McElligot's Pool

Written by Dr. Seuss
Published by Random House, Inc., New York
ISBN: 0-394-80083-4

About the book

The book was written in 1947. The story is about a small boy who is fishing in the tiny, unpromising McElligot's Pool, a puddle that (as a passing farmer informs our hero) is nothing but a hole where people dispose of their junk. But the boy is all optimism: what if the pool is deeper than anyone thinks? What if it connects to an underground stream that flows under the town to the sea? Might not all sorts of fish then swim up the stream and be caught here?

Pre-reading

Discuss with the students lakes and fish, the experiences they have had fishing, where when, with whom and so on. Talk about Dr. Suess as an author and review with the students books of his they have read or that the class has read together.

Reading

Read the story with the students.

Reviewing the book

1. Discuss with the students the use of colour in the book, why are some pages in colour and others not.
2. Discuss how the boy must have felt when the farmer first spoke to him and how he felt once he used his imagination.
3. Do the students agree with the boy's assessment that he is not a fool?
4. 4. Discuss with the students occasions when they have been excited about something special in their lives. What was it? Did it turn out as they expected? Why or why not?

Book follow-up

Vocabulary:

• Biodegradable
• Non-biodegradable
• Sustainability
• Pollution

1. Newspaper: Students write a front-page news article that informs the reader why they should not throw junk into McElligot's Pool.

2. Mail: Students write a letter to the farmer telling him why the little boy is not a fool.

3. Art: Students develop their own "pool". Using butcher paper, students paint pictures of different types of fish they would like to have in their pool. They will need to add the necessary plant life, etc., for their fish.

4. Fishing: Students research different kinds of fish and what are the requirements for a healthy living environment.

5. Lures: Students research the types of fishing lures that are used for different types of fish. They develop a lure to catch one of the fish from the book and explain why they have chosen the design they developed.

6. Research: Using the suggested vocabulary as background the students examine:

1. The impact of the "junk" thrown into McElligot's Pool on the aquatic life.
2. The impact on the plant life surrounding McElligot's Pool.
3. Using the pool for junk may have seemed a good idea at the time, why is long-term planning over several human generations necessary?
4. How the pool might be cleaned up.