TITLE: The War With Grandpa?? GRADE LEVEL: 5 AUTHOR: Robert Kimmel Smith THEMES: Compromise, love, understanding feelings, solving conflict, communication SYNOPSIS: Peter had to give up his room. Although he loved his grandfather, he couldn't understand why he had to be the only family member to make a sacrifice so that his Grandpa could live with his family. Peter decided to declare war to regain his room--a war he could not win. His grandfather almost seemed to enjoy Peter's warring tactics and the opportunity to teach his grandson that war is not the answer. Grandpa used love, understanding and compromise to win the war. In the final chapter "Building the Peace," Peter helped grandpa build a basement apartment and grandpa placed a plaque on Peter's room--"Pete's Place." QUESTIONS: Q. What is the secret that Jennifer tells Peter? A. Grandpa is coming to live with them. Q. Why couldn't Grandpa live on the top floor of the house? A. He had a bad leg. Q.Did Peter like "doing mean things" to Grandpa? A.No, but it was WAR Q.How did Peter's friends encourage him? A.Gave him ideas, told him it was unfair that Grandpa had his room. Q.What did Grandpa do to gain Peter's respect? A.Took him on a fishing trip. Q.Would you have been able to continue the war after the fishing trip? A.Accept any answer. Q.What did Peter learn about war? A.People get hurt and no one really wins. Q.How did Peter's family solve the problem? A. They listened to Peter's needs and discussed Grandpa's needs clearly. Q. What could have prevented the war? A. Letting the whole family, including Grandpa, decide about the best room for Grandpa. Q.How can war be avoided? A. Accept any answer. Developed by Rosmary Lassiter, Parma High School, Parma, OH.
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