Magic Tree House Composition Book

Magic Tree House Composition Book
A Palette for a Collection of Activities
This notebook can be used to gather and display any of the activities you use from the Magic Tree House
lesson plans or your own thematic activities which relate to each Magic Tree House book or Fact Tracker.
Students remain enthusiastic throughout the year as they see their books growing with facts, study skills,
reading assignments, diagrams, maps, timelines, stories, poetry, or artwork. You may start with assigned
activities and group projects and let the students develop their own creative expressions as the year
progresses.
MTHLP4-712
Created by: Paula Cirillo, 2009 Magic Tree House Teacher of the Year
Peach Hill Academy, Moorpark, California
Copyright © 2012, Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program, all rights reserved.
MATERIALS NEEDED:








black marbled composition type notebook
light and dark green tissue paper (cut into 2”squares)
Jack and Annie cut-outs (in accompanying materials)
2 book stacks (in accompanying materials)
6”x6” tan construction or copy paper
wooden plank master (in accompanying materials)
10 large craft sticks
Elmer’s type glue
DIRECTIONS:


PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME:

Depending on the level of the students, have the students draw lines on the 6”x 6” tan
construction paper to resemble wooden planks or use the wooden plank master in the
accompanying materials to copy on the tan construction or copy paper.

Color the book stacks

Color the Jack and Annie figures (front & back)
READY TO ASSEMBLE:
1. Glue the 6”x6” square in the middle of the composition notebook.
2. Glue three craft sticks starting at the bottom of the notebook. Then glue two craft sticks on each
side to form a window.
(Place a heavy book on top of the sticks to adhere securely while drying. If glue is oozing out, it
is advisable to put wax paper between the sticks and the book, so it doesn’t stick)
3. Layer another stick on the bottom of the window and two sticks at the top of the window.
4. Paste two book stacks in the center of the tree house window.
5. Fold Jack and Annie in half and place them on each side of the book stacks.
(Don’t glue them in. The students like to take them in and out.)
6. Glue the green tissue paper on the top part of the book and at the bottom sides.
Spread Elmer’s Glue on a section at a time. Twist the tissue paper and hold down for a few
seconds.
7. Choose a title for the book depending on the type of activities enclosed. Write the title with an
ultra fine point sharpie pen.
The students now have a treasure to fill with the knowledge they gather while reading the
Magic Tree House books!
INSIDE THE NOTEBOOK:
At the beginning of the year, choose which Magic Tree House books or Fact Trackers tie in with the grade level
standards or themes you will cover in reading, history, science, social studies, music, or art. There are
countless ways to use this very special notebook from keeping a simple journal of ideas and facts to a more
organized artistic expression encompassing a portfolio of poetry, writing, and creative ways to display the
subject matter learned in the Magic Tree House books. Below are just a few of the limitless ideas which can
be done in this notebook.
INSIDE COVER: About the Author
Glue a black piece of construction paper to the inside cover. Take a photo of the students or they can
draw a self- portrait. The students can tell about themselves and the activities which they completed
in the notebook.
TITLE PAGE OF THE NOTEBOOK
The students draw a tree house or any picture to reflect the theme. This particular project was entitled: A
Research Journal of People, Places, and Times. Choose a title which reflects your purpose for the notebook.
TITLE PAGE OF THE MAGIC TREE HOUSE BOOK or FACT TRACKER (Research Guide)
This page can be used to begin a new section in the notebook for each Magic Tree House book’s activities. I
suggest a direct-a-draw.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This was developed as they went along with each activity and done for each Magic Tree House book in the
notebook.
AN ACROSTIC POEM
As a pattern to this particular notebook, an acrostic poem was done after each title page of the Magic Tree
House book or Fact Tracker. Notice the column on the side. This was drawn on each right hand activity page
in the section. Each section within the notebook has these page patterns to reflect a theme of the MTH book.
A MAP OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (left) and AN ANCIENT ROME TIMELINE (right)
Use colorful markers, and decorate pockets as a way to include activities which are not written or drawn
directly on the notebook pages.
IMPORTANT VOCABULARY (written on the shields) with a PARAGRAPH about the ROMAN
ARMY (tucked into the pocket behind the soldier formation)
DIAGRAM OF A ROMAN SOLDIER (right)
PARAGRAPH and MOSAIC of the LEGEND OF ROMULUS AND REMUS
OTHER SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NOTEBOOK
8. Journal entries, quick-writes
9. Skills section - Practice grade level skills with Magic Tree House sentences to correct
punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.
10. Comprehension skills – Look at the reading guides done for many of the MTH books. Dedicate
a section of the notebook for these assignments.
11. Make pop-up activities to vary the presentation in the notebook.
12. ABC vocabulary books.
13. Magic Tree House activities from www.magictreehouse.com or
www.mthclassroomadventures.org (There are great activities you can download. Make a copy
of each to have as a reference, ready to go at all times).
14. In addition to the activities found on the Magic Tree House websites, there are many other
resources by other companies which can be used and compiled in the Magic Tree House
notebook.
The students will look forward to their Magic Tree House notebook time. It is a magical way to
make an ordinary assignment become special. It can also present work in an organized, eyecatching fashion. Have fun becoming creative!
Accompanying
Materials
(To make the cover)
Wooden Planks
Print this 6” x 6” square on tan copy or construction paper.
Bookstacks
Give each child 2 stacks of books to color and paste on the inside wall of the tree house.
Jack and Annie cut-outs
Many teacher work rooms have a die-cut machine with these boy and girl die-cuts. Cut them from oak tag,
cardstock, or manila colored file folders. You can trace and cut these figures, if necessary.
Copyright © 2012, Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program, all rights reserved.