Summer is a time for exploring new things and new places. County fairs, amusement parks, and local celebrations abound, but did you ever consider the engineering feats behind local attractions or the chemistry and physics behind pyrotechnology at your local fireworks display? Asking young people to take a closer look at the fun rides and exciting attractions can spark interesting conversations about science and technology.
With that in mind, this month's Story Frames Analysis explores Mr. Ferris and His Wheel, written by Kathryn Gibbs Davis and beautifully illustrated by Gilbert Ford. This analysis (along with many others) can be found in my resource for teachers and speech-language pathologists, Story Frames for Teaching Literacy: Enhancing Student Learning Through the Power of Storytelling, which includes additional tools and lesson plans for using this story and many others in the classroom. The picture book has a Lexile reading level of 900, placing it at approximately a fifth-grade level, making it a narrative appropriate for all ages.
1. Ordinary World: Mr. Ferris works as a mechanical engineer designing roads, bridges, and tunnels.
2. Call and Response: The newspapers announce a nationwide contest for a design for the star attraction for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago.
3. Mentors, Guides, and Gifts: George’s partner, William, helps him create a design for a Monster Wheel.
4. Crossing: Mr. Ferris takes his drawing to Chicago to show it to the construction chief for the fair.
5. New World: The construction chief tells Mr. Ferris that his wheel looks flimsy and will most likely collapse.
6. Problems, Prizes, and Plans: Ferris finally gets permission to build his wheel, but he must raise his own money.
7. Midpoint Attempt: When George’s crew starts digging, they discover that the ground is frozen. Underneath the frozen earth, they find quicksand.
8. Downtime Response: Thirty-five feet down, George’s crew erects the two towers and the axle that serve as the foundation for the wheel. This is a big accomplishment, but there is no time to rest.
9. Chase and Escape: The men work nonstop to complete the Monster Wheel.
10. Death and Transformation: George’s partner, William, loses hope, but the water wheel from George’s youth is finally transformed into a giant Monster Wheel.
11. Climax: The Final Test: The final test is to see if the wheel will spin. It is a success, and the news spreads across the country.
12. Final Reward: Now the Ferris wheel is a favorite ride at amusement parks across the world.
The complete story analysis for this book, along with analyses of 21 additional picture books and 10 chapter books and novels, is available on the download hub at the publisher's website for purchasers of Story Frames.
Check out my February post on A Race Around the World to explore more travel adventures.
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