The Trumpet of the Swan, by E.B. White (1970)
Sample Talking Points
The "talking points" are scripted questions that a principal, librarian, teacher, or parent might use to stimulate discussion from the book. They cover a wide variety of topics and are offered for inspiration. They may be adapted or supplemented in any way users see fit.
There are 27 "talking points" drawn from 5 different categories. Here are some samples:
1) Sam's journal entries
a) Sam Beaver keeps a journal, in which he records the things in nature he has seen or that interest him. At the end of each entry, he always asks himself a question to think about when he goes to sleep. Tonight, when you go to sleep, why don't you write about something you've seen during the day that caught your interest. And try to think of a question to think about, too -- just like Sam.
2) Wildlife anecdotes
b) If you had gone to sit by the lake to watch the cygnets being born, what would you have brought with you to help you stay patient and quiet?
3) Ethics questions
d) Louis's father is awfully, uh, talkative. What vocabulary words do you know -- or can you discover -- to describe Louis's father? Do you know anyone who likes to talk like that, or that much? Is Louis's father lovable? Annoying? Or just proud?
g) Do you think Louis's father gives him good advice about how to handle his trumpet-less-ness at the end of Chapter 5?
5) Creative inspirations
b) E.B. White provides the musical notation for Louis's special composition, "Oh, Ever In the Greening Spring." See if someone at school is willing to try to play it.
d) Keep a vocabulary log based on all the vocabulary words Louis's father uses. This can be done individually, or as a class. Obviously the definitions should be recorded, too.