The Twenty-One Balloons Literature Guide & Activities
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As part of our unit on flight, we will be reading a spectacular story by William Péne du Bois called The Twenty-One Balloons. In this story, Professor William Waterman Sherman just wants to be alone. So he decides to take a year off and spend it crossing the Pacific Ocean in a hot-air balloon the likes of which no one has ever seen. But, when he is found after just three weeks floating in the Atlantic among the wreckage of twenty hot-air balloons, the world is naturally eater to know what happened. How did he end up with so many balloons...and in the wrong ocean? Let's find out!
Use the links and other resources below as we explore the wealth of TRUE, historical facts that are embedded throughout the book. You're going to love it! 
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About the Author - William Péne du Bois
William Péne du Bois won the Newberry Medal for The Twenty-One Balloons! Learn more about his like and work at the following websites:
Introduction
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1. What are the two ways of traveling? Which do you prefer?
2. Describe travel in the future as the professor sees it. 3. Why is balloon travel the best mode of transportation? 4. What are two reasons the professor decided to go for a balloon ride? 5. Find out more about Krakatoa: Questions and Answers from USGS volcano site The Legacy of Krakatoa Describing the Eruption Volcanic Images of Krakatoa Windows to the Universe Mike Bubb Dr. George P-C - The Great Explosion Krakatau (from Indonesia) NationMaster Encyclopedia article Wikipedia Krakatoa Discovery Channel Volcano Lesson Plans
1883 Eruption of Krakatoa.
Images from Wikipedia. |
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Chapter 1
1. Why did the professor refuse to speak to the press about his adventure?
2. What do you think happened to the professor and his balloon?
3. List the newspaper headlines. Then make up some of your own.
2. What do you think happened to the professor and his balloon?
3. List the newspaper headlines. Then make up some of your own.
Chapter 2
4. How did San Francisco prepare for the professor's return?