Outrageous, Bodacious Boliver Boggs - TINT

Listening
Looking for a creative way to sharpen
youngsters’ listening skills? Well, this one’s
plumb right! During the first reading of the
book, share the story and illustrations in
a normal fashion through the part where
Boliver gives an excuse for being late a
second time. Then, before completing the
book, tell youngsters that Boliver will also
be late for school the next day. Have them
imagine what creature Boliver might encounter.
Next, instruct students to listen
carefully to the descriptive phrases and
adjectives used by the author to describe
the character. Then, without sharing the
illustrations, finish reading the story. Finally,
instruct each student to recall the details
read and illustrate his own version of the
creature. Upon completion of their drawings,
share with youngsters the illustrations on
the last four pages. Direct each student to
compare and contrast his drawing to the
ones in the book orally or in writing.
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Outrageous, Bodacious
Boliver Boggs!
By Jo Harper • Illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1996 • Grades k–3 • 32 pages
ISBN 0-689-80504-7
Delight your students with the outrageous, bodacious tales of
Boliver Boggs! When Boliver arrives late to school each morning,
his classmates are entranced by his long-winded excuses—which
include far-fetched stories of wrestling rattlesnakes and battling
bears! The surprise ending leads readers to believe that there is
tremendous truth to Boliver’s “whopperiferous” explanations. Told
with folksy language and imaginative illustrations, this hilarious
tale is sure to leave youngsters with giggles galore!
by Kristin Lane, Roswell, GA

Nonsense Words
dinster
bizzle
waddlenut
burdybo
loofittle
inkay
woggernot
chuckbubble
floontzie
dellamonie
Writing
Boliver Boggs lives in a wonderful world of whoppers! He enjoys
sharing tales of “larger-than-life” dimensions, chock-full of adventure
and humor. Discuss with students the difference between exaggerating
the truth to make a story more interesting and telling lies
that could hurt themselves or others. Explain that tall tales contain
a mixture of exaggerations and truths. Encourage youngsters
to consider which events could have happened and
which events could not have happened in the tales
that Boliver told.
Next, challenge students to write their own out-
rageous, bodacious tales. Record the situations
shown below on individual strips of paper. Place
the strips in a tall hat. Then have each student
choose a strip from the hat and write an outlandish
tale or excuse (like Boliver would) to
explain her situation. Finally, have each student
write the final copy of her tale on a tengallon
hat cutout. Display the completed
hats on a board titled “Ten-Gallon Tales.”
forgot homework
forgot lunch money
forgot to return library books
talked during class
arrived late to school
did not complete class work
failed a test
forgot school books at home
did not study for a test
caught running in the hallway
returned late from recess
missed the school bus
Reading
Pure-d? Snicker-snacked? Bumfuzzled? Just what exactly does Boliver
Boggs mean? Use this activity to show students how story context can
help make sense of unfamiliar words. Divide the students into groups of
four. Give each group an index card labeled with a nonsense word from
the list shown. Have each group make up an original definition for its
word. Then have each group write sentences related to the story that
convey the meaning of its word. List the nonsense words on the board
and remind the class to listen for context clues as each group shares its
sentences. After each group has shared, have a member of the group
call on classmates to suggest definitions for the word. Follow up the
activity by giving each student a copy of page 23. Have the student use
context clues to decide what each of Boliver’s words means.
Recess
Rendezvous
As I was
walking in from the
playground, I found
a jacket on the ground.
As I was looking
around for the
jacket’s owner, a huge
bunny jumped into my
path. Now, this was no
ordinary bunny. It was
at least ten feet tall.…
21

Speaking
Reading with expression can really enhance the meaning of a story. And that’s the pure-d
truth! To demonstrate the importance of this skill, choose one of the three tales that Boliver
shares with his classmates. First, read the tale aloud in a monotone voice and without gestures.
Ask students if they think this is the way Boliver sounded when he told his story. Guide students
to conclude that Boliver was so animated when sharing his outrageous stories that his classmates
could not wait to hear them. Reread the story, varying your volume, pitch, and phrasing.
Discuss how reading the story in this way enhances the tale.
Next, pair students. Direct pairs to silently read through their ten-gallon tales from “Writing”
on page 21. Then have each student, in turn, read his story aloud to his partner with appropriate
expression. If desired, arrange for the students to pair with learners in a younger class
to show how expression enhances the telling of tales.
22
Extension
Put Boliver at center stage for a parts-of-speech review. Give
each student a nine-inch construction paper square. Direct the student
to fold the square diagonally two times and then open it to reveal
four triangle sections as shown. Have the student draw a picture
of Boliver in the center of the square. Then have the student label
each section with one of the following parts of speech: nouns, verbs,
adjectives, and adverbs. After reviewing the terms, challenge each
student to brainstorm nouns related to Boliver, verbs that tell his
actions, adjectives that describe
him, and adverbs that tell
how he does something. Then
have the student write the
results of his brainstorm in
the corresponding sections.
ADJECTIVES
funny
bodacious
outrageous
NOUNS
cowboy boots
rattle
bear
snakes
nosily
late
quickly
ADVERBS
VERBS
clunked
smacked
grinned
whacked

Name Outrageous, Bodacious Boliver Boggs!
Context clues, vocabulary
Whopping-Good Words
Just what does Boliver Boggs mean?
For each underlined word, find another way to say it.
Write the matching letter in each hat.
1. “Yes, ma’am, you’re plumb right about
that .”
2. “What you say is the pure-d truth.…”
3. “…I come up against an exceptional
circumstance.”
4. “I moseyed right along, practicing
my multiplication tables.”
5. “My eyes got in a tangle trying to keep up
with them.”
6. “So I…snatched the yellow’s rattler.
Then I streaked it….”
7. “…a bear reared up right in front of me.”
8. “…he fetched me a blow that knocked all
the compassion out of me.”
9. “So I commenced picking you a bouquet.”
10. “Miss O’Brien, I was bumfuzzled.”
Note to the teacher: Use with “Reading” on page 21.
a. raised
b. walked
c. confused
d. crossed
e. exactly
f. started
g. complete and
honest
h. ran quickly
i. unusual
happening
j. gave
©The Education Center, Inc. • The Mailbox ® BOOKBAG ® • Aug/Sept 2002 • Key p. 63
23

Page 14
Bonus Box:
calculator
(dates for reference)
1642
wheelchair 1651
elevator 1743
toothbrush 1770
stethoscope 1816
lawn mower 1830
coupon 1895
teddy bear 1902–3
flyswatter 1905
Popsicle 1905
crossword 1913
ballpoint 1930s
Page 23
1. e
2. g
3. i
4. b
5. d
6. h
7. a
8. j
9. f
10. c
Answer Keys
August/September 2002
Page 54
1. abruptly
2. confused
3. truck
4. cliffs
5. disturbance
6. furiously
7. challenging
8. independence
9. garbage
10. line
11. porch
12. nervously
Search The Bookbag Companion for ideas and activities to download and print.
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Page 40
Answers will vary. Possible connections students
could make between a willow tree and friendship
in their summaries include the following:
• Both can grow.
• Both can be strong.
• Both can be flexible.
• Both have needs.
• Both are giving.
• Both can cause happiness.
• Both can come in different kinds.
Page 55
Answers are approximate. Accept all reasonable
calculations.
1. 50 km; 30 mi.
2. 300 km; 600 km
3. 30 km
4. Answers will vary.
Page 60
Part 1:
Possible answers include include the following:
1. physical growth
2. couldn’t be too heavy, noisy, dark, deep,
crowded, or have too many holes
3. His home could have been unsafe.
Part 2:
Answers will vary.
63