I Broke My Trunk

I Broke My Trunk

Bibliographic Information

Williems, Mo. I Broke My Trunk. Hyperion Books for Children, 2011

Plot Description

Piggy hasn’t seen his friend Gerald all day and he begins to wonder why. Just then Gerald shows up with a broken trunk (Gerald is an elephant of course). Piggy wants to know what happened. So Gerald begins this long, crazy story that involves a rhino, a piano, and a hippo and his sister. Will Piggy ever find out what happened to Gerald’s trunk?

Quantitative Reading Level

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 3.1

Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: 82.3

ATOS Level: 2.0

Qualitative Reading Level

Meaning: Low. Text contains a single level/layer of simple meaning. 

Structure: Low. The narrative structure is mostly simple and is more explicit than implicit and is largely conventional. Narration does not shift in point of view. The order of events is chronological.

Language: Low: Text contains little or no use of figurative language or irony. The language is contemporary, familiar, conversational language that is explicit, literal and easy-to-understand.

Knowledge Demands: Low. Requires only everyday, practical knowledge.  No references to other texts. 

Content Area

English, Science: Elementary

Subject Area Tag

English, Science, Reading for Pleasure: Chapter Books, Middle School or High School

Content Area Standard

New York State Content Area Standard (Grades K-5)

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. 

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

11. Respond to literature by employing knowledge of literary language, textual features, and forms to read and comprehend, reflect upon, and interpret literary texts from a variety of genres and a wide spectrum of American and world cultures.

Science Standard  4: The Living Environment, Elementary

Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Curriculum Suggestions

• Use as part of a unit on pigs or farm animals. 
• Use as pleasure reading, or have students share their favorite books.
• Help to demonstrate cause and effect

Links to Supporting Digital Content

Author website

http://www.mowillems.com/

*photo obtained from Goodreads