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.