"If You Give a Mouse A Cookie" by Laura Joffe Numeroff illustrated by Felicia Bond

THE BOOK:
Felicia Bond is one of my favorite children's illustrators, and Laura Joffe Numeroff was nothing short than delightful when she wrote this now classic children's book. The story follows a boy as he invites a mouse to eat a cookie, which leads to a glass of milk, which leads to... well, the whole book. The mouse eventually just wants another cookie and the so-called "circle story" to repeat (if you read it again; and heaven knows you will read it again since the target demographic is preschool up to second grade).

Me and the book... I like to imagine those are cookies over
my head.

USE THE BOOK:

I have used this book with four year olds, Kinders, first, and second grade--in all cases it was a hit and kids learned something great. I will suggest, however, that you could stretch this book into further age groups. Read on for some ideas...

1. Preschool and Kindergarten Dramatic Play:

One of the great teachers I have worked next door to had a kit I would borrow once a year to share with my three and four year olds--the four year olds like it much more. She assembled all of the items, most of which are common household items like Scotch tape, crayons, and a broom (she had a mini version of one), to tell the story of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie". What I didn't know when I borrowed the kit was how pre-literacy skills were built when using the items. 

For instance, you can set these items at an activity center for two kids. The kids can work together to "read the book" and to act it out. The child who reads the book can use the pictures to help her tell her friend what to get out (e.g. "Get the straw!" or "He needs a napkin to get rid of the crumbs!"). I love the way kids could interact with the book. Matching verbal commands with pictures is early literacy!

For a more teacher-prepped version of this, make a list of all of the items Mouse will want. As the child goes down the list you can have a printed picture on the back of the text (like a flashcard). Encourage the child to look at the printed word and the picture. Clearly, this takes it to the next learning level in Kindergarten and even first grade.

2. First, Second, and Third Grade Creative Writing:

I used this activity with first and second grade, and I am now kicking myself for not using it with third grade. As most of you know, Numeroff and Bond have created an entire series of "If You Give a _____ a _____" books. They are all delightful, but this one and "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" rank as my top two. One of the fun activities I use in my classroom is to have students mimic the writing pattern and style.

For instance, I could write:

If you give a camel a Cheeze-It (the best snack in the universe), he will want a Valencia Orange to wash it down. Once he tastes that Starbucks drink, he'll want to get a cake pop to go with it. Eating the cake pop will remind him of going to a birthday party, so he'll want to call his friends over. But once he picks up your iPhone, he'll remember he wanted to play Angry Birds. 

And so on. Clearly my example is taken directly from my ADHD brain and life; go figure. But the point is, kids like making connections and this is a great format for them to make those wild, "Axe Cop" kind of connections.

The hardest part for the kids is finding the link back to the first part of the story. I often have them pair-share to come up with solutions. If they are really stuck I have then draw what the first item they offer to the animal is. That normally helps them see it, and from that they may come up with:

But when the camel sees the RedBox with the movies in it, he'll want a drink to go with his movie. And chances are he'll want another red box, a box of Cheeze-Its, to go with it.

Or something like that. They write better versions. Go see for yourself!

The inside page that pays homage to mothers and fathers everywhere.

3. Upper Grade and Beyond Grammar Focus:

I am not a huge grammar hound with kids, but the subject is important. I do end up teaching them quite a bit on the subject because it is empowering. One of the reoccurring grammar topics covered by this book is subordinating conjunctions and dependent clauses. Over and over again, the book uses phrases like "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to task for a glass of milk." and "When you give him the milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw." The beginning clauses, you may notice, when ripped apart, cannot stand on their own. Thus, they are dependent upon the other half to make sense.

I use "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" as a mentor text as it does a great job of demonstrating these often neglected commas. The famed AAAWWUBBIS will help you teach this concept even better, but be sure to use this book as a fun, throwback mentor text!

I also have students mimic the writing style and create as many absurd lines for this book as possible. It is similar to the above writing prompt, but we tend to do sentences and not a whole story.

Remember, make small mouse-steps toward strong grammar; it pays off in the end!

4. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. Should the boy have given the mouse the cookie? Why or why not?
2. What adjectives would you use to describe the mouse?
3. What are the boy's feelings toward the mouse? Do they change as the book develops? How can you tell?
4. How is this book similar to the Cat in the Hat? How is it different
5. If the mouse came to your house, what different activities would he want to do based on the things you have at your house?

I hope you enjoy "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"... And I hope you and your kids enjoy all of its busy fun!

Happy learning!

"American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang

THE BOOK:
Another graphic novel hits the list: "American Born Chinese" is a fabulous, award-winning story by Gene Luen Yang that follows three seemingly unconnected stories that, in the end, all intertwine to tell a bigger, unified story. The novel follows the Monkey King, Jin Wang, and a stereotypical looking Chinese caricature named Chin-Kee and his cousin Danny. All of the story lines cause the reader to consider the concept of accepting yourself as you are, and not trying to be something you are not. I adore this book, and I know I haven't done it justice... Alas...

Me and "American Born Chinese" (BTW, I love this cover.)

USE THE BOOK:

This book is a great piece to share with grades 6-12. I think the interest level would peak at ninth grade, but older kids may find it interesting if they are new to the genre of graphic novel. Here are a few ideas to steal for your lessons...

1. Pop Culture Research on Racism and/or Stereotyping: 
The story of Chin-Kee and Danny reads like a television program where Chin-Kee plays the stereotypical Chinese character often found in old movies--think of him as, you know, Mickey Rooney in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" but Chinese and not Japanese.  The portrayal of characters like this in the novel and in the film brings an interesting research question to mind: How are different people groups portrayed on television and film?

Students in middle school up to high school seem to consume more Netflix, TV shows, and movies than any other demographic, so this research question will appeal to their interests. Have the students team up in groups of three and, in their groups, select a people group to explore (e.g. Chinese men, Japanese women, white women, gray haired white men, black men, etc.). Then have each person in the group take one aspect of pop culture to research as to how this people group is shown in media. Here is what each student in the group would do:

1- Get a list the current top 10 movies. For each of the major blockbusters, have one student see where their team's people group is shown. What are their jobs in the film? What are their roles in the storyline? Are they portrayed negatively or positively? Is it fair?

2- Get a list of the top 10 TV series. For each show, have a student look to see if there are any individuals from their team's people group? If so, what do they do, say, and act like? If not, to what numbered show do you need to get to in order to find someone from your people group? What are their jobs in the shows? What are their roles in the storyline? Are they portrayed negatively or positively? Is it fair?

3- Get three magazines and flip through their pages. What ads, stories, or products do you see that depict your team's people group? What kinds of activities are they engaged in if any? If there are none, why do you suppose they are not featured? What are their jobs in the magazine's pages? Are they portrayed negatively or positively? Is it fair?

Students research on their own then bring the work together in teams for discussion. From their initial research, students can then analyze the data in a team. What do the data say about that particular people group? Does it seem racist, stereotypical, balanced? Have students analyze and then come to a conclusion. Results can be shared in a presentation, research paper, or poster display.

A scene with the section about "The Monkey King".

2. Symbolism Exploration:

In this book, the Transformer is an obvious symbol of Jin Wang's internal struggle to want to change into another creation. Have students think about other typical struggles other teens/tweens face: knowing yourself, pretending to be something you're not, wanting to fit in, not telling the truth, feeling like a kid but wanting to be an adult, racist thoughts, sexist thoughts toward the opposite gender, anger towards self, anger towards authority, apathy... the list goes on.

Have students select a visual to represent that struggle. They can print a picture from Google Images, find one in a magazine, or create it themselves.  For instance, if a student selects the struggle of feeling ugly, he may select the image of a broken mirror. On a separate piece of paper, the student describes the feeling in a short paragraph. 

THIS IS NOT A TIME TO AIR OUT ALL OF THE KIDS' INNER STRUGGLES; it is meant to be a time to consider symbols. Many kids will write what they actually feel, so this can be a very touchy exercise; however, if handled with care, compassion, and teacher-awareness, this can be a fabulous activity.


3. Conformity Discussion:

This book deals with the pressures of conformity. Have students spend a passing period, break, recess, or lunch looking at their peers. What trends can they see that all groups of people, no matter their race or ethnicity, partake? Have students consider they style of clothing, haircuts, language patterns, and the like. After they gather their research, have a class discussion on conformity and why we strive to be "one with the group". 

4. Myths Across Cultures: 

One of my personal favorite aspects of this book is the inclusion of the Monkey King myth. I happen to be a big lover of mythology, and this book lends itself to a great discussion of myths around the world. One of my mentors, Vickie Gill, gave me this lesson on researching myths (similar to the stereotype/racism research mentioned above).

Have students join together in teams of three or four. As a team they select a question that myth typically answers. In this book, one of the many questions that is answered is: Can you change who you are? Some of the questions students might try to tackle in this project include:

Where do we come from?
How can you please the gods?
What is the role of men/women in society?
Can the gods be deposed?
What happens after we die?

Then, as individuals they each choose a culture from around the world: Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Chinese, Chumash, Celtic, Hindu, etc. Each member should have a different culture, but they will share the one question.

Now students go find the answer to that question. I have my students look for stories, not overt "Yahoo Answers". I want them to spend time reading myth from other parts of the world to discover the answers. After looking at the library, going online, and even watching some videos, students begin to get a sense of that culture's mythology.

For instance, if a student read the myth of Orpheus, he would understand where the Greeks believed they went in the afterlife. If another student read the myth of Valhalla or Helheim, she might understand the differing ideas on the afterlife for Norse mythology. And still another student might read the myth of Anubis and Osiris to learn what the Egyptians believed. Together, these three students can have a well-researched and thoughtful discussions about the similarities and differences between these myths and people groups.  

5. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. Is this book's depiction of Chinese people racist or inappropriate? Why or why not?
2. What is the meaning of the title "American Born Chinese"?
3. How is our school similar to the ones depicted in this book?
4. How did Jin Wang's choices change Wei-Chen?
5. From what character faults does Jin Wang suffer? Does he ever overcome them? If so, when and where? If not, why not?


I hope you enjoy this excellent graphic novel "American Born Chinese"... And I hope you and your classes are challenged to think about the world in a new way.


Happy learning!

"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak

THE BOOK:
I guess I couldn't resist pulling out this other Maurice Sendak classic. "Where the Wild Things" is one of my childhood favorites that follows a rambunctious boy named Max who is sent to bed without his supper. It is there in his room that he escapes his punishment and his imagination takes over; he journeys to where the wild things are and becomes their king. After a wild rumpus, he heads back to his room only to discover his dinner is there.

Awesome typewriter, the book
with a jungle growing out of it, and me.

USE THE BOOK:

This book can reach every age group... seriously, every age from the toddlers all the way up to the college students. (It is AR Level 3.4.). It is a staple of most classrooms, so here are some ideas to use with the book...

1. Study the Art:
Many times we just say "Cool art..." or "Wow! Those are some amazing pictures." This is a book that is so brilliantly constructed I have met college students who study it for nearly a month. I don't expect most classrooms to use this for a month, but a five minute in-depth observation is certainly warranted, no matter if you are in grade K or 12.

When you look at the construction of the pages do you notice something unique? Some of you caught it right away; Sendak illustrates so each ilustration gets bigger and bigger until the wild rumpus starts. The first page, as pictured below, is a small thumbnail-like piece, and by the time the rumpus is in full swing, the entire page is engulfed with art--even the words are eliminated. Then, after the rumpus has gone on, Max calls it quits and the scenes from that point on get smaller and smaller. Some of you who have read this a thousand times will suddenly see this. Go look, you will be delighted.

I can only imagine there are lots of theories as to why the pages do this. My personal theory is it is Max's entry and departure into his imagination. I personally love that the last page is just the words "and it was still hot." Helping kids of any age see this structure helps them to discern details and nuances in books. I can't tell you how helpful that is when they get to high school. Start kids noticing details with pictures and the learning will spill into other aspects of study.

In addition to how the art is cropped, designed, and framed, you can study his style with pen and ink and watercolor--a fantastic art teacher at my school did this with high school students. Consider how one could use this work and analyze his developing style and perspective through a comparison of his picture books. Seriously, this is worth the time--think of the great papers older students might write on this subject!

2. The Perfect Reader's Theater:

Not only is my wife a talented author (check out her book Sherlock Academy), she is also a local arts teacher for the public schools.  When she works with grades K-2, she uses this very book to create a reader's theater. She spends 8 forty-five minute lessons to build a working knowledge of setting, character, stage directions, voice, and theater jargon... but you can do an abbreviated version of this in your classroom, even if it is just a homeschool group of three or four kids.

Some things you will want to do:

First, if you are working with a full class, divide the class into two groups. Essentially you will double cast actors for the book. For instance, rather than casting one Max, you'll have a Max for Group A and a Max for Group B. The same will be for all assignments.

And that's just where I'd start: characters. There are only a few: Max, the dog, Max's never-seen mother, and, of course, the Wild Things. Double cast all of these characters, one for Group A and one for Group B--I suggest you pick out about 5-10 wild things for each group. You'll know the ones to pick for this one. :-)

The first page, an example of the smaller illustration that
eventually grows into the place where the wild things are.

The rest of the class will be double cast as setting and props. Before announcing this, have the children think of where the story is set. There are actually three locations: Max's room, a forest complete with an ocean, and the place where the wild things are. If you are in a traditional classroom, some of the kids will become the setting. Using their bodies, kids group together to create a shapes to form the setting and props. A group of four kids will put their arms in the air to look like a four-poster bed, others become walls or ceilings that will later turn into trees hung with vines. While some students may groan about being a piece of furniture, without them the piece doesn't work--think about the page where Sendak says, "and an ocean tumbled by...". Without the actors becoming the setting, we would have a hard time imagining this.. Have the kids really examine the book to discover what important props and setting figures they will need. Obviously, you could just stick with characters if you are doing this with a smaller group of homeschoolers.

But for those of us with large classes, once you have two full casts, you will call on Group A to get up and practice their performance. This will be a run through that you can directly supervise and give feedback. Don't feel like you have to go through it seamlessly--take time to give feedback and stop.

During this time, Group B will watch as the audience. I would spend time the time to talk to Group B about what it means to be a good audience member. Remind them it is good to laugh when things are funny, clap at the end of the show, and, most of all, watch and listen quietly through the whole piece.

You then read the book aloud and Group A goes through the motions. Read slowly, and allow kids to explore movements and acting choices. After they are finished, ask a few audience members what they liked about the characters, setting, and props--I typically ask for a compliment for each category.

After Group A has practiced, it is now Group B's turn to practice. Before they do, I ask Group A to tell me what makes a good audience--it is always great to hear what they think, especially after being under the spotlight. Group B has a go at it, and then they get the same feedback.

At this time I would give each group a copy of the book and have them go to separate parts of the room to perfect their performances. After a good 15 minute rehearsal, gather together and watch the two shows.

Some great follow up writing can be done on this--have them write a review of the other team's work,  write an ad to invite others to come see the show, reflect on how they became their part, or just recount the entire process in a diary-like entry.

The many faces of Max... and this is only a few!

3. The Many Faces of Max- Studying the Nuances of Vocabulary: 

Max is created beautifully. His expression is completely different on each page. From disdain to rebellious gloating, and pride to utter boredom, his look changes on every page.

One of the best vocabulary activities I use with grades K-12 is to have them identify these mood words. With Kinders you may hear words like "happy" or "bored", and with twelfth graders you may hear "disdainful" or "lugubrious". The key with this activity is to not let kids settle on the first words that come to their minds... Yes, write down first ideas and acknowledge them, but ask if it is really the best word to describe the emotion. Push them to think about other words or use a thesaurus and a dictionary. Once you have an official list, you can then list out his mood page-by-page.  Here is an example list (assuming pg. 1 is the first page we read):


pg. 2- rebellious
pg. 4- fiendish
pg. 6- sassy
pg. 8- haughty
pg. 10- elated
pg. 12- (no face shown) wild
pg. 14- proud
pg. 16- startled
pg. 17- unperturbed
pg. 19- commanding
pg. 21- superior
pg. 24- wolfish
pg. 25- crafty
pg. 27- proud
pg. 30- bored
pg. 31- content
pg. 34- snooty
pg. 36- delighted

A variation of this activity is to print out the word list above and mix them up so kids don't know to which pages they are assigned. Then ask students to match the word to the emotion expressed by Max. Some may argue about placement, and that is brilliant! The key is examining the nuances of words; give kids a chance to discuss denotation and connotation of words. It sparks a lively class time and brings language to the heart of the session.

4. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. If you were to go where the wild things are, what would your reaction be?
2. If your room could magically transform to a new place, what would it be? Describe it in detail.
3. When you get mad, what do you do to work through those feelings?
4. Does Max deserve to have his supper at the end of the book? Why or why not?
5. What lesson do you think Sendak is trying to say to his readers? Do you agree with the message? Why or why not?




I hope you enjoy picking up "Where the Wild Things Are"... And I hope you still get your supper tonight.

Happy learning!

"Chicken Soup with Rice" by Maurice Sendak

THE BOOK:
Maurice Sendak, in the words of my students, is BAE. I love his bizarre sense of humor, and "Chicken Soup with Rice" is no exception. This book follows one of Sendak's boys through all of the months of the year as he eats up chicken soup, no matter the weather or celebration. The book notes many holidays and events in its fun, song-like rhyme scheme.

Mr. Shaw, in the kitchen, with the book.

USE THE BOOK:

This book can reach young preschool all the way up to third grade (It is AR Level 3.2.). I love using it year-round in programs that allow celebration of holidays (or at least studying of holidays). So here are some ideas to use with the book...

1. Sing, Memorize, and Preform:

Awhile back, Psychology Today shared an article (here) that discusses why we should memorize, and I tend to agree. So my belief is we should memorize a new poem, song, or quote at least once a year. That goes for kids, too.

One way to do this is to take Sendak's book and use it month-by-month. What I did in my K-2 class was this:

In August, the first month of school for us, I made a photocopy of page 20, August. I then posted that copy in my Calendar Corner, and each day we sat down to do the calendar, we read the poem (well, we actually sang it, thanks to Carole King).

Each month I would change the photocopy and we would move on to the next part of the poem, leaving the other one up just behind the new one. Every first day of the month we would spend time spiraling back to the old poems. The result?

In June, our last month of school, my Kindergarten, first and second grade class had memorized 11 of the 12 stanzas. I squeezed in one more in the last week, July, and then the kids got up at Open House and sang the entire poem. 

Parents were amazed, and I was happy. It just goes to show how much we can do if we slow down and take it one step at a time.

2. Write the Recipe: 

There are only two ingredients that are mentioned in the book: chicken and rice. But you can do much more. For those of you soup lovers (sadly, I am not a soup man), there are many additions to make a soup flavorful: salt, pepper, carrots, and... well, you get the idea.

I start this project by showing kids real recipes from cookbooks or online--like Martha Stewart or Rachael Ray. I remind them someone, Ms. Stewart or Ms. Ray perhaps, has written it. This is real writing! We make a list of what elements make a typical recipe. The kids note they list ingredients, amounts of each ingredient, step-by-step instructions, numbers organizing the instructions, and a photo of the finished dish are all commonly noted elements.

Once they have seen recipes, I show them ones to make soup. We talk about the process and common tasks: boiling, simmering, chopping, and such. I write these terms on a word wall. After assembling this list, I talk to kids about what they like to eat, and we imagine which of those ingredients would make the best soup--a soup so good you'd want to eat it every month of the year. The only two required ingredients are chicken and rice--and even those can be thrown out since I will deal with kids who are vegan/vegetarian or those who don't eat rice (I don't know who that would be, but I assume there are some out there).  We list the ingredients on the word wall, and then I give the official task:

Write a recipe to make a "slurp-it-up-every-month-of-the-year" kind of soup. With all of the prep work, the kids should now be well prepared to construct their own recipes. Have the kids mimic the format studied and even use a book, online source, or a printout as a guide.

Once finished, have the kids illustrate a picture of their perfect soup.

The above mentioned starting page for my class to learn the poem.

3. Quick Watercolor Project:

Above, I mentioned I copy the pages of this book; I also make additional black and white copies and have students watercolor them. Regular printer paper works great, but if you have watercolor paper I suggest printing the pages on that--the quality is great. Either way, I adore the kids' color choices, and the project is really short and, more or less, open ended fun. Simple and fun.

4. Sequence and Reading Game:

I continue to make copies of the book (EEK! I am suddenly concerned with copyright laws), and I have a page for each kid (if you have more than 12 as most teachers do, have kids form pairs and work together on a page or divide the class in half and make it a competition between the two sides). Give a page to each child and have the kids read them to themselves. Then, after all have read their pages, have each child get out of his/her chair and try to get organized in the proper month order--January, February, March, etc. To test if they got the order correct, have the kids read/sing their pages aloud. You can do the game a second time by having kids trade papers.

The game is fun and is a way for kids to practice sequencing the months, get a chance to practice reading, and to work in a team. The same project can be duplicated with a child on his/her own and you can time him/her to keep the excitement alive.

5. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. Which month of the year offers the best time for eating Chicken Soup with Rice? Why?
2. If you could convince the author to change the food from soup to another dish, what would you like? What makes that dish so good?
3. When you look at the poem, what do you notice about its structure? Are there the same amount of lines? Do any repeat? Why does the author/poet do this?
4. We don't know much about the boy in the book, other than his love for Chicken Soup with Rice. Write a story that tells how he came to fall in love with his soup.
5. If you wanted to convince someone to eat your favorite food, how would you convince them?

I hope you enjoy this catchy classic, "Chicken Soup with Rice"... And I hope you and your kids are inspired to cook up some fun together.

Happy learning!

"The Napping House" by Audrey Wood illustrated by Don Wood

THE BOOK:
This is one of my favorite "throwback" books and is perfect for a rainy day. Audrey and Don Wood create a superb house where everyone and everything is napping. This book builds until all the residents are slumbering on the same bed, except for one tiny flea. In a similar style of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly", this book builds and builds and then unfolds to a wakeful moment.

The perfect rainy day book and me.

USE THE BOOK:

This book can reach young toddlers all the way up to second grade or third grade. (It is AR Level 3.0.) It is perfect for any setting--large or small groups or one-on-one. It is just that good. Here are some ideas for you to steal...

1. The Perfect Napping Conditions:
Most kids don't look forward to a nap--a few do, but most grumble and have the idea that all the fun stuff happens during nap time. So... As a thought to help assuage the nap time dilemmas in the world, one activity you can glean from this book is "The Perfect Nap".

Ask kids what they think would make the perfect conditions for napping. Should the room be warm and the bed be cold? Should they have just eaten a big meal, or just nibbled on dessert? Should they have lots of pillows to cuddle or should they just have a blanket? Should the room be silent or do you want the sound of a fan or music playing? Talk about these choices and make a word bank on the board with words like: pillow, blanket, quiet, and the like.

Soon you will discover the perfect napping place is quite different for each individual. For instance, my wife loves to nap in our master bed room with the fan going and an eye mask. I, however, prefer dozing off in front of old TV shows from 1989. To each his own... which is what makes this assignment fun.

After kids talk about it and you have created a word bank, give them a sentence frame to get them started on writing their ideas formally. Consider using:

If I could set up the perfect nap, I would ____________.

Have students use simple transition words like "First", "Next", and "Last" to address what the napping place needs. The writing will be unique to each child, and if a kid doesn't ever want to take a nap, allow her to write about how to avoid the perfect nap. I find going with the child's thinking is what matters most here!

2. Labeling Pictures:

This book, much like "Goodnight Moon", has a lot of opportunity for the old point and ask, "What is that?" I suggest extending that activity to serve literacy's sake. Print out small cards with words like "rug", "bed", "shoes", "jug", "mirror", and then have the children place the words on top of the item in the book. This reaches into the whole language world, and I like it. Placing the word on top of the picture helps the child make a connection with the word and the picture.

I took this at night because there were no naps by the preschool
patron of our house.

3. Watch the Window:

My favorite part of this book is the changing window next to the bed. I love how the rain creates a perfect napping environment, and when the flea gets down to business, the sun starts to break through.

One creative idea is to have a child take a photo of what is outside the classroom window every day for a month. For many of us there are trees with changing foliage or grasses with varying shades of green or brown (depending on your restrictions on watering, California). With digital photographer everywhere, this is a really fun project that, if printed, can make an AMAZING flip book.

For a shorter version of this, spend one day and take a photo every hour the child is up--use your iPhone's alarm clock to remind you to snap the shot. At the end of the day load the photos onto a screen big enough for all interested parties to see, and then discuss the changes in shadows, clouds, parked cars, and the like.

Older kids can write about it, and younger kids can draw a significant change. If there are no changes, that is noteworthy in itself! Strong observation, discussion, and analytical skills are huge factors in what separate great writers, scientists, and spouses from the dumpy ones. (Thankfully, my wife is the best at all three of those skills.)

4. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. What woke the flea? (This question is always a lot of fun to debate.)
2. Who is responsible to fix the bed? (Again, a fun debate with many possibly answers.)
3. What might happen after the last page of the book when everyone is outside?
4. Flip back through the book. What colors evoke the feeling of sleep? What colors evoke the feeling of being awake? Why do you think this is?
5.  How might this story change if the setting was different? In a zoo? In the forest? On a boat?




I hope you enjoy this personal favorite "The Napping House"... And I hope you and your kids are inspired to take a good nap today!


Happy learning!

"underGROUND" by Denise Fleming

THE BOOK:
Denise Fleming created "underGROUND" a simple, few-words picture book that is perfect for toddlers up to kindergarten. The simple rhymes, large design, and outdoorsy premise is sure to be a hit with young kids. The loose story--which is almost more like a happening--follows the creatures who live in many backyards across the U.S. as they form their homes and settle in their spaces.

Me (no, I'm not eating the book) and "underGROUND"

USE THE BOOK:

This is  a great read aloud for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in a group setting. I can see this being used as a springboard for discussion with older children, but it finds its perfect home in the world of preschool and Kinder. Here's what I would do with it with preK and K...

1. Backyard Bingo:

At the back of the book, you will find a great "Creature Identification" guide to find all of the creatures in the book. You can use it like a "Where's Waldo?" for the book and search for the pictures in the book, or you can make your own Backyard Bingo with the guide. Use the guide to think about which animals live in your backyard. Then make copies of the page. Paste the animals on a tic-tac-toe-styled board or Bingo board, and make copies for the kids. Take the book (your research guide), some crayons, and your boards outside. Then have the kids settle down and sit somewhere... and be silent as nature starts to creep around them. 

I have done this activity when I went on a nature hike with my K-2 class at Oso Flaco Lake, thanks to the good people at The Guadalupe Dune Center and The Target Corporation. I have found it is a good idea to come up with some sort of hand signal when I child finds a creature. The worst thing that can happen is a child screams out, "I see a bird!" and because of all of the commotion, the bird flies aways before we can get a good look at it.

Sometimes with younger kids in preschool I have made binoculars out of toilet paper rolls like the ones here--it adds to the fun, but they aren't necessary.

After finding some creatures (few truly find them all), I have the students write their findings down in sentences. With young children I write the words they dictate in yellow marker and they trace over the letters. With slightly older kids in the first half of Kinder, I have a sentence frame that starts them off such as "I saw one ______ outside." The child then can use his Bingo card to find the name of the animal he saw. He can then fill in the blank and create a successful sentence. Kids who are more advanced can even create their own sentences.

Remember, nature is just outside your door. You don't need to spend money to go to a lake or the beach--find nature in your own backyard!

2. Dig:

I hope this goes without saying, but I would simply grab some shovels and start digging after reading this book. Spray the ground, get some gardening tools and see what you can find! I always have the best time with my preschool-aged son when we are in the garden together. Great teachable moments happen in the garden.

A page from the book that inspired carrot growing.

3. Science Experiment:

I love to grow small plants inside the classroom. This book is a great way to kickoff growing any sort of plant as Fleming does a superb job of showing the different parts of a plant, including the rarely seen roots. The three most successful "growings" I have done in my classroom are: beans inside of a plastic bag (here is a link to another person's bean project), carrots in a see-through planter (here is that link), and simple house plants.

With the house plants, I do a variation on this project. I talk to my kids about how plants get all they need out in nature. We discuss that they typically get enough soil, water, and space to thrive. To further demonstrate these needs, I purchase five small 99-cent plants at the store to conduct an experiment.

I tell the kids we are going to take away one of the required needs away from each plant. We make signs to label each plant (e.g. Plant 1, Plant 2, etc.), and a table to understand what our labels mean. It might look something like this:

Plant 1	Plant 2	Plant 3	Plant 4	Plant 5
Normal Conditions	No Soil	No Water	No Sunshine	No Space

I have the kids help experiment, and I give them the term variable. Over the next month we take time every few days to see what happens to each plant. As we observe, I give kids a journal to keep track of their observations. 

As time goes on, it is clear the plant with the book on top of it needs more space. Plant 2 without its soil always does ok--but it has seen better days. The one without sunshine does ok, but starts to turn yellow. The one with no water, Plant 3, looks horrible. And finally the one that I put a book on top of to eliminate its need for space, looks like a pressed flower leaf and is normally brown or yellow. Kids seem to internalize the lesson once they have truly experienced it first hand.

4. Get Denise and Talk Paper:

If you want a real treat, get Deniese Fleming to come to your school. I had the privilege of meeting her at a conference a few years ago, and I was amazed to learn about her paper making skills. You can read about them here on her website; however, nothing will compare to an in-person visit.

If anything, you can show your kids the interesting process of making your own paper and creating a book. "underGROUND" is made through a process of pouring and shaping pulp into the beautiful works of art you see in the book. Check out this YouTube video of Denise talking about her work. I also suggest you check out some paper making on YouTube, there were hundreds of good videos on there, so just spend some time clicking around.

After looking at the work, you may even try to make your own paper (I haven't done this yet, but a few of my teacher friends in the upper grade classrooms have done this to great success.)

With that in mind, ALWAYS contact authors and illustrators about sharing at schools. You should pay them for their work, but many are willing to do Skype visits at huge discounts.

5. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. Predict what will happen when it rains. What will become of the animals' habitats?

2. How can we help keep animals that live underground safe in their habitats?

3. What colors does the author use to draw your attention to the page?

4. What other sorts of foods can you grow out of the ground?

5. Imagine you are in one of the underground scenes. Describe what it would feel like to be there.

I hope you enjoy "underGROUND"... And I hope you take some time to dig around!

Happy learning!

"animals everywhere" words by Lillian Pluta pictures by Jillian Phillips

THE BOOK:
My wife and I picked up this book in San Jose, California at "Happy Hollow Park and Zoo"--BTW it is a great place to take kids ages 6 months up to 6 years. Back to the book... It is an eco-friendly book following a hodgepodge of animals in their varying habitats around the world. With a nice rhyme and adorable illustrations, this one is a great animal lovers book to add to your library. At the back of the book, it has two pages of mini-descriptions of animal needs, ideas to preserve nature, and an activity to build a bird house and a diorama.

"animals everywhere" and me, in a rare hat-less moment.

USE THE BOOK:

While it is a smaller book, it is a good one to read aloud in a group or share one-on-one with a kid ages 2-8.  Here are some ideas for you to steal...

1. Verb Hunt:
One night while reading this book to my preschool-aged son, I discovered it was chock-full of great verbs. Phrases like:

"Up in the Arctic, where the cold winds blow, polar  bears tussle in the soft white snow. Reindeer prance as a walrus floats by, and furry little foxes stay warm and dry."

(Adorable, right?)

So I decided to read it aloud to my high school English students to help them deal with parts of speech (because as high school students they still have trouble with it), but this can be done with kids as young as first or second grade.

After reading the book aloud, they were then asked to jot down as many verbs as they could remember from the text. For instance from the above phrases they could have noted: blow, tussle, and prance, to name a few.

At the end of the book they had long lists, and with those lists we played a Scattergories-esk game. One student read out his list, and the others would raise their hands if they caught the same verb. Verbs that were caught by another listener earned zero points. Those that were caught by only one listener earned one point.

What do they win? They rarely win something tangible; I typically shout out, "Good job! Five life points for you." A few students said they were keeping track of life points... but I digress.

From this I then give them sentences from the book. I have the class circle the verbs, and then I ask them to try changing the verbs around to say something new with the verb choice. We can take the phrase  "Up in the Arctic, where the cold winds blow, polar  bears tussle in the soft white snow" and change it to "Up in the Arctic, where the cold winds sings, polar  bears dance in the soft white snow".  (You'll notice I didn't worry about the rhyme scheme or the meter when I changed my verbs; it is less cumbersome to deal with if you are free to play with the words.)

I then play the same Scattergories-esk game with the class. We see who has repeats, and the same scoring of zero points for a repeat and one point for a unique word apply. Life points are given, and the students squeal with delight... well, maybe they just grin politely.

This activity illuminates the importance of word choice, especially with the ever-important vivid verb. After this lesson I have found vivid verb usage skyrockets.

2. Technical Writing to Avoid the Artsy and Costly Diorama: 
I actually love making dioramas with kids. Kids love them too... mostly. There can be a point, however, where there are too many bank-breaking or dumpster-diving projects. Solution? Have kids imagine they are setting up the perfect zoo for one of the animals in the book. (Ideally, each child will select a different animal.) Have each child research what that animal needs to survive and thrive. Then have the child write a letter to the zoo proposing what the animal needs. Clearly this will need to be based in research. I suggest subscribing to great magazines like Ranger Rick or using websites like these. 

When they finally have their research, have the kids think about their audience. They need to realize they are "sending" these to the owners of a zoo, so their language should reflect that.

One page featuring animals of the rainforest. 

3. "I am" Personification Poem:

After reading the book together, have each child select an animal they enjoy (ideally, each child will select a different animal). Once each child has an animal, have the child brainstorm how she would describe it.

1. Is it big? Big as compared to what?
2. Is it loud? Loud as compared to a chainsaw or a buzzing refrigerator?
3. What type of covering does it have? Fur? Scales? Feathers?
4. What does it eat? Bugs or pizza?
5. To what habitat does it belong?

And so on...

Once the child knows the animal, have her begin to create a personification poem where she gradually reveals the identity of the animal. For instance, a child might write:

I am tall, taller than some of the trees at your house.
I am big, bigger than the car you rode in this morning.
I am loud and quiet.
  I can be as loud a trumpet in a 4th of July Parade!
  But I can be as soft as a fan in a classroom during a test.
I am covered with gray skin, but I also have hair.
I am an eater. I eat lots of food. At the circus they give me peanuts.
I am a resident of Africa and Asia, but you can see me at the zoo.
I am an elephant. 

A fun part of this activity is having kids pair up in teams to do "detective work" to discover which animal their friends have written about.

This makes a good bulletin board for Back to School Night or Open House as each student will have a unique piece of poetry, plus you can add an art project to the writing. Have each student draw a picture of the animal and its habitat and tack it to the wall. Then on top of that drawing, tack the child's poem with tacks only at the top. Visitors can then lift up the poem to see the art work. Nifty, eh?

4. Discussions/Writing Prompts:

Use these prompts to talk about the book with your kids, or you can have them write their responses. Remember, picture books don't need to stop in second grade!

1. If you were to select a habitat in which to reside, which would you pick and why?
2. Which of these habitats do you believe to be the most important? Why?
3. If you were to add an additional page to one of these habitat descriptions, what would it say? (Ask kids to elaborate on one page, such as on the page above: The daddy jaguar tucks his cub in for the night, while crickets start to chirp and sing with delight.)
4. Many of these habitats are far away, while some are in our backyard. Make a list of five things we can do to ensure these habitats are protected for the animals that call them home.
5. Choose one of the animals mentioned in the book. Describe the animal with vivid verbs, specific nouns, and thought-provoking adjectives. You may even wish to write about it in rhyme.


I hope you enjoy "animals everywhere"... And I hope you and your kids enjoy the delightful eco-awareness book!


Happy learning!