cumulative and circular book 2

Little White Duck

Zaritzky, B. (1950) Little White Duck. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company

ISBN: 9-780316-032278

This story is about different animals enjoying in the water and making different voices. The characters used in this picture book are mouse, duck, frog, bug and a snake. The mouse is the narrator of the story, who sings it as a song while strumming a guitar. He sings that there is a little white duck that takes a bite of a lily pad in the water, and then comes frog that jumps off the lily pad in the water and then a black bug who tickles the frog. While they all were enjoying and making voices in the water a snake comes, he frightens everyone away and eats the bug. Now there is no one in the water but the lily pad and the mouse is all sad. On the last page all four of the characters (duck, frog, bug, snake), plus the guitar-strumming mouse narrator takes a bow and waves at the reader showing it as a play act.

I would choose this book for 3 to 5 year old children as it has bright, bold, dynamic illustrations that bring the story to life. The children will have fun reading along and they can also quack, buzz, glug, and hiss along with the main characters, while learning the names of animals and colours along the way.

Provocation:

I would place a water tub in the class with floating animals as duck, snake, bug and frog in it. This will make all the children wonder about why the animals are in the water and what they are doing.

Presenting the book:

• Present the story as a felt board story. I would make a lily pad, mouse, duck, frog, bug and snake by felt and then tell the story on the felt board. You can also buy felt pieces for any story from 3H Craftworks, Vancouver.
• I would present this story by making stick puppets of the duck, frog, bug and snake. The pond would be made from a blue board that would act as a stage. All animals can move from behind board with the stick and I can sing the story while moving the stick puppets.
• This story can also be presented by using props. We can get duck, frog, bug and snake stuffed toys. Lily pad can be made from a green paper or cloth and the pond by placing a blue blanket on the table or floor. I would then make the stuffed animals move on the blanket according to the story.

I would stop on every 6th page and say “I wonder what sound this animal makes?”

Extensions:

• The children can bring their stuffed animals and tell the class about it and what sound it makes. Children can then draw their favourite animal on a paper and colour it. This could be great activity for children to learn about different animals.
• We can talk about other animals living in water; ask children what they think about marine life. A trip to an aquarium can be made with the children so they can learn more about animals living in water. Children can have a fish or a frog as a class pet and observe how they live in water.
• We can read more stories related to the mouse, duck, frog, bug and the snake. Ask children if they have any stories to share about animals.

cumulative and circular book 2

If You Give a Pig a Party

Numeroff, L. (1988) If You Give a Pig a Party. U.S.A.: Harper Collins Publishers

 ISBN: 9-780060-283278

If you give a pig a party is a circular story about a pig. The sequence of events starts with a girl's offer to give a pig a party. The pig then asks for balloons, puts on her favourite dress and invites her friends to the party. The pig's friends are attending a street fair, so the pig joins them for the rides and games. On the way back home they all play hide and seek. Then the pig wants a sleepover and the animals have a pillow fight. The story ends with the pig asking for another party. The illustrations are simple, humorous and delightful.

I would choose this creative book for 3 to 5 years old children because it teaches the concept of cause and effect to the children. It’s an interesting picture book for children as all the pictures narrate the story of the book.

Provocation:
I wpuld place a stuffed pig on the table and balloons all over the room before telling the story. This will make children wonder what is going on between pig, and balloons props.

Presenting the book:

• I would read aloud the book to the children and show them pictures in the book as they are funny and colourful.
•  For an audience participation story I can prepare the face masks for the different characters in the story book, i.e. pig, moose, mouse, dog, rabbit, cat, snake and fox. The children would wear the masks and represent the characters in the book while I would play the role of the girl who offers the party to the pig and narrate the story at same time. Children can then use their imagination and act out the story in the class.
• I would make a felt story by cutting out pig, moose, mouse, dog, rabbit, cat, snake and fox characters from the felt. I would also make balloons, a new dress, roller coaster, cone ice creams, a tree, bread, Pyjama, pillow and fortress using felt. You can also buy felt pieces for any story at 3H craftworks, Vancouver.

I would stop on page 5 and ask “I wonder what happens when the pig calls her friends?”
I would stop on page 8 and ask “I wonder what the pig will find at the fair?”
I would stop on page 19 and ask “I wonder what happens after all the friends come home?”

Extensions:

• Play a game of hide-and seek on the playground just like pig and her friends.
• Have children wear their favorite outfit. Discuss when they like to wear it. Why is it their favorite? Did someone special give it to them? Was it bought for a special occasion?
• Coordinate with the parents of the children to have a “Pig Pajama Party”! The children should come dressed to school in their pajamas and bring their pillows and blankets. Let them decorate the room with streamers. Have them wear party hats and use blowers. Serve ice cream cones to the children.

cumulative and circular books 2

An Island Grows

Schaefer, Lola M. (2006) An Island Grows. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books

ISBN: 9-780066-239316

This story describes how an island is formed in a fun and simple way. Magma erupts from within a volcano located deep in the ocean. Once the lava flows from the volcano it makes several layers to build a big hard surface that protrudes from the water. Erosion from natural elements breaks down this hard surface into rocks and sand. Now instead of just water there is an island in the ocean. Life then makes its appearance on this island, first the form of small plants then insects and animals follow. Sailors spot and map the island and then it is then inhabited by human beings; they move to this place and live on this island happily. The colourful, bold collages of illustration are a perfect complement to the text. Like the narration, the seemingly elementary art is carefully composed, tells a complete story, and exudes energy.

I would choose this book for the 3- 5 age group because the language and vocabulary used in the story is very basic and children can easily understand the concept of island formation. The short rhyming pattern of the story makes the story flow with ease, presenting an almost “sing-song” pattern.

Provocation:

In the center of the class I would place blue paper on the floor on which I would place red cloth on it to represent lava, then I would have another rock to represent an empty island then finally a big rock with stickers of plants, animals and people. Through this I would hope to show the stages of the birth of an island. I would then let the children investigate what it is and ask questions about it.

Presenting the book:

•  Present a story as a felt board story. I would make water, lava, rocks, island, plants, animals and people by felt and then tell a story on the felt board. You can also buy felt pieces for any story at 3H Craftworks, Vancouver.
• I would read aloud the book to the children and show them pictures in the book as they are big and colourful.  
• Presenting the story by magnets. I would stick blue sheet on the metal tray to make it look like an ocean and then make magnets of volcano, lava, island, plants, animals and people. Then I would tell the story by moving magnets on the metal try.

I would stop on page 7 and ask “I wonder what happens when lava flows”  

I would stop on page 17 and ask “I wonder what happens when sailor spot the island”

Extensions:

•  I would have a science activity with the children by making a volcano and using the safely precautions for the experiment. Details can be found in the given link. http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/volcano.php
• I can show them the globe and show them that all the continents are big islands. This way I will be exposing them to what the world looks like and also give them the concept of continents.
•  Children can play with water and rocks and make their own island. It can be an interesting outdoor activity.

Cumulative and Circular

I Know an Old Teacher

Bowen, A. (2008). I Know an Old Teacher. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books.

ISBN#:978-0-8225-7984-7

Summary:

This is a cumulative book about a teacher, Miss. Bindley” who initially swallows a flea, then a spider, then a fish, and a whole lot more. These animals of course are the classroom pets and some of the students are not happy seeing Miss. Bindley swallowing all their pets. Miss. Bindley swallows each animal to eat the one that went down before it and every time she swallows an animal the words build on top of each other and repeat. I think this would be a good book for three to five year olds because most of them have already heard, “I knew and old woman”, so the children will be familiar with how the story unfolds. I think the children would really enjoy the pictures as well; they are bright and colourful with words written into the background images. The illustrator used a mixture of water colours, pencil crayons, pastels and even regular crayons; all these combined gives the pictures depth and makes them look like they’re coming out of the page.  

To provoke this book I would get a big picture of a flea, along with all of the other animals in the book, and put it on a main wall. The children would come in and see the flea; they may ask about it or not. Throughout the day I would add the rest of the animal’s one at a time around the flea and in the order they appear in the book. Then when all the pictures were up I would gather the children and read the story.

To present the book:

The first way I would present this book would be to simply read it to them. As I read it I would stop right before Miss. Bundley swallows another animal to wonder with the children and say, “I wonder what she’s going to swallow next?” The children could then give all their ideas about what they think.

The second way I would present this book would be to use a puppet to tell the story. I have made one already and it is a little girl named Marley who is five years old. Since the actual book is from the perspective of the Miss. Blundley’s students I think Marley could read it and the children would really enjoy having a puppet, which is about the same age as the children, read to them.

The third way I would present this book would be to have the children help me tell the story. Once they have become familiar with the book, or even if they aren’t, I would have them shout out what animal they want Miss. Blundley to swallow next. This gets the children involved and excited because they get to decide how the book goes.

Extensions:

One way I would extend this book would be to talk and learn about some or all of the animals that are in the book. Then we could take a field trip to the aquarium to see some of those animals.

A second way I would extend this book would be to make clay figurines with the children of the animals in the book. We could then bake them, if there is an oven, and paint them. Then when we read the story again the children can read with me and have their own animals to show and play with.

A third way to extend this book would be for me to make sock puppets of the animals, and make a few of each animal. I would then pass out the puppets and the children could act out the story as I told it; be the animal that is being swallowed. I think the children would enjoy pretending to be an animal that is being swallowed.

Cumulative and Circular 2

Waiting for Wings

Ehlert, L. (2001). Waiting for Wings. Orlando, FL: Harcourt.

ISBN#:0-15-202608-8

Summary:

This is a circular book about the process of caterpillars changing from eggs to butterflies, and then in turn lay their own eggs to start the process all over again. I think this book would be good for three to five year olds because the words are set in a rhyming scheme so it would be easier for the children to remember for future readings, and the pictures are very vibrant. The author used, what looks like, colorful paper in different shapes layered to make other shapes, like the flowers and butterflies. It’s a gorgeous technique and I think the children would be captured by these illustrations. Another aspect of the book I think the children would enjoy is the fact that there are different sized pages throughout the book. The pages start smaller, like a caterpillar, and then change to full size to allow the butterflies cover the whole pages; this truly highlights how the caterpillar changes from something small to something big, just like the children.

To provoke this book I would place big colourful balls (for eggs), stuffed or plastic caterpillars and butterflies around the room on tables and/or shelves and hanging from the ceiling.

To present the book:

The first way I would present this book would be to read the book to the children with stick puppets. First I would take a small ball and hold it in my hand, to represent an egg, then I would put that aside and have a caterpillar on a stick for when the eggs hatch in the story, then have a type of sack to pull over the caterpillar to represent a cocoon, then have a butterfly on a stick with big moving wings to bring out when the caterpillars break free of their cocoons.

The second way I would present this book would to get the children to be the butterflies. I would read the book and have the children start out being the eggs by crawling into a ball, then change into a caterpillar, then be in the cocoon and so on. They would roll, crawl, fly and then return to a ball to be an egg again. This book may be good for before nap time.

The third way I would present this would be to make a felt board. It would be easy to make it myself and look beautiful. I would just cut different coloured shapes for flowers and leaves, and then simply cut a few circles for the eggs, long rounded pieces for the caterpillars, but the butterflies may take a little more time.

Extensions:

One extension I would do is to teach the children about the different butterflies and flowers that are in the book. This book is perfect for that because in the back of the book it shows all the butterflies labeled and paired up with their eggs, caterpillars and the leaves that they eat. There is also another page labeling all of the flowers so we could also do a section about flowers.

Another extension could be the class getting a tadpole or salmon eggs. The children would be able to physically watch them grow and we could read about how tadpoles or eggs turn into frogs or fish.

One more extension would be to make our own butterflies with coloured paper, pipe cleaners and glitter. Then take the children with their butterflies on a walk to a nearby garden or park where, if the time of the year is right, butterflies may be.  

Cumulative and Circular 2

Tummy Girl


Thong, R. (2007). Tummy Girl. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

ISBN#: 0-8050-7609-3

Summary:

This is a circular book that tells a story about a little girl when she is first born and goes on to describe all the different activities she does as she grows up; like crawling, walking, hiding, feeding, climbing, dancing and singing. As the little girl gets bigger and the book is coming to an end the author brings the book back around to the beginning by writing, “And though you’ll grow up and whirl...You’ll always be my Tummy Girl!” (Thong, 2007).

I think this book would be good for three to five year olds because they are experiencing new activities and becoming able to physically do new things, just like Tummy Girl. I also think the children would like this book because of the vocabulary that is used, for example, “A nice-big spoonful-munching girl, A drippy, milky, crunching girl,...”(Thong, 2007), they’re fun words the children would enjoy reading out loud with me. The illustrations are very bright and eye catching; the author drew colour pictures then outlined and shaded them with black charcoal.

To provoke this book I would set out three or four different sized dolls that look similar in a row on a table that start with a crawling baby and go to a walking child.

To present the book:

The first way I could do it is to read it to them with the dolls that I have put out, placing the smallest doll in front of me or holding it as I begin the story and slowly exchange the dolls as the little girl grows up.

The second way I could present the book would be to use a felt board. I could either make the pieces or hopefully find a store that could provide me with at least some of the parts.

The third way I could present it would be to get the children to act it out. I would use costumes that look similar to the clothes the little girl is wearing and have the children act as she does throughout the book.

There are a few places I would stop and wonder with the children. On page 15, 16 I would say, “ I wonder how high she can swing? How high can you swing boys and girls?”. Also on page 19, 20 I would say, “If I had a tree house it would be so big I could fit an elephant in it, how would your tree house look?”

Extensions:

I would use the last wonder to explore an extension about tree houses. We could draw our perfect tree house or use colourful Popsicle sticks to build our own miniature tree houses.

Another extension could be to trace all the children on white paper with their names on each outline and a solid line where the top of their head is. I would put the outlines on a wall touching the floor. Every week or two we could come back to the outlines to see if and how much they have grown and mark it on the paper. The children could also do this as often as they like as well.

One more extension would be to get the children to make their own book by drawing pictures of growing up. I would ask them questions like, “what did you like to eat when you were a baby?” , “How did you crawl or walk when you where little?”, “Did you ever go to the beach or splash in puddles?”, “What does it look like when you swing?”All of these questions are activities Tummy Girl did in the book. We could do a book for each child or make one big collaborative book for the whole class.

cumulative and circular books 2

  Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 




Martin, B. (1992). Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? New York: Henry Holt and Company. 


ISBN : 0-8050-1744-5 


Summary : 


This is a circular story about a brown bear, describing what he sees. First Brown Bear  starts off with “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?” then describes the next animal he sees, “I see a red bird looking at me” and this repeats throughout the book. In the end, it asks the children of the class what they see, so a little participation from the class is involved. 


This book is great for children from ages 2-5 because the vocabulary and text in the story is very easy to understand, colours and animals are also present. The illustrations are very unique as it seems like they’re drawn with different textures. 


Provocation : 


Binoculars or magnify glasses could be set up around the classroom, with pictures of animals such as bears, dogs, frogs, birds, taped on the walls. 


Ways to read the book :


1. Felt, felt story should consist of all of the animal characters, a bear, red bird, yellow duck, blue horse, green frog, purple cat, white dog, black sheep, and a gold fish. 


2. Audience participation : children can choose to be an animal, and masks could be printed out online. They can describe the animal that they see next, all of the other children who do not have a role as an animal, can be the children at the end of the book who says “we see a teacher looking at us” 


3. Magnets, you can use a cookie sheet the magnet board, and you can have all of the animals on magnets, either printed out pictures or the magnet itself. 


Extensions : 


1. Arts and drawing, after reading the story you can have the children draw some of their favourite animal and make a mask out of it, then you can go through the story again, using all of the animal masks that the children has made. 


2. Game/activity, you can hide pictures of different types of animals around the classroom or maybe outside near the playground area and with them use a magnify glass or binoculars (could be made from toilet paper tubes cut in half) to go around and describe what they see. 


3. Field trip, you can set up a class field trip to the zoo to see some of these animals. 

cumulative and circular books 2

The Apple Pie That Papa Baked

Thompson, L. (2007). The Apple Pie That Papa Baked. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.


ISBN:  1-4169-1240-1


Summary : 


This is a cumulative story that talks about a little girls papa, who baked her an apple pie. Then it describes the process of how the apple pie was baked, “These are the apples, juicy and red, that went in the pie, warm and sweet, that Papa baked.” after that, it talks about the roots of the apple tree, and how the apple tree was grown, which used the help of rain and sun. Then the world, where it gave life to the apple tree.


The illustrations in this book is very detailed and it only has a few colours, black, red and brown throughout the story. It is great for children ages 4 - 8 years old because all of the pictures are easy to follow along, and even without words the pictures could tell the story. 


Provocation : 


A walk around the neighbourhood, to see the different types of trees, or maybe even walking by an apple tree in a garden near by. 


Ways to read this book :


1. Felt board, you can purchase this felt story, or make two characters; the daughter and Papa, an apple tree and an apple pie. 


2. Audience participation, you can have children pretend to be the Papa, and one to be the daughter, you can have a tall apple tree in the middle of the story area and have the rest of the children help pick apples (laminated pictures of an apple) off the tree, which could we stuck on with tape. 


3. Reading the book, questions can be asked throughout the story like, “Where do you think the apples came from?” “How do you think trees are planted?”


Extensions : 


1. Baking, after reading the book, you can get all of the children to bake apple pies.


2. Snack time, maybe after reading this book, it could be a transition to snack time, and slices of apple could be given out. 


3. Drawing, you can have all of the children to draw and colour their own apple, then have a wall that is covered with branches for them to stick their apples on. 

cumulative and circular books 2

The Bag I’m Taking to Grandmas

Neitzel, S. (1998). The Bag I’m Taking to Grandmas. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books. 

ISBN: 0-688-12961-7 

Summary: 

This cumulative story book is about a little boy packing his bag to go to grandmas house, there are a lot of things he wants to take and it’s not all going to fit in the bag. First he starts off with a bag, then his ball mitt, then his cars, a shuttle, toy animals, a stuffed bunny, a pillow, a book and a flashlight. His mom then questions about everything he is bringing, “Is this flashlight something you really need?” “Grandma has plenty of books to read” while she starts unpacking, he ends up filling a new bag up with other things that he wants to bring to grandmas. 

This story is great for children who are 3-5 years old because at this age i find that they are very attached to the toys and books they have at home, and packing to go to grandmas or grandpas house is always an exciting experience. The pictures illustrated also seems like it’s coloured in with a pencil crayon, so that could really draw a child’s attention, this book also repeats the objects in the exact same sentence so it’s easy for children to follow along. 

Provocation: 

Have a stuffed shopping bag of toys and books in the classroom, this would make them curious. 

Ways to read this book: 

1. Using felt, you would want to have the little boy, his mom, and all of his objects that he is bringing to grandmas house such as a bag, mitt, toy cars, space shuttle, toy animals, stuffed bunny, pillow, a book, and a flashlight. This is simple enough to make, and can be bought at a store that sells already made felt stories.

2. Game, you can laminate all of the objects that are in the book, and add some that don’t belong so the children can guess to see if they remember the order, or the items that the little boy wanted to bring to grandmas. 

3. Reading, since this book repeats the objects consecutively on every page, before flipping to the next page you and ask “What do you think he will put into his bag next?” “Do you guys remember what the first item he wanted to bring was?” “What are some things you must pack when you’re going to grandmas or grandpas house?”

Exstensons : 

1. Playing a game, you can have all of the items in pairs, and children can play a memory game where they try to match up all of the objects.  

2. Getting children to participate, all of the objects are quite easy to find, so if you have them you can get each child to hold one of them and have a child who holds the bag. Then have them in the order of the book, put the objects inside the bag, and it’s better if the bag was smaller so it would make it seem like it’s full and can’t carry anymore items. 

3. Draw, children can all draw some of their favourite items at home, they could even bring it the next day to show the class, and you can provide all of them a shopping bag or a grocery bag for them to put it in.