| Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man: | | | | about him. The Chicken Nugget Man turns out to |
| A North Carolina EOG Adventure | | | | be, as Chris discovers, a harmless and tiny person |
| By: Kumar Sathy | | | | shaped like a chicken nugget. The Chicken Nugget |
| A Student Solutions Educational Publication | | | | Man makes a deal with Chris to help him learn if |
| ISBN: 978-0-9821729-0-2 | | | | Chris will feed him things like stinky socks. |
| If you're looking for an extremely interesting, | | | | Each short chapter is humorous, which is a good |
| attention-holding teaching aid for third graders to | | | | way to attract and keep the attention of |
| help prepare them for EOG (End of Grade) tests, | | | | students, and the plot is engaging. Students will |
| you'll find that Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man: | | | | want to keep on reading or listening to their |
| A North Carolina EOG Adventure is a valuable | | | | teacher/parent to learn what will happen next to |
| teaching resource. Though it is specifically directed | | | | Chris and his classmates, like Tuna Tommy, a kid |
| to North Carolina third grade teachers, it can be | | | | who always leaves parts of his lunch in his desk |
| used by teachers and parents no matter what | | | | until they start to rot and stink the room up. Chris |
| state you live in. It would require that one | | | | can't even seem to remember his teacher's |
| changes certain references to North Carolina | | | | name, calling her things like Ms. Bubblegum or Ms. |
| history, politicians, and geography to fit the | | | | Bobblehead. Kids are sure to get a kick out of the |
| equivalent facts from whatever state one | | | | funny bits in the book, as well as learning |
| happens to live in, but this can be done relatively | | | | important concepts they'll be tested over. |
| easily. The point is that the book can be a very | | | | A couple of the elements I really liked about the |
| useful way to teach kids, using humor, and a | | | | book, other than its use of humor, are the |
| strong story line involving the plight of a third | | | | "Knowledge Nuggets," scattered throughout, and |
| grader (Chris Robb) who has problems paying | | | | the questions at the end of each chapter Ms. |
| attention in class. | | | | Bubblebrain has written on the chalkboard for her |
| Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man can be read | | | | students to read and answer, based upon what |
| by the students or by their teacher or parents, in | | | | they've read (or heard, as the case may be). The |
| conjunction with lesson plans related to each | | | | "Knowledge Nuggets," sometimes present added |
| chapter.. There are letters and numbers at the | | | | information, or ask the students to do a simple |
| end of some of the sentences, which correspond | | | | math problem related to what they've read |
| to a chart at the back of the book that lets the | | | | heard, or further explains a vocabulary word in a |
| teacher/parents know what part of the | | | | chapter, like the word "scarcity." |
| curriculum and EOG test the material is covering. | | | | The end of chapter questions Ms. Bubblebrain has |
| An example of this is when one of Chris's | | | | written on her chalkboard are always headed by |
| classmates, Alex, who only remembers past | | | | the funny underlined words: "For the love of |
| lesson plans because he ran his head into a metal | | | | sweaty bacon soda, answer these questions!" She |
| pole, interrupts the teacher, Ms. Bubblebrain and | | | | has an interesting way with words, but the |
| other students), to shout out the types of | | | | questions are a good means for teachers/parents |
| sentences they're using (the "E" is this example | | | | to ask kids questions to see what the students |
| refers to English, and the "33" to knowing the | | | | have learned from the chapter. There's an |
| different types of sentences) : | | | | Analysis Question, a Synthesis Question, and an |
| "Settle down," Mrs. Bubblebrain said. | | | | Evaluation Question for the kids to answer. |
| "Imperative sentence! Alex said. E33 | | | | Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man is a book that, |
| "Stop saying that!" Carmela shouted. | | | | when incorporated with related material, can be a |
| "Imperative and exclamatory." Alex said. E33 | | | | very useful learning tool. It certainly can't be |
| Chris seems to get into trouble every day. It's | | | | accused of being dull and boring, which many |
| not because he's bad or mischievous, but because | | | | textbooks are in the opinion of students. The only |
| his attention drifts and he finds it difficult to retain | | | | thing I think would make this book any better is |
| knowledge. Still, Ms. Bubblebrain tries her best to | | | | the possible addition of an animated DVD to go |
| get him to learn and respond correctly to | | | | along with it. Also, though the book can be used |
| questions she asks him in class. He daydreams | | | | relatively easily by teachers from states other |
| about things like flying purple hamsters, though, | | | | than North Carolina, I think it might be a good idea |
| and asks to use the restroom or get a drink | | | | to eventually publish versions of it for every |
| from the water faucet, to try to be out of the | | | | state. Then, this valuable educational resource |
| classroom as much as possible. | | | | could reach an even wider audience. I highly |
| What the teachers, kids, and parents are all | | | | recommend it and believe it will be a great |
| concerned about is that at any moment, the kids | | | | success in the classroom to help students prepare |
| might be attacked and eaten by the Chicken | | | | for the EOG. |
| Nugget Man. Even the President issues warnings | | | | --Douglas R. |