Stuck Imagineerz Learning

SEL Read Aloud: Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

Summary

“Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers begins with Floyd’s kite getting stuck in a tree. As he tries to retrieve it, things escalate when his shoe, and later another, get stuck as well. In a chain reaction of throwing objects to dislodge the stuck items, everything ends up lodged in the tree. Floyd’s attempts involve a ladder, paint, and a series of increasingly absurd items, leading to an ever-growing entanglement. Eventually, even a fire engine and firefighters get themselves stuck. Facing the consequences of the chaos, Floyd throws a songbook into the mix, and the crowded tree becomes so full that the kite falls free. In the end, Floyd, exhausted and relieved, enjoys the rest of his day.

Comprehension Questions

Six questions aligned to Bloom’s taxonomy for teacher’s to evaluate students’ comprehension

Remembering: What did Floyd throw to try to dislodge his shoe?
Understanding: Can you explain why Floyd thought throwing a ladder would help?
Applying: How might Floyd have approached the situation differently to avoid everything getting stuck?
Analyzing: What was the turning point that led to the resolution of the situation?
Evaluating: What consequences did Floyd face as a result of his actions?
Creating: Imagine you are one of the characters stuck in the tree. How would you feel and what would you say to Floyd?

CASEL Discussion Questions

Five questions aligned to the CASEL competencies for teachers to foster an engaging discussion and foster social-emotional learning

Self-Awareness: Can you identify a moment when Floyd demonstrated self-awareness about the consequences of his actions?
Self-Management: How did Floyd’s impulsive actions contribute to the escalating problem?
Social Awareness: How did Floyd’s actions impact the people around him, such as the milkman and the firemen?
Relationship Skills: How might Floyd have collaborated with others to solve the problem more effectively?
Responsible Decision Making: Assess the responsibility of Floyd’s decisions throughout the story. Were they wise or impulsive?

Design Thinking Challenge

Take students’ learning even further by incorporating the Imagineerz design thinking framework

The Great Unsticking Mission

Understand

Begin by reading “Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers.
Engage in a class discussion about the challenges faced by Floyd in the story. Discuss the importance of identifying the root cause of a problem. Encourage students to reflect on the characters’ decision-making process and how they respond to setbacks.

Ideate

Encourage students to brainstorm creative solutions for unsticking objects in the tree. Emphasize the importance of generating a variety of ideas, even if they seem unconventional.

Prototype

In small groups, students will choose one solution from their ideation phase and create a prototype using simple materials. The prototype should represent their chosen solution for unsticking objects.

Test

Students will test their prototypes by presenting them to the class or other groups. They will explain how their solution works and its potential effectiveness. After testing, discuss what worked well and what modifications could enhance their prototypes.

Read Aloud

If you appreciated getting to read this book with your class, you might also want to share this book with them!

Additional Resources

- Stuck on Amazon