Mac’s Big Wish
by
Oregon Author Peter Vanderwall and Oregon Illustrator Janis Lillian
Nominated by the Oregon State Literacy Association for the 
Patricia Gallagher Children’s Choice Picture Book Award

Grade 9 -10 Extension Activity
Reference to Oregon English Language Arts and Literacy Standards, Grade 9-10.

Classroom Organization:
(1)	Each student reads Mac’s Big Wish and reflects on the illustrations.
(2)  In small groups, each student identifies pages that they feel introduce Mac, show Mac’s adoption by Virginia of Oak Knoll Care Center, or show Mac being a friend.
(3)  Take turns discussing the emotion that a student felt while reading Mac’s Big Wish (3 minutes per person). Respect each individual’s emotion. No judgment.
(4)  The group discusses, first, Prompt 1 (5 minutes) and, second, Prompt 2 (5 minutes). 
(5)  Individually, each student addresses Prompt 1 and/or Prompt 2 (up to 30 minutes).

Standards Addressed:
9-10.RL.2  Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details. Provide an evidence-based summary of the text. 
9-10.W.3  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. 
				
Background: 
Central Idea - The central idea is the main focus of the story. It is the essential ideas that help you understand each section and the overall story as a whole. 
Narrative - Narrative writing is a style that allows the writer to tell a story. Narrative writing can keep the reader’s attention and help the reader visualize a realistic experience from the words. Narratives include picture story books, essays, fairy tales, autobiographies and news stories.
Imagine - To imagine is to form a mental picture of something that is not present.

Writing Prompts: 
Mac’s Big Wish is a picture story book. The professional magazine, Kirkus Review on October 15, 2022, wrote: The author builds the story well with simply structured sentences, repeated phrases, and fun sound words (squish-squash-squish, click-clack, squeak-squeak-squeaking). The illustrator’s painterly cartoon style allows for humanlike expressions on otherwise realistically portrayed animals’ faces. 

Now it is your turn to write about Mac’s Big Wish. Use your reading and writing skills to address these prompts:
(1)	What is the central idea of Mac’s Big Wish? How does the main character, Mac, develop over the course of Mac’s Big Wish? Include descriptions of how Mac is introduced, how Mac develops, and how Mac is connected to the central idea? 
(Up to 3 paragraphs).
(2)	Write a narrative to develop what you imagine is Mac’s next experience. Use effective writing technique, well-chosen details and well-structured events. 
(Up to two paragraphs).