A Common Core Curriculum Guide to

By AdAm Rex IllustRAted By lAuRIe KelleR

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Pluto Gets the Call

SUMMARYWhen Pluto receives a phone call from Earth scientists telling him that he is no longer a planet, he is very, very, VERY upset. The reason he’s given is that he doesn’t sweep the ice and rocks from his orbit, clearing his neighborhood; this is a new requirement for all planets. Despite feeling inconsolable, Pluto takes a visitor from Earth (you!) on a tour of the solar system, stopping to chat with each of the remaining planets and the sun. The huge and kindly sun reminds Pluto that he is still special in people’s hearts. And he is!

Author Adam Rex’s witty and informative words and illustrator Laurie Keller’s big, bold, and bright illustrations explain how science can change, because like all of us, “science is always learning.” Loaded with additional information about the solar system, this book is a friendly, funny, and informative look at the changing nature of science.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS/ACTIVITIES

KEY IDEAS AND DETAILSThe discussion questions and activities below draw on Common Core State Standards for Reading Literature (RL) that ask children to ask and answer questions about key details in a text (RL.1.1-RL.4.1), retell stories, using key details that support it (RL.1.2-RL.4.2), and describe the characters, setting, and major events in a story (RL.1.3-RL.4.3). The questions and activities below address these ideas.

1. When the Earth scientists call Pluto, what do they tell him?

2. How does Pluto feel when he gets the news? How do you know?

3. When Pluto takes his visitor on a tour of the solar system, what information does he give about each of the eight planets and the sun? Record this information in the appropriate spaces in the chart below.

HC: 9781534414532EB: 9781534414549

Grades P-3; Ages 3-8

Saturn

Earth

Sun

Uranus

Mars

Mercury

Neptune

Jupiter

Venus

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4. What is the Kuiper Belt? What does it have to do with Pluto? What is the Asteroid Belt? Where is it located? What is it made up of?

5. When Pluto visits the Sun, what does she tell him? What effect does this have on Pluto?

6. Why does Pluto still have a big place in people’s hearts?

7. Interview Pluto. Work in a small group; one person should pretend to be Pluto while the rest ask questions. Here are some things you might want to ask Pluto about:

• Receiving the phone call from Earth scientists • How he felt about being a planet, and his role now • His thoughts about the other planets: Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Venus, and Mercury • His thoughts about the Sun

8. What do you think the author meant when he wrote this part of the author’s note: “ Science is always learning, just like you. And sometimes it’s stubborn. But science will always change its

mind when it’s time—that’s what makes it strong.”

CRAFT AND STRUCTURETo learn about craft and structure, the CCSS asks us to help students learn and understand vocabulary words and phrases and how they are used in a text (RL.K.4-RL.3.4); describe the overall structure of a story, including the beginning and ending (RL.K.5-RL.3.5); identify who is telling the story; and acknowledge different points of view among the characters (RLK.6-RL.3.6). The questions and activities below emphasize these understandings.

1. Examining the Beginning and the End of the Story to Understand the Change in a Character’s Feelings. The words and illustrations work together to show us Pluto’s experiences and feelings as he journeys from life as a planet, to receiving the life-altering news, to leading a tour of the solar system. Examine the book pages featured below to see how this is done, and then discuss the questions that follow.

In the beginning of the story, Pluto is proud of himself and loves being a planet.

Key Idea: Pluto is proud of himself, and he loves being a planet. Details:What details about how Pluto feels are provided only by the words?

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What details about how Pluto feels are provided only by the illustrations?

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How do the words and the illustrations work together?

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Then Pluto receives a call from scientists on Earth who tell him he is no longer a planet. His feelings change dramatically, and he is very upset.

Key Idea: Pluto is very upset to learn that he is no longer a planet. Details:

What details about how Pluto feels are provided only by the words?

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What details about how Pluto feels are provided only by the illustrations?

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How do the words and the illustrations work together?

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At the end of the story, Pluto feels much better.

Key Idea: Pluto feels much better once he realizes that the other planets and the Sun really care about him. Details:

What details about how Pluto feels are provided only by the words?

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What details about how Pluto feels are provided only by the illustrations?

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How do the words and the illustrations work together?

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2. Creating Magnet Summaries. Here’s how to create Magnet Summaries. First, begin with a key word that explains the topic. You can think of this word as a magnet that attracts other related words. Second, list other words and phrases that describe and explain the magnet word. Third, use as many words and phrases as possible to write a magnet summary about the topic. Here is an example where Pluto is the key word, or magnet:

Magnet Summary: Pluto was proud to be a planet. In fact, he was happy to be just the way he was. He was very cold, about as big as our moon, and made up mostly of nitrogen. He lived happily in the Kuiper Belt. But when scientists told him he was no longer a planet, and suggested instead that he could be called an ice dwarf, he was very upset.

Try these magnet summaries:

Magnet Summary:

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really cold

almost as big asEarth’s moon

mostly nitrogen

planet

ice dwarf

Kuiper Belt

Pluto

Orbiting around me

billions of years

not a planet

solar system

our hearts

people love you

The Sun tells Pluto

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Not a planet

crowded orbit

ice dwarf

plutoid

definition

eight planets

Earth scientists

Magnet Summary:

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amazing rings

bits of ice, rock, and dust

Jupiter

gas giant

solid bands Saturn

Magnet Summary:

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On a separate piece of paper, create your own magnet word and related words. Write a magnet summary for your word choices. Illustrate your magnet summary.

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3. Examining the Author’s Note. In the author’s note, Adam Rex provides more information about Pluto. Discuss what he tells you about the following:

• Pluto’s discovery • Pluto’s name • The new definition of the word planet • How science changes

WRITINGCCSS emphasizes writing informative and explanatory text in the early grades. The writing activities below provide experience writing to give an opinion (W.1.1-W.3.1), to inform (W.1.2-W.3.2), and to explain a sequence of events (W.1.3-W.3.3).

1. Another Call to Pluto. Write about making your own call to Pluto. Tell him what you think about him. How does his story make you feel? Use illustrations and speech bubbles like the ones in the book. What are your thoughts, now that he is called a dwarf planet? Consider telling Pluto about the following:

• How you heard the news that Pluto is no longer a planet • Your feelings about what happened to Pluto

2. Do you think it was right for scientists to change the definition of the word planet? Write down all the reasons you can think of to agree, and all the reasons to disagree. Then write down your conclusion.

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QUESTION: Was it right for scientists to change the definition of the word planet?

YES NO

CONCLUSION: What do you think? What is the strongest reason?

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3. Write a newspaper article using the template below explaining what happened to Pluto. Include these components:

• A headline• A byline • An opening paragraph that answers these questions:

• One or more illustrations

• Who was involved? • What happened?

• Where did it happen? • When did it happen?

• Why did it happen?

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EXTENDING THE EXPERIENCE OF READING THE STORY

1. WATCH THESE VIDEOS ABOUT PLUTO: • Why Isn’t Pluto a Planet Anymore:

http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/video-audio/136-ask2006-003-Why-Isn-t-Pluto-a-Planet-Anymore-

• Why Is Pluto Not a Planet Anymore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBN2idZbBKo

• Enjoy a Rap Song about Pluto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOk1fNHrKCY

2. READ OTHER BOOKS BY ADAM REX: • Nothing Rhymes with Orange • Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich • Frankenstein Takes the Cake • Moonday • School’s First Day of School, illustrated by Christian Robinson • Why?, illustrated by Claire Keane

3. READ OTHER BOOKS BY LAURIE KELLER: • Potato Pants! • Arnie the Doughnut • The Spinny Icky Showdown • Grandpa Gazillion’s Number Yard • Do Unto Otters • The Scrambled States of America • The Scrambled States of America Talent Show

Guide written by Myra Zarnowski, a professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Queens College, CUNY.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.

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