Turtles, Dewey Ads, and Folk Rhymes

Week 33

PreK 3, PreK 4, Kindergarten - Funny Book Week #4

Seven Silly Eaters, by Mary Ann Hoberman (Kindergarten only)

This is the hilarious story (in rhyme) of a frazzled mother whose seven children each demand special homemade foods. She finds herself gradually becoming disgruntled with the stacks of homemade bread, gallons of freshly squeezed lemonade, and pots of double-strained oatmeal they require her to prepare. Is there no end in sight for this family of "silly eaters"? With perfectly-timed rhyme and hilarious detailed illustrations by Maria Frazee, this is a fun read-aloud for kindergarten and up (due to length)

That's Good, That's Bad, Margery Cuyler

This good news/bad news book is fun to read aloud. A boy's balloon takes him away from his parents at the zoo, and as he goes from one event to the next we think "oh no!' or "oh yay!" But sometimes what seems like bad news is actually good news and vice-versa. This keeps readers on their toes, and it's fun to make the "thumbs-up" or "thumbs-down" sign as we read along.

On Friday, we had "Crazy Hair Day" and the kindergarteners came in and said, "We need a Crazy-Hair-Day BOOK!" So, quickly, we read What's Wrong with My Hair? and snapped some photos. Here's the slideshow:

Grade 1 - Guiding Question: What text features help us skim for information?

We're really getting good at identifying text features now. This week we talked about the power of headings: they help us skim and scan! After doing some seek-and-find with traditional nonfiction books about turtles, we read the two below.

One Tiny Turtle, by Nicola Davis

This beautifully illustrated book follows a Loggerhead turtle from just-born through the first thirty years of her life. We learn about her journeys to find food, her ability to return to the beach where she was born, the steps she takes to lay her eggs, and the dangers that face her newly hatched babies. Watercolor paintings suffused with dappled light draw children in, and the poetic text makes it a good read aloud.

Owen and Mzee, by Isabella Hatkoff

When baby hippo Owen is separated from his family and rescued by villagers in Kenya, he is moved to a wildlife sanctuary. Upon arrival, he's scared and nervous and quickly attaches himself to a grumpy old (130 years!) tortoise. Slowly Mzee, the tortoise, begins to accept Owen and they become fast friends. Full page photographs make this a good story to talk through for young children; we don't read this aloud due to text length.

Grade 2 - Guiding Question: What are "folk rhymes"?

We talked about how folk rhymes are similar to the other types of traditional literature we've studied because they began orally and were told over time. We brainstormed some familiar Mother Goose rhymes, read a classic Mother Goose, and played a hand-clapping game.

Three Little Kittens, by Jerry Pinkney

This retelling of the Mother Goose rhyme highlights the playful antics of the kittens. We add the sounds "meow" and "purr" when they appear in the text to add an engaging touch. Pinkney's watercolor illustrations feature the kittens close-up: tumbling about, acting contrite, and doing their best to behave. Children love the last line, when the kittens have found and washed their mittens but ask "May we go out to play?" We know they'll be in the same predicament if they do!

The Lady with the Alligator Purse, by Nadine Bernard Westcott

The hand-clapping game that goes along with this song makes a silly story even sillier. The lady with the alligator purse "saves" Tiny Tim by feeding him pizza and fending off the alarmist doctor and nurse. There's nothing wrong with him drinking a little bathwater and soap, after all. The cartoony illustrations add fun and movement to the scenes, and the text is well-paced with most lines having their own picture.

Grade 3 - Dewey Advertisement filming!

This week we are (finally!) beginning to film our Dewey Advertisements. Each one starts with an introduction filmed "on location" using our new green screen, and then a scene in the stacks. Next week we'll add our websites and sound effects - all tied into the Dewey section featured in the advertisement. Here's a blooper :)

Grade 4/5 - Book Check-out & Reading Workshop