Activities to Teach "Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days" to your Elementary Class

A Quick Book Summary

When Milo Crinkley gets hit on the head by a book in the library, he thinks it may just be fate. Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days could be just the book he needs. If perfect, his parents wouldn’t scold him, his sister would have no reason to make fun of him and his teachers wouldn’t correct him. In fact, there would be no need to even go to school because he would be perfect at everything! But for Milo Crinkley being perfect may not be perfect after all.

This is a humorous book to read to your students and yet it drives home a lesson.

New vocabulary to teach as you come upon the words (use context clues):

Record album, dawdled, rutabaga, futile, contagious, pungent odor, snide, improvised, aroma, trudged, will power

The Day Before Day One

If your book has a picture on the cover like the one I have shown here, cover it up! Do not let students see the character on the front

yet.

Next have the students assemble a booklet. Use light colored construction paper for a cover and include five sheets of writing paper inside. Staple it together on the left hand side.

Now begin by reading Chapter One of the book Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days. After you have finished the first chapter return to the second page of written material. There is a description of Dr. K Pinkerton Silverfish:

“Dr. K. Pinkerton Silverfish did not look anything like Milo’s idea of a doctor. He wore baggy zebra-striped pants that looked as though they might fall down any second, a shirt with palm trees on it and two missing buttons, one mitten, a clown nose, a bow tie with only half a bow and a dented hat with a feather sticking up on one side. Dr. Silverfish was biting down on a hot dog and mustard was dribbling down his chin.”

Make a transparency of the above description of Dr. K. Pinkerton Silverfish and put it on the overhead projector. If no projector available, write the description on the board. You could also type it off and run copies on half sheets of paper for each student.

Using the description, students should draw a picture of what they think the doctor looks like on the cover of their booklets.

Day One of Three Days to Perfection!

Read chapters two and three to find out what Milo needed to do on the first day of his journey to perfection.

Then on the first blank page of the booklet give the students this assignment:

Using complete sentences and correct punctuation, describe what Dr. Silverfish told Milo to do the first day. Tell about two funny things that happened when Milo wore the broccoli around his neck.

Day Two of Three Days to Perfection!

Read Chapter Four to your students. This will tell Milo what he needs to do for the second day on his journey to perfection.

Assignment for page two of the student’s booklet:

In complete sentences- What did Dr. Silverfish say Milo proved by wearing broccoli around his neck? (Milo proved that he had courage.)

Day Three, The Final Day to Perfection…

Read Chapter Five to your students to find out what Milo’s final assignment is and if he makes it to the end of the challenge.

Assignment for page three of student’s booklet:

In complete sentences: What did Dr. Silverfish say that Milo proved by not eating for twenty-four hours? (Milo proved that he had will power.) Why do you think it was a good idea that Milo’s dad found out about the book? (Milo’s dad understood why Milo was doing strange things. Dad helped him.)

Not So Perfect After All

Read and discuss Chapter Six to your students.

Assignment for page four in the booklet:

In complete sentences: Even though Milo fell asleep on the third day, Dr. Silverfish congratulated him. Why? (Being perfect would have been boring and no fun.) Why don’t perfect people eat very often? (They may drip or spill something.)

Assignment for page five in the booklet:

List five things that you would like to be able to do perfectly.

When the assignment for page five is complete ask your students to bring their booklets and sit in a circle. Take turns sharing what five things each person would like to do perfectly. YOU should go first!

The Perfect Ending

Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days is such a fun read but it also serves a purpose. Through class discussions, students should realize that everyone makes mistakes, nobody knows everything and perfection is impossible to achieve. We all need to relax and have fun instead of worrying about doing everything right. The book follow-up activities work on finding word meanings using context clues, story comprehension, drawing using a written description and guidance discussion on self-esteem. A perfect lesson!

References

• Classroom experience.