 Feb. 2007. <http://www.ballandclaw.com/vermeer/wbt.html>. Look at and discuss the painting that is an important part of the novel. 2. A Treasury of the World’s Great Letters: From Ancient Days to Our Own Time. Questia. 1 Feb. 2007. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=8899516>. Read famous historical letters. Discuss them in connection with the significance of letters in Chasing Vermeer. 3. Bloom’s Taxonomy. 2005. Counselling Services. 5 Feb. 2007. <http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html>. Read and explain the six steps of Bloom’s Taxonomy. 4. Definitions Regarding the Structure of a Story: Mystery Novel. 25 Jan. 2007. Seattle Mystery Bookshop. 1 Feb. 2007. <http://www.seattlemystery.com/Definitions/definitions.html>. Using the previously discussed website and characteristics as a guideline, decide, as a class, what kind of mystery novel Chasing Vermeer is. 5. Jenson, Elin. Art Discussion. Discuss the importance of art and how it can portray culture, political opinions, etc. Discuss the forms of “art” in today’s society. Who are the Van Goghs and Monets and Vermeers of today? 6. Jenson, Elin. Finding Connections. Pick a specific topic or idea and have the students write down all of the connections to that topic they read, see, or hear each day for an entire week. Discuss the findings in class and compare results with what the characters find in the novel. 7. Jenson, Elin. Knowledge, Comprehension, Application. Go over the first three steps of Bloom’s Taxonomy and come up with questions about Chasing Vermeer that test each level of understanding. 8. Jenson, Elin. What Makes a Mystery? Have a discussion about mystery elements that were previously discussed that students find as they read the text of Chasing Vermeer. (Crime, detectives, investigation, identify culprit, clues, foreshadowing, disguise, etc.) 9. Pentominoes. 2006. National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. 1 Feb. 2007. <http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_114_g_1_t_3.html?open=activities>. An actual interactive website where you can play with pentominoes. 10. The Geographer. 2006. Ballandclaw.com. 5 Feb. 2007. <http://www.ballandclaw.com/vermeer/tte.html.> Look at and discuss the painting that is an important part of the novel. After Connections 1. A Treasury of the World’s Great Letters: From Ancient Days to Our Own Time. Questia. 1 Feb. 2007. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=8899516>. Read famous historical letters. Have the students write a letter of their own about something is important to them. 2 . Jenson, Elin. Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Go over the last three steps of Bloom’s Taxonomy and come up with questions about Chasing Vermeer that tests each level of understanding. 3 . Jenson, Elin. Artists and Art. Have the students pick one artist that they want to learn more about. Have the students research the artist’s life and paintings. 4 . Jenson, Elin. Finding Connections. Pick a specific topic or idea and have the students write down all of the connections to that topic they read, see, or hear each day for an entire week. Discuss the findings in class and compare results with what the characters find in the novel. 5 . Jenson, Elin. Making a Work of Art. Have the students create a piece of art in the style of the artist who they researched. 6 . Jenson, Elin. Museum. Go to a local museum and look at art! 7 . Jenson, Elin. Presentations. Have each student present their artist. They will tell the class about the artist, the time period, show some of the art, and finally present the piece that they created in the style of the artist. 8 . Jenson, Elin. Solve Your Own Mystery. Host a murder mystery dinner and have the students play different roles, find clues, make connections, and solve the mystery. 9 . More Questions That Have No Answers. 2005. Kid’s Wings. 16 Feb. 2007. <http://suzyred.com/jokeunansweredquestions.html>. 10. Stolen Works of Art. 16 Feb. 2007. woa@interpol.int. 16 Feb. 2007. <http://www.interpol.int/Public/WorkOfArt/Default.asp>. Look at the works of art that have been stolen and are listed on the website. Discuss them in relation to the book.