Stuck by Oliver Jeffers Teaching Activities
Do your students struggle with perseverance and problem-solving? Stuck by Oliver Jeffers is a funny picture book that promotes cause and effect, commitment, perseverance and responsible decision-making. Read on to find activities and comprehension questions for Stuck by Oliver Jeffers.
Inspired by a real event, Stuck by Oliver Jeffers illustrates how perseverance and determination can lead to success. It also promotes:
You can also use this cumulative story to teach:
- problem and solution
- sequencing and retelling
- inference and prediction
- character traits
Scroll down for Stuck activities, discussion questions and videos.
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers Synopsis
Everything was just fine until Floyd got his kite stuck in a tree. He pulled and tugged and swung, but the kite stayed stuck in the tree. Floyd thought throwing his shoe would dislodge the kite, but it didn’t. So he threw his other shoe into the tree, but that didn’t work either.
Floyd attempts to use more and more outrageous objects (and people) to free the kite! A frustrated Floyd gets more inventive in trying to get his kite back. He throws up a door, a milkman, an orangutan, an ocean liner, a whale, a fire engine and much more!
He has one final idea and he runs off to get a saw. He throws the saw into the trees, and the kite suddenly falls from the tree (because it is full!) Floyd is delighted and runs off to play. Exhausted he goes to bed sure he has forgotten something. Through his window, we see all the items he threw into the tree still there.
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books (2012)
ISBN: 9780007263899
Take a look inside Stuck
Oliver Jeffers Official Website
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Stuck by Oliver Jeffers Activities & Resources
I have created a bundle of literacy graphic organizers for Stuck by Oliver Jeffers. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for:
- Author’s Purpose
- Cause & Effect
- Character Traits and Analysis
- Comprehension Questions and Writing Prompts
- Inferring and Predicting
- Main Idea and Theme
- Making Connections
- Point of View
- Problem and Solution
- Retelling, Sequencing and Summarizing
*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.
External Stuck Activities & Links
- The Guardian: Oliver Jeffers: a gallery of great children’s books
- Oliver Jeffers: Free Stuff
- Scottish Book Trust: Authors Live Oliver Jeffers
- Teaching Ideas: Teaching Ideas and Resources
Would you like free graphic organisers for Stuck?
I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!
Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Stuck Read-Aloud Questions
Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.
- Look at the cover. Why is the word ‘Stuck’ tangled in the tree?
- What do you think the story will be about?
- How could you go about removing objects stuck in a tree?
- What is Floyd thinking and feeling? How do you know? [Use at various points]
- Why does Floyd think the situation is getting ridiculous?
- What will Floyd do with the ladder?
- What is Floyd going to do with the saw?
- What do you think the fireman’s idea is?
- What would you have done in Floyd’s place?
- How do you think all the different things got out of the tree?
You can find a full set of discussion cards in the Stuck activity pack or as a separate questions pack.
Stuck Videos
Books by Oliver Jeffers
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