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Oh, the Places You'll Go!



Last updated Thursday, September 24, 2020

Author: Dr. Seuss
Date of Publication: 1990
ISBN: 0679805273
Grade Level: 3rd    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jun. 2006

Synopsis: Dr. Seuss brings you on a wild ride through the ups-and-downs of life, at the same time telling you to find the success that lies within you. He sees potential in everyone and encourages us to be the best.

Note to readers:
•  Hear and see this book read aloud on YouTube by our volunteers at this video or at this other video, including a craft at the end of each video!

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What other books by Dr. Seuss have you read? Which is your favorite?
•  By looking at the cover and title, what do you think the book will be about?
•  What do you want to do when you grow up? Why?
•  Where do you want to go? What do you want to see?
•  Have you gone anywhere? Different cities? Countries? Different places in Los Angeles?
•  If there is a map in the classroom, find on the map where different children were born and trace the route to Los Angeles. Or find some places they?ve been.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Have children identify the rhyming words on some of the pages. Discuss the idea of rhyme (words that sound the same at the end).
•  (pg. 17) Would you ever want to go in a hot air balloon? What would it be like?
•  (pg. 21) Have you ever been lost? How did it turn out?
•  What is the most exotic or exciting place you?ve ever been to?
•  (pg. 41) What does Dr. Seuss mean when he says, ?Kid, you?ll move mountains??
•  ?Move mountains? is a figure of speech. What other figures of speech do you know?
•  What are some of the different kinds of ?places you?ll go?? Are all the places the same? Are some better/worse than others? How or why?
•  At various places in the book, ask how the children would feel if they were the child in the story.
•  Discuss the ?waiting place.? Ask children what are some of the things they wait for.
•  Do you have goals that you want to accomplish? What are your short-term goals (in the next year)? What are your long-term goals (in the next several years)?
•  What kinds of difficulties might you face achieving your goals? What were the difficult places in the book?
•  Discuss how you would overcome a problem that you might face (e.g., ask for help from someone you know).

Craft ideas:
•  Draw a picture of yourself and/or your family in 10 years and what you will be doing.
•  Draw a picture of an imaginary country.
•  Create a maze and draw the path through it.
•  Draw and color a place that you would like to go to.
•  Draw a wishing tree with several branches. On the branches, draw or write some goals or hopes for your future or places you want to go.
•  Bring ahead option: card stock and travel brochures/magazines. Create a postcard of an exotic destination and write a message on the card.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!