The Last Holiday Concert
The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
Grade level: 4 – 7
Aladdin Paperback $5.99
ISBN: 0689845162
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Prolific writer Andrew Clements demonstrates understanding of student/teacher relationships in many of his well-written books. He is an award-winning author. His web site is www.andrewclements.com
He is currently working on Things Hoped For, a sequel to Things Not Seen.
SYNOPSIS:
Sixthgrader Hart Evans acts inappropriately one day in chorus class and the teacher, Mr. Meinert, loses his temper. What Hart doesn’t know is that Mr. Meinert will lose his job after January 1 because of budget cuts. In frustration that day in class Mr. Meinert then hands over to Hart the responsibility of overseeing/leading the holiday concert.
The end product does indeed wow the audience, but we, the readers, see the challenging steps which both Hart and Mr. Meinert take along the way to prepare for the Last Holiday Concert.
GENERAL REVIEW:
Andrew Clements realistically captures the student point of view and the teacher point of view. The reader sympathizes with each’s frustrations and triumphs. The dialogue seems right on.
THEMES: school situations (with control issues), leadership, music appreciation
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- List all of the extra activities that Mr. Meinert does on his own time, according to his wife Lucy. (chapter 5)
- What are some ways that Mr. Meinert and Hart help each other with their leadership goals?
- What has the school district decided to do in the end? How does that effect Mr. Meinert? How does it effect Hart and the rest of the students?
ACTIVITIES: Reading Standard One, Benchmark Four and Reading Standard Two, Benchmark One
1. Design a program for your school’s next music concert. How is the design of a vocal concert’s program different from the design of a band/strings concert’s program?
2. Draw a picture of your favorite scene from the novel.
3. After reading chapter 13, make a Venn Diagram and write the heading “Leadership Styles”. Then label one circle “Mr. Meinert” and the other circle “Hart Evans”. Using page 96-98 as a close reference, complete the separate sections(differences in leadership styles) and the concentric portion(similarities in their leadership styles) of the Venn.
