Pigsty

Name: Pigsty
Author: Mark Teague

A story that explores responsibility and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families

Read the Guiding Questions Find this book →

♥ This book teaches: Responsibility. owning your choices and their consequences.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition: doing what needs to be done without complaining. In short: Do what needs to be done. Summary: This is a humorous account of a boy who doesn’t want to keep his room clean. His mom tells him he can live in a pigsty if he wants to - his room is his responsibility. When real pigs come to live with him Wendell enjoys their company. But more pigs come and they create a huge undesirable mess. When Wendell complains to his mom, he’s reminded that it’s his job to take care of his room. He devises a plan that works, and learns an important lesson about responsibility. Lesson Objectives:

Students will show more willingness to do what needs to be done and take pride in accomplishing their responsibility.

Guiding Questions:

Why do you think Wendell didn’t want to clean his room?
Are you in charge of cleaning your room and/or doing chores around the house? Explain what you do.
What did Wendell’s mom tell him when she saw how messy his room was?
A pigsty is a fenced area where farmers keep their pigs. What do you think it’s like?
At first Wendell didn’t mind living with a couple of pigs. What changed his mind?
What did Wendell’s mom say when he complained about his messy room?
How did Wendell solve his problem?
How do you feel when your stuff gets messed up? Describe a time when that happened to you and what you did about it.
Are you like Wendell was in the beginning of the story or not? Do you like to have an organized clean space around you?
Is it easier to find things when your house, your room, and your desk are organized and clean?

🌿 Virtue Connection: Responsibility means owning what is yours, including your choices.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.