2. INTRODUCTION
Writing is a part of Pennsylvania academic
standards of education.
Section 1.4 of the Standards addresses “Types of
Writing.”
Students in grade five are to: convey ideas and
information clearly, provide a concluding statement,
use description to convey a message
By the end of fifth grade students need to
demonstrate their ability to describe.
Literature can provide ideas or topics for what
students can describe.
This activity can be used in the beginning of the
year to build community.
3. INTRODUCTION- ACADEMIC COMMON CORE
STANDARDS
(FROM PA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION JAN. 2013)
1.4 Writing
Students write for different purposes and audiences.
Students write clear and focused text to convey a well
defined perspective and appropriate content.
CC.1.4.5.M
Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events.
CC.1.4.5.O
Use narrative techniques such as dialogue,
description, and pacing, to develop experiences and
events or show the responses of characters to
situations; use concrete words and phrases and
sensory details to convey experiences and events
precisely. E05.C.1.3.2 E05.C.1.3.4
4.
5. “My house is me and I am it.
My house is where I like to be
and it looks like all my
dreams.” (Mr. Plumbean)
Everyone is unique and it’s
what makes the world an
interesting place to live.
8. MR. PLUMBEAN’S HOUSE DESCRIPTION
Here is what Mr. Plumbean’s house looks like. Mr.
Plumbean’s house is bright and colorful. There is a
variety of shades of green that fill the front yard. Two
palm trees stand almost as tall as the house and lean to
the side. To relax there is a hammock that is stretched
to its’ max tied between the palm trees. The house
consists of four rectangular windows that have almost
every color of the rainbow. Curvy flowers grow in each
of the four bushes in the yard. If you need to know what
time it is, look to the highest part of the house where you
will find a clock. Mr. Plumbean’s house has a large
yellow lion looking face between the two top windows.
Last, you can not miss the alligator resting in the front
yard. Now you know what Mr. Plumbean’s house looks
like.
9. YOUR DREAM HOUSE
"My home is where I want to be and it
looks like all my dreams.“
Everyone has an idea of his or her
perfect dream house.
- Draw a picture of your dream house.
- Write a description of your house so
others would be able to visualize it.
19. ADAPTATIONS
Graphic organizer.
Give students a paragraph frame.
Give students a blank house to fill in with pictures.
Have students describe a house from a magazine
in groups before creating their own.
Spend time writing a description together for Mr.
Plumbean’s house using words from the list.
21. At first all the houses on Mr. Plumbean’s street were the same.
What do you think about the houses on Mr. Plumbean’s street
changing from being all the same to being different?
Do the houses being different make them more interesting?
What do you think about the visitors at the end of the story who
say that Mr. Plumbean’s street is not a neat street?
The neighbors on Mr. Plumbean’s street are proud of their houses
at the end of the story. Why don’t they care what the visitors think
about their street?
Which is better, being like everyone else or being different?
Is it ever okay to be like everyone else? If so, when?
Mr. Plumbean decides to be different by painting his house
rainbow colors.
Are there ways that you show that you are different? If so, who are
you different from? How are you different from them, and why do
you show you are different from them?
Are there ways that you show that you are the same? If so, who
are you the same as? How are you the same as them, and why do
you show that you are the same as them?
Other Discussion Questions
22. After telling Mr. Plumbean to paint his house, why were his neighbors unhappy
when he did paint it?
Why does having a “neat street” seem to be so important to Mr. Plumbean’s
neighbors? Why did everyone want all the houses to be all the same?
Was it okay for Mr. Plumbean to paint his house to look like his dreams?
Should you paint your house any way you want? If so, when?
Why did Mr. Plumbean paint his house the way he did?
Why did his neighbors paint their houses?
Are there ways that you are like Mr. Plumbean?
Are there ways that you are like Mr. Plumbean’s neighbors?
When Mr. Plumbean painted his house to reflect his dreams, what effect did
this have on his neighbors? Let’s make a list of the things the neighbors do:
Thought Mr. Plumbean was out of his mind
Muttered (unhappy)
Pretended not to notice
Shouted at Mr. Plumbean to explain why he painted his house like a rainbow
Asked the next door neighbor to talk to Mr. Plumbean to make his house look
the same as everyone else
The neighbors started painting their houses like their dreams
23. At one point, the neighbors “decided they would
pretend not to notice” the rainbow house of Mr.
Plumbean.
Is ignoring a problem every a good idea?
What is a better way of dealing with something that
you do not like or disagree with?
Mr. Plumbean says that “My house is me and I am
it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all
my dreams.”
Should people live their dreams?
Do you think that Mr. Plumbean is his house and
his house is Mr. Plumbean?
Are your clothes you, and are you your clothes?]
