CricketInTimesSquare_NovelStudy_TeachersChatterbox

The CRICKET

In Times Square
Novel Study

Created By:

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

PACKET CONTENTS

*Interactive Character Flips (list character traits on the inside of each)

*Vocabulary Pocket and Word Cards
*Character Trait Pop-Ups
*Character Trait using text evidence
*Character Trait List
*Setting Foldable with directions
*Venn Diagram (comparing/contrasting characters or settings)
*Wordsearch
*Postcards
*Writing for Different Purposes
*Cause and Effect flip book
*Point of View flip flaps
*Inference Building Cards
*Cause and Effect worksheets
*Compare and Contrast worksheet
*SCOOT Game (answer sheet, directions, cards, answer key)
*Context Clues worksheet
*Vocabulary worksheet
*Pictionary
*Chapter by Chapter Comprehension Questions
* Onomatopoeia worksheet
*Idioms and Proverbs
*My Thoughts~My Words mini journal
*Setting
*Wordle 1 & 2
*Main Idea Ch. 2
*Real Photo Cards
*Make Your Own Photo Cards (pocket included for interactive notebook)
*Main Idea Ch. 5, 6, 10, 13
*The Cricket In Times Square TEST

*Credits
*Answer Keys

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Color, cut, and glue the pocket into
the interactive notebook. Write
the definition on the back of each
word card. Place in pocket.

eavesdrop acquaintance leery

din peculiar expert

timid lurch murmur

logical babble scrounge

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Choose a character trait for each character. On the inside, write text
evidence to prove that trait.

MARIO Chester
Trait: Trait:

________________________________ ________________________________

Tucker Harry
Trait: Trait:

________________________________ ________________________________

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Mama Bellini Papa Bellini
Trait: Trait:

________________________________ ________________________________

Sai Fong
Trait:

________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Character Trait List
happy spoiled dependable honest stubborn
wise thoughtful stingy fearless silly clever
noisy careful nervous grouchy shy picky
lucky annoying talented rude jealous eager
charming demanding bossy helpful clumsy
loving brave curious responsible sneaky loyal
gloomy mysterious lonely graceful anxious
bored imaginative serious hateful selfish calm

Character Trait List
happy spoiled dependable honest stubborn
wise thoughtful stingy fearless silly clever
noisy careful nervous grouchy shy picky
lucky annoying talented rude jealous eager
charming demanding bossy helpful clumsy
loving brave curious responsible sneaky loyal
gloomy mysterious lonely graceful anxious
bored imaginative serious hateful selfish calm

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Times The
Square Newsstand

China The
Town Drain Pipe

Glue this area to your
interactive notebook

Chester’s The
Cage Subway

See real photos and directions on the next page.

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Mario Same Chester

Same

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

L Y P MK J Q A E F E F MV L C BP
KR T K A MZ O Q R HG I A G H CN
J R U I O R B G A P E A J K J I GV
F A O N C WI U F Y CK MR L N NW
S R E Y G Z Q O X A RJ A S X A OA
F Y I U WS L I V E RWU R S T F Y
NI D E S E C P K S UB WA Y O I M
RT E E N Q N C WMNY G P X WAK
HH MO G D U J A J KS I WL N S L
RI F H N T S G R E T S E H C X OQ
T R I A C T A H V L I R J E J G AH
GB N F V Z D I I C S C X H K N F A
UD X C I S U MU P HG D Q L X VR
T V Z N N G P B J P XA WE I P YR
YME F H N Z E B MUC MT MN CY
P S A S B K WX R A VT G J WT E B
P I G N I Y G G F K UG T O I WL F
P U T E C I J U X X QMY U C Q BH

CHESTER CHINATOWN CITY
FRIENDSHIP HARRY LIVERWURST
MAGAZINES MARIO MONEY
MUSIC NEWYORK SAIFONG
SUBWAY TIMESSQUARE TUCKER

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Post Card

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Post Card

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Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Make a shopping list for Chester’s party.

Writing for different
purposes…

Write a letter to the New York Times
to tell about Chester.

Write a letter from Chester to
his family back in Connecticut.

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Trapped in a picnic basket, Chester was
taken farther and farther from his home.

Mario went to Chinatown to see if he Glue the back of
could find a cricket house for Chester. the “cause and
effect”area into
Harry Cat wanted to sleep in the cricket the interactive
cage so Tucker Mouse thought of a plan notebook. Cut the
to make it more comfortable for him. strips on the dotted
line. The cause is
Mario went to see Sai Fong about his on the top of each
cricket eating two dollar bills. strip. Write the
effect for each
under the flaps.

Tucker, Chester, and Harry had a celebration
of food, singing, and dancing at the newsstand
to celebrate Chester being in New York for
two months.

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Lift Flap for Lift Flap for
MARIO’S View TUCKER’S View

Lift Flap for Lift Flap for
MAMA SAI FONG’S

BELLINI’S View
View

DIRECTIONS:
Glue the back of the center section (picture of Chester) into interactive

notebook. Cut the dotted lines for each character. UNDER each
character flap, write that character’s feelings/point of view of Chester.

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

When DIRECTIONS: Cut out each building and fold on the dotted line.
Chester Read the front of each building. Then on the inside, infer what was
jumped happening or how the character was feeling at that moment.
onto the
sidewalk in Chester
Times rubbed his
Square, he eyes and
gasped, squinted
held his as the
breath, neon signs
and in red,
crouched blue, and
against the green
cement. were
blazing up
above.

Way far
above them,
above New
York, Chester
saw a star

that he
thought was
the same star
he use to see
at his home in
Connecticut.

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name____________________________________

Cause and Effect worksheet #1

Directions: Write each letter that matches each cause with its effect.

Cause Effect

____ Chester was trapped in a picnic basket. A. Chester’s diet needed mulberry leaves.
____Chester ate a $2 bill. B. They started a fire at the newsstand.

____ The three friends had a celebration. C. He writes a letter to the music editor for the
newspaper.

____Mario wanted to get a cricket cage for Chester. D. He ended up in the New York subway.

____ Chester chirps a sad song after the fire. E. The song makes Mama feel better.

____Mr. Smedley is so pleased with Chester! F. Sai Fong sold a cage to Mario at his shop in
Chinatown.

Directions: Write an effect for each cause.
Mama Bellini is upset with Chester for eating the money.

_____________________________________________________________

Mr. Smedley’s letter was published in the New York Times.

_____________________________________________________________

So many people came to the newsstand to hear Chester’s concerts.

______________________________________________________________

Mama Bellini said Mario had to earn the money to get Chester out of the cage.

______________________________________________________________

Chester was on his stump when he smelled liverwurst.

_____________________________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name____________________________________

Cause and Effect worksheet #2

Directions: Write each letter that matches each cause with its effect.

Cause Effect

____The three friends went up to Times Square. A. Mama Bellini called Chester a jinx.

____Chester performed at the Bellini’s newsstand. B. They all came to the newsstand to see the cricket.

____ Chester had made so many bad things happen. C. The Bellini’s business started doing well.
____New Yorkers read Mr. Smedley’s letter in the paper. D. He told Tucker that he is going to retire.

____ Chester was feeling Septemberish and missed home. E. Chester saw a star that made him feel better.

Directions: Write a cause for each effect.
Everything and everyone in Times Square came to a standstill.

_____________________________________________________________

Chester took the silver bell from his cricket cage.

_____________________________________________________________

Sai Fong told Mario to think of the chopsticks as two very long fingers.

______________________________________________________________

Mama Bellini was so mad at Chester for eating the money.

______________________________________________________________

Chester end up trapped in a picnic basket under roast beef sandwiches.

_____________________________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name____________________________________

Compare and Contrast worksheet
1. Use text evidence from the story to tell how differently Mama and Papa

reacted to Mario’s new cricket.

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2. Tell how the matchbox and the cricket cage are similar.
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3. Write about the differences that Harry was like in the city and if he lived in the

country.

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_____________________________________________________
4. Use text evidence to tell how Chester’s feelings in the beginning of the story

were the same as in the end of the story.

_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

_______________________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

SCOOT: Place one card on each desk. Students will take their SCOOT sheet desk by desk and fill in the answer
to each card. Each student starts on a different number and moves in order until all are completed.

1. 2.

Where Chester The little boy
came from. that found a

cricket

3. 4.

What Chester’s The conductor
little bed was on the train

made from

5. 6.

Where Sai 1. The food that
Fong’s shop is
.
located
Chester smelled

at the picnic

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

7. 8.

Chester used Where the
this to learn new Bellini’s

songs newsstand was
located
9. The only thing
Chester took 10.

with him when he What Mario
left wanted to buy in

Chinatown

11. 12.

The Bellini’s Sai Fong made
favorite type of sure Chester
had lots of this
music kind of leaf

13. 14.

When Chester first It was the time of
saw this place, it year Chester left the
was blazing with newsstand for Grand
neon lights
Central Station

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15. 16.

He lived in a drain In the country he would
pipe near the have been Tucker’s

Bellini’s newsstand enemy but in New York
City, he was his friend

17. 18.

He wrote a letter Chester ate one of
to the editor of these while he was
the newspaper
about Chester sleepwalking

19. 20.

Both Mario and the Chester became trapped
Chinese fortune and taken away when he
jumped into one of these
cookie said he was
good luck to eat liverwurst

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Answer Key

Connecticut Mario matchbook Paul

Chinatown liverwurst radio subway

silver bell cricket cage opera mulberry

Times Square September Tucker Harry

Mr. Smedley two dollar bill Chester picnic basket
(cricket)

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name________________________________________

Context Clues worksheet

Directions: Be a word detective by looking for clues in a sentence to try to figure out the meaning of
unfamiliar words. There might be a definition of the word or even a synonym or antonym to help you.

1. And when he wasn't collecting, "scrounging" as he called it, or sleeping,
he liked to sit at the opening of the drain pipe and watch the world go by - at least
as much of the world as hurried through the Times Square subway station.

I think scrounging means _____________________________________________________.

2. The bustle of the day had long since subsided, and even the nighttime
crowds, returning from the theaters and movies, had vanished.

I think subsided means _____________________________________________________.

3. “I guess so,” said Chester, although he was really a little leery of venturing out into New York
City.

I think leery means _____________________________________________________.

4. How delightful!" said Mr. Smedley. "What an enchanting little creature."

I think enchanting means _____________________________________________________.

5. Chester shook the silver bell furiously; it rang like a fire alarm.
I think furiously means _____________________________________________________.

6. Tucker Mouse had volunteered to let them use the drain pipe, but Chester didn’t want to eat amid
all the waste paper and rubbish his friend had collected.

I think rubbish means _____________________________________________________.

7. Harry followed him, ambling silently along, as always.

I think ambling means _____________________________________________________.

8. The pieces of roasted duck were swimming in a luscious, sweet sauce.

I think luscious means _____________________________________________________.

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name_________________________________________

Directions: Match each new vocabulary word with its meaning by placing the correct letter
in the blank.

______luscious A. walking slowly

______leery B. become less

______ambling C. delicious

______rubbish D. suspicious

______scrounging E. trash

______enchanted F. strongly

______subsided G. searching, hunting

______furiously H. charming, attractive

Directions: Use each of the words in a sentence. Make sure your sentence is a complete
thought with punctuation.

luscious _____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

rubbish _____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

leery _______________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name_____________________________________________
Directions: For each word, write a sentence with the word. Then illustrate your sentence.

ambling enchanted
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furiously scrounging
_________________________ _________________________
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Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name______________________________________________________
Comprehension Questions by Chapters

CHAPTER 1 & 2
1. Where did the Bellinis live? _______________________________________________
2. What kind of business did Mario’s family run? __________________________________
3. Who was Tucker?_______________________________________
4. What nice thing did Paul do for Mario? ___________________________________________
5. How did Mama feel about crickets? ______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 3 & 4
1. Where was Chester from? _____________________________
2. What did Chester like to eat? _________________________________
3. Why could Chester not get out of the picnic basket? _________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
4. Why did Harry not hurt Tucker? _________________________________________________
5. What did Times Square look like? _______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTERS 5 & 6
1. Where did Mario take Chester? ______________________________________
2. What happened when Chester tried to drink the water? _______________________________
3. Why did Mario want to go to Chinatown? __________________________________________
4. What did Sai Fong look like? ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5. What story did Sai Fong tell? __________________________________________________
6. What was the cricket cage shaped like? ___________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name______________________________________________________
Comprehension Questions by Chapters

CHAPTER 7 & 8
1. How did Chester feel about his cage? ___________________________________________
2. What did Tucker want to sleep on? ______________________________________________
3. What did Tucker use as a pillow? _______________________________________________
4. What did Chester eat during the night? ___________________________________________
5. What punishment did Chester and Mario get? _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________’
6. Why did the animals pay Mama back all in coins? ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTERS 9 & 10
1. Why did Mario go back to Sai Fong’s ____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
2. What did Mario use to eat at Sai Fong’s __________________________________________
3. What did Sai Fong’s book say to feed Chester? _____________________________________
4. What were the animals celebrating? _____________________________________________
5. Name one food they had at the party. ____________________________________________
6. What was special about the coke? _______________________________________________
7. What bad thing happened at the party? __________________________________________
8. How did Chester get help? ____________________________________________________
CHAPTER 11
1. Who did Mama blame for the fire? ____________________________________________
2. What did Mama call Chester? ____________________________________________
3. What does Chester do when he is sad? ______________________________________
4. What kind of music did Chester play? ___________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name______________________________________________________
Comprehension Questions by Chapters

CHAPTER 12 & 13
1. How did Chester learn new songs? ______________________________________________
2. How did Mr. Smedley tell New York about Chester? __________________________________
3. How many times a day did Chester give a concert at the newsstand? ______________________
4. Did everyone believe Chester was real? ________________________________
5. What happened to the Bellini’s business after Chester began concerts? ___________________

_________________________________________________________________________
6. How did Chester feel about being famous? _________________________________________

CHAPTERS 14 & 15
1. Where did Chester want to go? ____________________________________
2. How did Tucker and Harry feel when he talked about leaving? ___________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
3. What was Chester’s one worry about leaving? ______________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
4. What day was the farewell performance? __________________________________________
5. What did Chester and Mario eat for dessert? ______________________________________
6. What did they do after supper? _________________________________________________
7. How did Mario know that Chester wouldn’t come back? ________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name____________________________________________________

Directions: Read this passage from The Cricket In Times Square. Highlight words that
are examples of onomatopoeia.

He had heard the rumble of subway trains and the shriek their iron wheels
make when they go around the corner. From above through the iron grills
that open onto the streets, he had heard the thrumming of the rubber tires
of automobiles, and the hooting of their horns and the howling of their
brakes. And he had heard the babble of the voices when the station was
full of human beings, and the barking of the dogs that some of them had
on leashes. Birds, the pigeons of New York, and cats, and even the high
purring of airplanes above the city Tucker had heard. But in all his days,
and on all his journeys through the greatest city in the world, Tucker had

never heard a sound quite like this one.

Why do you think the author chose to use onomatopoeia in this passage?
___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
How does the use of onomatopoeia help bring the city alive in your imagination?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

He had heard the rumble of subway trains and the shriek their iron wheels
make when they go around the corner. From above through the iron grills
that open onto the streets, he had heard the thrumming of the rubber tires
of automobiles, and the hooting of their horns and the howling of their
brakes. And he had heard the babble of the voices when the station was
full of human beings, and the barking of the dogs that some of them had
on leashes. Birds, the pigeons of New York, and cats, and even the high
purring of airplanes above the city Tucker had heard. But in all his days,
and on all his journeys through the greatest city in the world, Tucker had

never heard a sound quite like this one.

Why do you think the author chose to use onomatopoeia in this passage?
The author most likely wanted the reader to understand that Tucker knew many of the
sounds that were made in the city, and that this unfamiliar sound was one that he had never

heard before.
How does the use of onomatopoeia help bring the city alive in your imagination?
These sound words are the actual sounds that are made by the subway, automobiles,

animals, airplanes, etc. that you would hear in a big city.

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Has the cat got your tongue? Merry as a cricket Quiet at a mouse
Curiosity killed the cat
Jiminy Cricket Poor as a church mouse
Fighting like cats and dogs
Let the cat out of the bag The cricket cries, the year Cat and Mouse Game
There’s more than one way to skin changes
Are you a man or a mouse?
a cat It’s not cricket!
Like a cat on a hot tin roof When the cat’s away, the mice
To have a cricket on your will play
Weak as a kitten hearth is good luck
Look what the cat dragged in The best-laid plans of mice and
men
It’s raining cats and dogs
Like herding cats

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Cut and staple (at the top) of the “My Thoughts…My Words”. Use as a little booklet in the interactive
notebooks. Use this as a little writing notebook/journal throughout the chapters.
Do you think Mama should let Mario keep
the cricket? YES NO
Explain why/why not with your reasons.

___________________________________

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Make a list of things that you might find Do you think it is fair that Mario has to earn
in Sai Fong’s shop. the money to get Chester out of jail?
YES NO
___________________________________ Give reasons for your answer.
___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________

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Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

During the fire, Chester set off the Mama thinks Chester is a jinx. Do you
alarm clock. Was this a good idea? Use agree with her? YES NO
Tell why or why not.
text evidence to explain.
___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________
Use text evidence to show that Mario
Use text evidence to show that Chester’s suspected Chester would not be back.
concerts helped the Bellinis.
___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name_________________________________________

Where Mario, Tucker, and Harry Where Chester lives
live

(Where and When)

Why the setting is important A problem the setting caused

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Name_________________________________ T IMES
SQUA R
Directions: Make as many words as you E N EWY
can using the letters in the puzzle. You ORK CH
can use each letter ONLY as many times ESTER
at it appears in the puzzle.

treat _________________________ _________________________
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_________s_tr_ea_a_is_k_es__________ _________________________ _________________________
raise _________________________ _________________________
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_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________
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_________________________
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_________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox

Name_________________________________

TT

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can cuasninugstinhge tlehtetelertsteinrsthine tphuezzpluez. zYleo.u You
can cuasne uesaechealecthtelerttOeNr LOYNaLsYmaasnmy atnimyetsimes
at itatapitpeaaprpseianrsthine tphuezzpluez. zle.

cause

boss

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Characters Main Idea of Chapter

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Subway Drain Pipe

Newsstand Pagoda

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Grand
Central
Station

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Draw your own pictures of
each place in New York City.

Use the pocket to put in
interactive notebook if you

wish.

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Characters Main Idea of Chapter

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Characters Main Idea of Chapter

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Characters Main Idea of Chapter

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Main Idea of Chapter

Characters ________________________________________
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Created By Rebecca at The Teacher’s Chatterbox