Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal

Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants questions by chapter

We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. One question per chapter, across all 25 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.

1. Chapter 1

   Based on the title and what you have read so far, what kind of trouble do you predict Professor Poopypants will cause? Explain your clues.

   Example answer: I predict that Professor Poopypants will use science to cause a dangerous problem. The word "professor" makes me think he has special knowledge. The words "perilous plot" suggest that he will make a risky plan on purpose. Since Captain Underpants is in the title, I expect him to try to stop that plan.

2. Chapter 2

   Which event from your latest reading seems most important to the story of George, Harold, and Captain Underpants? Explain why you chose it.

3. Chapter 3

   What have you learned so far about George and Harold's friendship? Support your answer with something they say or do.

4. Chapter 4

   How does Jerome Horwitz Elementary School compare with a school you know? Describe a similarity or difference that stands out.

5. Chapter 5

   Which word or phrase in your reading helps make this Captain Underpants story funny? Explain its meaning and why it works.

6. Chapter 6

   What can you tell so far about how the characters treat people who seem different? Use an example from your reading.

7. Chapter 7

   Whose point of view would you like to hear more of: George's, Harold's, or Professor Poopypants's? Explain what you would want to learn.

8. Chapter 8

   How do Dav Pilkey's pictures and words work together in the pages you have read? Describe a detail that helps you understand the story or its humor.

9. Chapter 9

   What question would you ask George or Harold about a choice in the story so far? Explain why that question matters.

10. Chapter 10

    Which problem in the story seems hardest to solve right now? Explain what makes it difficult for the characters involved.

11. Chapter 11

    Where would you draw the line between a funny joke and a hurtful joke in this book? Explain your thinking using what you know so far.

    Example answer: I think a joke crosses the line when someone becomes the target instead of sharing the fun. Making fun of Professor Poopypants's name might seem funny to the students, but it can hurt his feelings. I would ask whether the person being teased is laughing, too. A funny name does not make someone deserve unkind treatment.

12. Chapter 12

    What do you predict George and Harold will do next? Use a detail from your reading to explain your prediction.

13. Chapter 13

    How does the way an adult behaves in this story compare with the way George and Harold behave? Discuss what you have noticed so far.

14. Chapter 14

    Which detail in your latest reading would you include in a short summary of this Captain Underpants adventure? Explain why it belongs.

15. Chapter 15

    What feeling does Dav Pilkey create in the pages you just read: excitement, worry, amusement, or something else? Explain how he creates it.

16. Chapter 16

    If you could give advice to one character in this book right now, whom would you choose, and what would you say? Explain your reason.

17. Chapter 17

    How has your opinion of George, Harold, or Professor Poopypants developed as you have read? Describe what shaped your thinking.

18. Chapter 18

    What does the story suggest so far about using power responsibly? Discuss a character's actions, ideas, or goals.

19. Chapter 19

    Which small detail from the words or pictures might become important later in this adventure? Explain your prediction.

20. Chapter 20

    How does the school setting help make this story funny or surprising? Use a detail from the book so far.

21. Chapter 21

    What would you want to keep the same if your latest reading were turned into a scene in a Captain Underpants movie? Explain why that detail matters.

22. Chapter 22

    The title uses the word "perilous." What do you think it means, and how does it shape your expectations for this Captain Underpants adventure?

    Example answer: I think "perilous" means dangerous or full of risk. It makes me expect a problem that will be difficult for Captain Underpants to handle. The silly name Professor Poopypants also makes me expect plenty of jokes. Together, those clues suggest that the adventure will mix danger with humor.

23. Chapter 23

    Which character has shown good judgment or poor judgment so far? Explain the choice you are thinking about and what another choice might have been.

24. Chapter 24

    What connection can you make between this book and another story about a hero? Explain one important similarity or difference.

25. Chapter 25

    Looking back over what you have read so far, what idea about kindness, friendship, or courage seems worth remembering? Explain how the story helped you notice it.