Jake Drake, Class Clown by Andrew Clements

Jake Drake, Class Clown by Andrew Clements
Parent-Child Book Discussion
Grades 2-3
July 2008

snack ideas: clown cookies or cupcakes, laffy taffy or bazooka gum, etc.

1. General thoughts/thumbs up or down/favorite part of the book.

2. Have you ever had a student teacher at your school? How were they different than your regular teacher?

3. Do you think teachers make mistakes? (Any examples) What should they do when they make mistakes? ex: forget to mark an answer incorrect on your paper; discipline the wrong child, spell something incorrectly, call someone the wrong name, etc.

4. What's the funniest thing that ever happened at your school? Are funny things usually planned or accidental?

5. Take a break to pass out some joke books (or open laffy taffy) and have everyone share one joke.

6. Why do you think the class went crazy after Jake burped? Were they scared of the consequences? Why or why not?

7. Jake spends a lot of time practicing funny faces in this book. Share with us your funniest face or freakiest talent.

8. What times are appropriate to be silly at school and which are not?

9. Do you think Miss Bruce will be a good teacher for her firs real class? Why or why not? What did she learn from Jake's stint as the class clown?

10. What would have happened if Jake had continued to create outbursts at school?

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Other books to share:
Fine Fine School by Sharon Creech (could read aloud)
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Sachar
Marvin Redpost by Sachar
Junie B. Jones by Park