We're going on a bear hunt

ISBN 978-0-7445-2323-2

Oxenbury, H., & Rosen, M.(1989). We’re going on a bear hunt. London: Walker Books.

This book consists of a father, his four children and their family dog going for a walk. The objective of this walk is to go on a bear hunt. During the walk they come across several different elements (Grass, snow, mud, river, forest). They are presented with a challenge of trying to get through all the different landscapes. Once the family gets across each landscape and they come to a dark cave, within this cave lays big bear.

  This book is good to use for three to five years old. The story is fun and it has a consistent pattern throughout. It contains great pictures and has simple, clear diction as well as onomatopoeia. The illustrations have been drawn both in black and white as well as colour. The pictures alternate, the first two pages are just shaded pencil work then the next two pages contain colourful drawings.  Having the colour and just pencil alternate, sets an expressive tone and suspenseful mood.

Provocations:

A person could start building children’s interest by posting pictures of the books characters in the facility, or posting pictures of different sceneries where the children could see. A person could also bring in a stuffed bear and just leave it where children could access it. Another idea is to create a cave and have it somewhere for children to look at, interact with and wonder what its for.

Four ways to present the story:

1)    

Felt board

Needed materials: Felt board, cut out felt pieces to represent the characters (bear, dog, dad, older girl, younger girl, young boy, baby)

Cut out felt pieces to represent the different sceneries (snow, forest, grass, body of water, muddy land, cave, house)

You can present the story on the felt board. A person could put all seven different sceneries on the board at the very beginning, then have the characters make their way across each terrain while making the sound and describing the how it feels to move through each landscape until they reach the cave. Once the dad, dog and the four children discover the bear you can begin to take the scenery felt pieces off the board as they make their way back to the house for safety.

2)   Close line story

Needed materials: String, Calendar photos (snow, body of water, mud, forest, grass, cave, house) close line clips, two objects to tie each side of the string up, photos of the characters (Google images). Popsicle sticks, glue

You can present this story by having the pictures of each landscape hanging off the string. Add the next picture to the string one by one as you tell the story. Have the characters move slowly through each landscape by holding the popsicle stick (with the family attached to it) on top of the pictures.  Once all the characters reach the cave have the bear attached to a popsicle stick appear and begin to chase the family all the way back to the first picture (the house).

3)   Prop story

Needed materials: white or black table cloth, blue decorative glass pebbles, brown rocks, grass, fake trees, fake snow or white paper with whole punch pieces, small house, bear, dog, dad, little boy, baby, girl, younger girl cardboard box painted black, with a semi circle, black paint.

You can present this story by setting up and designing each landscape using the provided material above to represent each landscape.  When you get to the snow landscape sprinkle down the hole –punch paper to represent the snow falling.  Once your characters reach the box, which represents the cave, have the bear pop out and chase the family back to their house.

4)   Interactive

Needed materials: children, a stuffed bear for each child, a cave(can be made out of blankets pillow mats chairs, cardboard, duck tape) 

2 equal sets of cards for each child in the group Example 20 children in the class have 10 cards with the characters on it and 10 with a bear on it,

playground, 2 teachers.

You can present this story by having a cave built out of the materials listed above. This activity will take place outside. The cave will contain the children’s stuffed bears in it.   

Provide each child in the class with a card either one with the characters on it or with the bear on it.  Have the children split into their two groups bears or characters.

Each teacher will take the group to their starting positions.

Bears will go to the cave find the stuffed bears that they brought, wait for other group of children who are the characters to come to the cave. Have the children making bear noises while waiting for the other group to arrive.  Once the characters get to the cave have the bear group run and chase the character when they hear “OH NO BEARS RUN!”

  

Characters will go to a spot on the playground that represents the house.

This group will make their way to the cave slow saying the chant “ We’re going on a bear hunt. We’re going catch a big one. What a beautiful day! We’re not scared.”  Once the characters reach the bear cave have the teacher yell “OH NO BEARS RUN!” The bear will come out of the cave and chase the character all the way back to the house.

Have the two groups switch so every child has a chance to be a bear and a character.

  

Extensions

1)   A great extension would be to go on a field trip to a wildlife park (if available). This allows children to experience and see what a real bear looks like, sounds like, and moves like. Children then after could draw what they experienced.

2)   To have children create a huge big cave inside or outside out of different materials it could be with sticks, branches, and blankets pillows mats. Once the cave was built lots of dramatic play can happen.

3)   Children could also make individual cave for their favorite stuffed bear out of paper mache. This could lead children to reenact the story and encourages imagination.