Concept Books

Seeger,  L.V. (2006). Black? White! Day? Night!. New Milford, Connecticut: Roaring Brook Press.

ISBN- 1-59643-185-7

       This book is a series of bright and colourful pages that  explore opposites. With the turning of each page the child will flip open another page to discover the opposite concept. This book is great for 3-5 year olds because it teaches them about things that are opposite from one another, it is laid out in a simple easy to follow format. For example near/ far or high/ low. Each page is colourfully illustrated which will be sure to catch a child's attention.
      The die-cut illustrations used are uncomplicated yet colourful. The simplicity of the pictures will be useful for teaching children in a multiple of ways. While learning about opposites they will also engage in fine motor skills by interacting with the pages.

Provocations: 

• Display objects/materials that reflect opposites on a table (ie. feather & rock, ball & stick). See how the children interact with the objects on their own, then further their interests by asking how they are different. 
• Engage the children in a conversation about how many opposites they know. 

Presenting the book:

• Read the book, stop and pause at each illustration and see if the children know what the opposite is before flipping open the page. 
• Use a felt board to tell the story. Create opposite felt pieces that show examples such as: black/white, day/night (moon/sun), tiny/huge (mouse/elephant), over/under (sheep going over a bridge and under a bridge), happy/sad.
• Use a story basket to pull out props that explore opposites as your telling them. For example  using a large and a small ball to show opposite sizes, colours and heights. 

Extensions: 

• Have children bring some opposite objects from home to share with the group, giving them multiple examples. 
• Go on a nature walk to explore what kind of opposites you can find in the outdoors.
• Exploring opposites through our senses. For example: taste- lemon and sugar (sour and sweet), smell- rose and daisy (pleasant and harsh), touch- cotton ball and sandpaper (soft and rough), hearing- shout and whisper (loud and quiet).

Ruurs, M. (1996) A Mountain Alphabet. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra Books.

ISBN- 9780887763748

      This is a book about learning the alphabet as well as nature, animals and seasons. As the book progresses through the alphabet the landscapes change from different seasons and areas around BC, including animals that you might see in the habitat. The book would be excellent for 3-5 year olds because it is another visual approach to learning the alphabet, as well as having illustrations on nature that can be explored around our centres in BC.
      The illustrations are realistic paintings of nature. The pictures are calming with a dynamic use of colour. The animals seem to be life like in the pictures and would spark interest with the children by using animals to relate to the letter of the alphabet.

Provocations:

• Bring parts of nature in from outside (Sticks, rocks, leaves), put them on a table with a green rug, and label each item.  Then cut out the letters of the alphabet that each item begins with from memory foam and place them around the room.  Let the children find the letters and match them to the objects brought in from outside.
• Take one of the pictures that is closest to the season when reading the book and blow up the picture, then put it on a seasonal board. Give children the time to look and explore the picture. 

Presenting the book:

• Take old stuffed animals and turn them into puppets. Then during story time go through the alphabet using the puppet to aid in reading the book. Ask the children what things in nature start with different letters of the alphabet.
• Go on a nature walk, find a trail or park near the Centre and explore the things they see and find, while correlating them with letters in the alphabet.
• Telling the story,  use the pictures as a reference.  Stop at each picture and have the children see how many things they can find that start with the letter of the alphabet. 

Extensions:

• Take sticks (of different sizes), leaves and pebbles and put them in a tube to explore through sound and music. Hit the sticks together seeing if small sticks make the same sound as big sticks. Rub leaves together and see if they make different sounds.
• Go outside (or near a park) and have paint and paper set out so children can paint the trees, rocks and other things in nature they see. 
• Bring in realistic plastic,wooden or fabric toy animals that the children can use to set up play with. Make homes for the animals and ask the children where the animals live and what they eat. 

Boynton, S. (1984) Opposites. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster Publishing Division

ISBN- 978-671-44903-2

      This book is all about opposites, it relates to the things we see, do and say in a day.  This book is perfect for 3-5 year olds because the pictures are witty and understandable.  It uses short and descriptive words to present the actions of opposites. The illustrations are all animals and each character brings the opposite action to life.  The eyes in particular of the animal are strategically placed to give the character a certain look ie. confused, curious and stunned etc. The pictures are laid out simply so that the action of the opposite is not lost with too many distractions on the page. 

Provocations:

• Take a couple of examples of opposites from the book then stage them around the room. For example, blow up two balloons and tape one high and one low on the wall. Also put out objects that are heavier next to the light items so that they can pick them up and see the difference. 

Presenting the book:

• Have the teacher tell the story in a finger play.  Engage the children to follow along with the actions.  For example high and low, everyone can stand up and then sit down. 
• Use Fridge magnets. Take some of the characters from the story and draw them out, then stick them to a magnetic sheet and cut them out. Use the characters to place on the board and show opposites by moving the pieces around. For example fast and slow, one piece moves fast across the board while the other moves more slowly. 
• Create a puzzle. Draw a picture with characters from the book showing the opposite actions. Glue it to some cardboard and cut it out into puzzle pieces. Let the children put the book together and make a story from the puzzle once they are done.

Extensions:

• Use opposites through song. Sing Rolly Polly  found in What'll I Do with the Baby-o? - Nursery Rhymes, Songs, and Stories for Babies.  Jane Cobb. Black Sheep Press.  ISBN 0-9698666-1-5  Pg. 70
• Have a group discussion on opposites. Ask the children what are some of the opposites they know, as well as have them act it out. For example Loud and soft clapping our hands, and then fast and slow rubbing of our hands.
• Have an art project where the children pick their favourite opposites from the book and draw them. Also make an area of the room were they can post their drawings and bring in any objects they have that are opposites to share with the group.

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Delessert, E. (2008) Full Color. Mankato, Minnesota

ISBN- 978-1-56846-206-6

      This book is all about exploring colours. It goes through the colours of the rainbow, primary colours and what happens when you mix two colours together. The book also talks about shades, (black and white) and the correspondence with other colours.  It also shows what happens when all the primary colours are mixed together, ending up with brown.

      This is a great book for 3-5 year olds because of the use of colour in the illustrations as well as the wording to describe the colours. It also shows what true colours are part of the rainbow and gives an acronym to help remember the order. The characters are little mouses with human bodies, all a different colour. The mice are warm and inviting to the eye.

      The illustrations look sketched and have very vibrant colours. The colours of the rainbow evoke a happy mood and memories of a fresh sky after it rains. The pictures are simplistic and allow you to explore each colour per page, moving into what happens when the colours mix.

Provocations:

• Trace the characters out of the book and paint them with different colours. Then place them around the room almost dancing from one to another. Provoking interest in the characters as well as the different colours.

Presenting the book:

• Read the story and stop to think about rainbows and the different colours. Ask questions such as, what happens when you mix two colours? 
• Using a felt board, have the mice characters and all the different colours and shades.  You can make them yourself, or buy them pre made at 3H Craftworks at 2208 W 4th Ave in Vancouvern to save time. 
• Use a story basket.  Have a basket filled with different objects of the colours from the book. (ie. oranges, red balloons ect.) Pass them around and have the children group together the primary and rainbow colours. 

Extensions:

• Use eye droppers with the primary colours. Let the children mix and see the colours change from one to another. 
• Paint a rainbow. Put out the colour of the rainbow and see if the children remember the order of the colours from the story.
• Sing a song while having different coloured plastic easter eggs filled with rice to shake. 

          An example of a song to sing:

Can you guess the colour? Is the answer in your head? It's the colour of an apple, and that colour is Red!

Can you guess the colour? Can you answer true? It's the colour of the big sky, and that colour is Blue!

Can you guess the colour? It's a colour that you've seen.   It's the colour of the tall grass and that colour is Green!

Can you guess the colour? Can you guess just right? It's the colour of a fluffy cloud, and the colour is White!

Have you guessed the colours? Did you guess each one? I hope you guessed the colours, cause now my song is done.