Learning is fun!
Posted in fourth grade, how to, origami, and picture book lesson
Fourth graders had fun in the Jackson Library this week after enjoying the read aloud, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs. We used a glossary, looked at context clues, made predictions, and folded a fortune teller.
Fortune Teller – in the Event Kit
Posted in picture book lesson, and second grade
Jackson Elementary second graders had fun with the silly story, The Book With No Pictures this week! They made up their own definitions of the nonsense words and drew pictures for the book! This activity is from Being Mrs. Barnes’ TPT store. I adapted her activity sheet to add made up words from the book El libro sin dibujos for the bilingual classes. Fun!
Posted in reading skills, and second grade
Second graders read the sequel to Interrupting Chicken, Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise in the Jackson Library. They put the picture of the elephant in each traditional story and thought it was so very funny! At the tables, they created door hangers – one side with ‘Interrupt Me!’ and one with ‘I’m Reading!’ I adapted these from the Candlewick Press activity kit by drawing little chicken on one side and Papa on the I’m Reading side.
Posted in first grade, and picture book lesson
Last week in the Jackson Library, first graders analyzed character traits and the motives of the characters in @bobshea ‘s Cheetah Can’t Lose picture book. As we read the book about Cheetah racing the kittens, we watched the little kittens snicker and Cheetah become more brazen with his bragging. The kids started putting velcro boxes on Cheetah’s feet, balloons in his hand, and sundaes in his mouth on the poster to think about what was really going on here. I think the visual poster in addition to reading the book helps them to conceptualize what is happening. After deducing that the kittens were trying to make Cheetah lose the race, we discussed the complex ending and why it ended that way. It was a great discussion on how to be a true friend and the characteristics of a friend. At the tables, the kids recalled the objects the kittens used to thwart Cheetah.
Posted in apps, kindergarten, and picture book lesson
This week in the Jackson Library, kindergarten categorized the good things and bad things about being a dinosaur from the book Rawr! by Todd H. Doodler. Then at the tables, they created a dinosaur puppet to expand on even more things not in the story. They completed a dinosaur puzzle on the tablets.
Posted in first grade, and picture book lesson
We had loads of fun today with The Wonky Donkey and first graders! We read the story and discussed the meaning of vocabulary words within it: wonky, lanky, cranky, stinky, winky, hanky-panky, honky-tonky, etc. Then we read it through again while playing the song (Scholastic.com). Craig Smith won an Apra award (Apra New Zealand Best Children’s Song of the Year) in 2009. At the tables, the kids had to draw their own wonky donkey and we listened to an animated retelling/song version by Alina Celeste. What fun!
YouTube Sensations “The Scottish Granny” Visits NYC for “Wonky Donkey” Event
Posted in apps, and first grade
Last week in the Jackson Elementary Library, first graders enjoyed a big-screen version of the Reynolds/Santat book, DUDE! First we read it through once, looking closely at the pictures. The second time we read it, the kids held up index cards with words around it:
Yay! Hey… Oh no! Ha! Guys…? Hello! What?
When they saw the picture that went with each ‘DUDE!’ they had to interpret the ‘DUDE!’ as one of the index card phrases. So when the animals saw the steep cliff rocks ahead when they were surfing, the kids would hold up ‘Oh no!’ as the translation for ‘DUDE!’ When two different answers emerged, we had a great discussion as to why both answers might be right. The kids LOVED this book! At the tables during check out, we had fun with Sago Ocean.
Posted in first grade, and picture book lesson
First graders laughed out loud last week when we read Ame Dyckman’s You DON’T Want a Unicorn! They categorized what is good and bad about owning a unicorn for a pet. At the computer station, we played ABCYa Molly unicorn games and watched the Bronco Stories read aloud on YouTube during check out. This book is going to be a classic favorite! Check out Ame’s website below. We can’t wait for her new book in April about Dandy the Lion!
You DON’T Want a Unicorn!
Coming in April!
