A Porcupine A Porcupine Named FluffyNamed Fluffy

Story told by Helen LesterStory told by Helen Lester

Illustrated by Lynn MunsingerIllustrated by Lynn Munsinger

Teaching Activities designed by Lu Bing-RenTeaching Activities designed by Lu Bing-Ren

• When Mr. and Mrs. Porcupine had their first child, they were delighted.

• Now he needed a name.

• Should they call him Spike?• No. Spike was too common.

• Should they call him Lance?• No. Lance sounded too fierce.• Should they call him Needleroozer?• No. Needleroozer was too long.• Prickles? Pokey? Quillian?• Then together they had an idea.• “Let’s call him Fluffy. It’s such a

pretty name. Fluffy!”

• But soon there came a time when Fluffy began to doubt that he was fluffy.

• He first became suspicious when he backed into a door and stuck fast.

• That was not a fluffy thing to do.

• He was even more convinced when he accidentally slept on his back and poked holes in the mattress.

• A very unfluffy thing to do.

• When he tried to carry an umbrella he knew the truth without a doubt.

• Fluffy definitely wasn’t.

• So he decided to become fluffier.• “Clouds are fluffy,” he thought.• “I’ll be a cloud.”

• But he couldn’t stay up.

• “I know. Pillows are fluffy!” he said.

• “I’ll be a pillow.”• But when his

mother sat on him, she was not

pleased.

• He tried soaking in a bubble bath for forty-five minutes, but he did not become fluffy.

• He became soggy.

• He tried whipped cream.• He put a little on each quill. It was not

easy, and it took more than half a day.

• But this did not make Fluffy fluffy.• “They should have named me

Gooey,” he sighed.

• He ate a lot of fluffy marshmallows.• He rolled in shaving cream and feathers.• He even tried to become a bunny.

• But the truth remained. Fluffy wasn’t.

• One afternoon Fluffy set out for a walk,• trying to think of ways to become fluffy.

• Before long he met a very large rhinoceros.

• “Grrrr!” said the rhinoceros.• “I’m going to give you a rough time.”• Fluffy didn’t know what a rough time

was, but he didn’t like the sound of it at all.

• “What is your name, small prickly thing?”

asked the rhinoceros unkindly.• “Fluffy,” said Fluffy.

• The rhinoceros smiled. • He giggled.• Then he laughed out loud.• He rolled on the ground.• He jiggled and slapped his knees.• He roared with laughter.

“A porcupine named Fluffy!” howled the rhinoceros.

• Fluffy was embarrassed, but he tried to be polite.

• “And what is your name?” he inquired.

• “H…I can’t say it,” giggled the rhinoceros.• “Hubert?” suggested Fluffy.

• “H…H…H…oh help, I just can’t say it, I’m laughing so hard,” said the rhinoceros.

• “Harold? Or maybe Herman?” asked Fluffy.• “No,” gasped the rhinoceros. • “It’s H…H…H…Hippo.”

• Hippo.• A rhinoceros named Hippo.• Fluffy smiled. • He giggled.• Then he laughed out loud.• He jiggled and slapped his knees.• He howled with laughter.• “A rhinoceros named Hippo!” Fluffy

cried.

• A porcupine named Fluffy.• A rhinoceros named Hippo.• It was almost more than they could

bear.• Hippo and Fluffy rolled on the ground

giggling and laughing until tears came to their eyes.

• At last they lay exhausted on the ground.• From that time on they were the best of

friends.

• And Fluffy didn’t mind being Fluffy anymore…even though he wasn’t.

RationaleRationale

• Text Type: Narrative

• Language Focus: to practice prediction, listening for detail, adjectives and verbs

• Target Group: Six graders or higher

• Time Schedule: 6 sessions (4 hours)

Teaching ProcedureTeaching Procedure

• What’s in a name? (William Shakespeare)

• Guided reading

• Silent reading and group reading

• Activities:

1. Find out the meaning of your English name

2. Rewrite the story

3. Sing “Ebony and Ivory”

BrainstormingBrainstorming

2. Try toAdjust

himself

3. Get used to it

1.Suspicious about

his name

How to call a porcupineHow to call a porcupine

• Spike? Too common.

• Lance? Sounded too fierce.

• Needleroozer? Too long.

• Prickles? Pokey? Just too odd.

• Fluffy? What a pretty name!

What’s wrong with What’s wrong with “Fluffy”?“Fluffy”?

• Verbs: doubt, suspect, convince, become• “Unfluffy” events: 1. backed into a door and stuck fast 2. slept on his back and poked holes in the mattress 3. tried to carry an umbrella• Solution: become fluffier

Ways to become fluffierWays to become fluffier

• Clouds But he couldn’t stay up.

• Pillows But his mother was not pleased.

• Soaking in a bubble bath Became soggy.

• Whipped cream Became “Gooey”.

• Ate marshmallows Became chubby.

• Rolled in shaving cream and feathers Goofy.

• Became a bunny Looked so funny.

I’m going to give you a rough I’m going to give you a rough time!time!

• A porcupine named Fluffy!

• A rhinoceros named Hippo!

• Adjectives: embarrassed, polite, exhausted

• Verbs: smile, giggle, laugh, roll, jiggle, slap, roar, howl, inquire, gasp, cry, bear, mind

DiscussionsDiscussions• Have you seen a real porcupine or rhinoceros

before? Where have you seen it / them?

• Do you know the meaning of your name?

• Who gives you the name?

• Do you like your English name? Why or why not?

• Do you want to change your name? Why?

• Do you have a nickname? Do you like it?

What’s in your nameWhat’s in your name

• Take “JFK”, for example:• Last name, family name, surname 姓 : Kennedy• First name, Christian name ( 前 ) 名 : John• Middle name ( 中間 ) 名 : Fitzgerald• Nickname 綽號• Pen name 筆名 , 字號• Pseudonym 匿名• Incognito 隱性埋名 , 微服出遊

有趣的運將大名有趣的運將大名• 崔金雄 高一生 李百先 黃總裁 林鈴當• 戶政事務所更名案例 :

陸伊典 陸良典 陸珊典

吳仁耀 傅步祥 咸希樊

韓茵菁 田英純 孟怡

馬鈴淑 呂彤智(姓藍也可以 )

尤詠慈

曾桃燕 陶仁彥 梁良昌

廖詩勁 蔡仕昶(還好不姓果菜 )

任純雯

麥瑩 常杏嬌 史健仁

夏建 鍾山曉 (用台語唸 ) 范堅強 (倒過來唸 )

魏笙梓；魏笙綿(魏家兄妹 )

甘禮良(不改名不行 )

楊巨；楊偉(楊家兄弟 )