Non Fiction 2

I Drive A Garbage Truck

                                     
                           Written by: Sarah Bridges  Illustrated by: Derrick Alderman and Denise Shea

What is this book about?

This book is about what garbage men do to keep our neighbour hoods clean and how they go about doing that.

Why would I use this book for 3-5 year olds?

At ages 3-5, children (boys mostly) are fascinated by big machines, and big trucks. I have noticed that when on walks with young children and a garbage truck drives by, they always stop and stare as it goes by using its mechanical arms to pick up garbage cans.

Illustrations:

The illustrations in this book are simple drawings, however they are drawn so big and bright it captures your whole attention when turning the pages.

Provoking interest:

1) Simply taking a walk and by chance seeing a garbage truck drive by, this usually gets the children excited, so arrives back in the classroom, or center, opening up a book about garbage trucks may keep their enthusiasm about the walk earlier, and seeing the garbage truck.

2) This story could be read during Earth Week, when there is lots of talk about how to keep the environment clean and healthy, this story would open up a whole new idea to the children about how the environment stays clean.

2 ways to present this story:

1) Asking the children if what is said about garbage collectors on each page, reminds them of any other workers . ( ex. When it says they have a route, and visit many houses a day, this could remind them of a paper boy, or the orange vests could remind them of construction workers)

2) Throughout the book, there a few words that children may not know, bringing in an object or picture of what exactly that word is, would create a better understanding of what garbage collectors do

Extensions:

1) Bring the children outside to clean up some garbage just like the garbage trucks, and the people driving the garbage trucks did. \

2) Continue with the “I Drive A…” Series:

I drive an ambulance

I drive a bulldozer

I drive a dump truck

I drive a semi-truck

I drive a snowplough

3) Go to a garbage or recycling station, (carney’s) and let them show the children how things work.


Works Cited

Bridges, S. (2005). I drive a garbage truck. Minneapolis: Picture window books.

ISBN: 1-4048-0615-6