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.