Below you will find a link to a video book talk and the transcript for the book talk. Images or languages the author uses to make comparisons. Name and describe the key locations in the book and detail how the setting impacted the plot. Each week, i will post a new discussion question based on what we have read. Chasing vermeer joins the scholastic gold line, which features awardwinning and beloved novels. Illustrated by brett helquistwhen a book of unexplainable occurrences brings petra andalee and calder pillay together, strange things start to happen. After reading chasing vermeer, use these questions to start a discussion with your students about the book. Chasing vermeer is a 2004 childrens art mystery novel written by blue balliett and illustrated. When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings petra andalee an. A set of pentominoes that almost seem to communicate with their owner. She writes in the laundry room of her home in chicago, illinois, and you can find her online at. My personal art gallery project at the beginning of chasing vermeer, petra talks about going through the art museum and thinking about which piece of art youd like to take home with you.
Konigsburgs 1967 novel from the mixedup files of mrs. When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings petra andalee and calder pillay together, strange things start to happen. In this literacy center, students will collaboratively work with the teacher to answer critical. Chasing vermeer is a 2004 childrens art mystery novel written by blue balliett and illustrated by brett helquist. This guide contains 35 pages of activities 79 total pages including the answer key, assessments, and scoring rubrics. Apr 15, 2019 author blue balliett talks to fifth graders at churchill school about her book chasing vermeer. Aligned to your state standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. It another ya purchase from green apple books, and to be honest, a disappointment. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This is a newish book, published in 2004, and while i had never read it before, i had high hopes. The books illustrations contain clues that are revealed only upon close and. Get discussion questions, extension activities, vocabulary boosters, a booktalk, and more ideas for teaching with chasing vermeer by blue balliett. Chasing vermeer 9780439372947 by balliett, blue and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Perfect for tween readers who enjoy mysteries and puzzles and books like chasing vermeer, this pageturning debut novel is filled with adventure, intrigue, and heart.
Calder is named after american sculptor alexander calder, famed for his modern kinetic sculptures, while petras name is inspired by the ancient architecture in. Chasing vermeer by blue balliett read by ellen reilly. Yes, i think that its the best choice to tell the story, because its better for the author to talk about more than one person at a time, not just one. Chasing vermeer novel quizzes and writing promptchasing vermeer by by blue balliett is a fantastic mystery novel that will have your kids excited to read and figure out a mysterious theft of a valuable piece of vermeer art.
A book on vermeer was published making it easy for people to learn about the case and verme. The waterless sea chanters of tremaris trilogy, book 3. The theft of a painting begins new discussions about art in their community. This is where calder works and where calder and petra bump into each other as petra spies on ms. The novel won several awards, including the edgar award for best juvenile novel, the agatha award for best ya novel, and the chicago tribune prize for young adult fiction. Chasing vermeer is not a terrible book, but it didnt live up to my expectations. Chasing vermeer is blue ballietts first published book. An interactive experience, the novel uses maps, pentominoes or tetris. Listen free to chasing vermeer by blue balliett with a free. Frankweiler, and desired to write what she wished to read. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more. Author blue balliett talks to fifth graders at churchill school about her book chasing vermeer. Chasing vermeer, released by scholastic press in 2004, is her bestknown and most highly praised book. Blue ballietts first book is a thinking childs mystery, filled not only with the traditional accoutrements of adult mysteries clues, red herrings, multiple suspects, plot twists, concluding explanations, but also with secret codes which the reader has to decode to read the whole story.
First published in 2004, the book is a childrens art mystery novel. Meanwhile, chasing vermeer remains in the news, since al roker is featuring it on his today show kids book club next month, and brad pitts production company is turning it into a movie. Homework assignments about letters and the way they could change lives. Chasing vermeer booktalk scholastic books for kids.
In this 6 week course, students will read the book, chasing vermeer by blue balliett, and engage in group discussions about the. On this blog we will discuss the book we are reading in class. When a book of unexplainable occurences brings petra and calder together, strange things start to happen. I invite parents to read along with their child and contribute to our post. Petra feels lost in her gigantic family, and calder is missing a good friend who has just moved away. Puzzles nest within puzzles in this ingeniously plotted and lightly delivered first novel that, revolving around the heist of a vermeer painting, also touches on the. I have a class set of books to use during class but i encourage you to purchase the book. Chasing vermeer discussion blog written by blue balliett. What happens when there are too many coincidences, too many puzzle pieces that fit together. What other influences favorite artists, unexplained occurrences inspired the story.
Chasing vermeer book club for advanced readers small online. Apr 23, 2010 the most surprising part of writing chasing vermeer was discovering how much i really had to say, and that i really could write a book, a page at a time, even though my life was so busy. Its not thirdperson limited, because theres more than one character, that the author is talking about, at the same time. Chasing vermeer by blue balliett, brett helquist, hardcover. This study guide consists of approximately 26 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of chasing vermeer. This is a reading comprehension activity guide and answer key for chasing vermeer by blue balliett.
Petra and calder, two bright, quirky sixthgraders, come together to solve the crime that has the whole world baffled. Four years ago, blue balliett became a childrenspublishing sensation with the debut of her acclaimed first novel, chasing vermeer, about kids searching for a. Because of remote and hybrid learning, demand for readworks free materials is higher than ever. Its original purpose was a book to read to her class for fun. Through the course of the project, students will engage in reading, writing, discussion, technology skills,investigation, research, synthesis, and creative problem solving. All lit blitz units include a book talk teaching tips page genre, setting, main characters, gameactivity, storyrelated food suggestions or recipes. Sep 15, 2015 look at the reproductions in books about vermeer if you cannot go to get to the museums. I think about going in my room now, but it smells like the inside of an old lunch bag in there. Making connections extensions chasing vermeer task 2. Aug 10, 2010 book talks are one way to share the books that you have read. Marilyn thomashf chronicle the guest author spoke to an assembly of third, fourth and fifth graders, then visited classrooms and enjoyed lunch with children at the homewood school on monday, april 8. Jun 25, 2015 in the first book of this series, chasing vermeer, we meet two chicago schoolchildren, calder and petra.
He talks about a letter, and a loan and he stopped talking and interacting with the family. Illustrated by brett helquist, it concerns the fictitious theft of a painting by 17thcentury dutch artist johannes vermeer. If you would like to do a book talk, you need to write your transcript and schedule a time to record. Chasing vermeer summary and study guide supersummary. Access thousands of highquality, free k12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students. Chicago turabian humanities citation style guide balliett, blue, 1955 and brett helquist, chasing vermeer. Churchill kids get the inside scoop on their favorite book. Chicago turabian author date citation style guide balliett, blue, 1955 and brett helquist.
Blue balliett is the author of several bestselling, acclaimed mystery novels, including hold fast, chasing vermeer a book sense book of the year and an edgar award winner, the wright 3, the calder game, and the danger box. This integrated learning project centers around the book chasing vermeer by blue balliett. Chasing vermeer is an actionpacked story filled with mystery, danger and coincidences. This is the first of three books featuring petra and calder, who are both awkward students at a chicago middle school. Her parents named her after an ancient stone city in jordana mysterious place of buried secrets. Chasing vermeer is the debut novel of childrens author blue balliett. Improve your students reading comprehension with readworks. This outstanding mysterypuzzle novel received the chicago tribune prize for young adult fiction, the edgar award for the best juvenile mystery n. What i found so fantastic about the book were the characters. Chasing vermeer by blue balliett when a book of unexplainable occurrences brings petra and calder together, strange things start t. Chasing vermeer literature unit or book club selection. Apr 12, 2021 chasing vermeer by blue balliett and brett helquist. Ask yourself, after studying the great paintings of genius done by vermeer during the 1660s and just before, whether these other works have the same magic, the same luminous glow, the same secretive, dreamlike power. This bewitching first novel is a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery, disguised as an adventure, and delivered as a work of art.
Free chasing vermeer study unit worksheets for teachers to print. Chasing vermeer scholastic gold by blue balliett books. Hint number one that these books are going to be awesome and artcentered. Konigsburg s 1967 novel from the mixedup files of mrs. Chasing vermeer this 8page document includes activities and discussion questions, vocabulary words, and a book talk. More homework assignments about art, and what makes an object a work of art. Please remember to use complete sentences when commenting. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal. Chasing vermeer has been listed as one of the language and literature good articles under the good article criteria. We rely on help from people like you to meet this need.
Petra and calder are talking about the new vermeer book when they find out. Chasing vermeer by blue balliett lesson plans and teaching resources free english. Chasing vermeer is a book written by the author, blue balliett. This is a book trailer to introduce chasing vermeer by blue balliett that i created to show to my 7th graders before i began a unit on the mystery novel.
The singer of all songs chanters of tremaris trilogy, book 2. At the beginning of chasing vermeer, petra talks about going through the art museum and thinking about which piece of art youd like to take home with you. Chasing vermeer is a great read and will keep your students guessing and talk. I have a class set of books to use during class but i encourage you to purchase the book to use at home. The story is set in chicago and the main characters are sixthgrade intellectuals petra andalee and calder pillay. Chasing vermeer scholastic gold by blue balliett books on. A discarded book full of strange ideas about reality. This novel study book club packet covers 5 weeks of daily reading activities with the book chasing vermeer by blue balliett, which is a guided reading level s. An intellectual challenge wrapped up in a mystery novel bright children are going to love this. Blue balliett, author, brett helquist, illustrator, illus. Petra and calder use their knowledge of the painter vermeer, their intuition, and. The first page is an assignment page for students to use and to record due dates which you may want to handwrite before running copies fo. Set in hyde park, chicago near the university of chicago, the novel follows two children, calder pillay and petra andalee.
A book study unit for grades 58 is designed for teachers of students reading chasing vermeer by blue balliett scholastic press, 2004. Also, make sure you add your initials at the end of your post so you can get full credit for your responses. Mysteries get reluctant readers enthusiastic about reading. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on youtube. Browse chasing vermeer book study resources on teachers pay teachers.
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