Predictable Pattern

Fleming, C.(2002). Muncha muncha muncha: N.Y.: Atheneum Book for Young Readers

ISBN: 13-978-0-689-83152-2

Content of the story:

Mr. McGreely’s dream, planting his own vegetable garden, is just about to come true, but it doesn’t seem to be simple as he thought.  Despite his excitement to see his vegetables growing, there come three bunnies munching leaves sprouts and stems away every night.  How did they get into his garden while he tries numerous ways to save his precious plants?  Bunnies somehow keep coming back and munch all the vegetables away.  At least, he succeeded in stopping those bunnies from coming into his garden by making “enormous thing”.  Now, he can finally have all these yummy-fresh vegetables all by himself!

Reason for three to five year olds:

This book is great for three to five year-olds because it helps them to wonder and become excited about what comes next.  Mr. McGreely comes up with different ideas on how he can keep out those bunnies; however, every time he tries something new, he fails.  As this story goes, children hope for his success, and see his happy face. Also the way this book stops the predictable pattern is great because it shows it in the picture as a non-verbal expression and the contents of verbal expression. It is a little tricky to find out what is going on at the end first, but perfect book for reading over and over again to see the real reason why bunnies can eat vegetables with Mr.McGreely.

Illustration:

The illustration is drawn with coloured pencils so it gives a warm and friendly atmosphere.  The illustrator Karas, used the entire page to describe the scene, which draws us into the story world instantly.  Especially when the bunnies eat at night, the bigger vision gives the sense of darkness perfectly with the onomatopoeia all over the page.  Also illustration tells important part of the story.  The text never explains how bunnies got into this garden at the end; however, the illustration reveals everything.

Provocation:

I leave the basket in the middle of the circle.  I put three bunnies, except ears in a basket and cover it with a piece of cloth, just like a scene from the last part of the book, when three bunnies sneak into Mr. McGreely’s basket while he was doing the victory dance.  The purpose is to make children wonder why those three bunnies finally sneak into his garden and eat his vegetables.  I want children to notice the part; that is how those three bunnies sneak into his garden even with him and eat vegetables together.  I want children to notice the part when we read the story together.  Hopefully, they experience, “Ah, that’s why!”, so that they will experience that there is always something “fun” waiting for you at the end of a story.

Presentation:

1. Read the book simply.  The first place I stop and wonder is when Mr. McGreely makes a wet trench outside the tall wooden wall.  I say, “I wonder what’s going to happen next morning.” Also I stop where bunnies find “the enormous thing”.  I said, “I wonder what’s going to happen to Mr. McGreely’s.” At last, I stop where the bunnies are eating with Mr. McGreely, and say, “I wonder why they are eating with him.” Then children really start wonder why and ask to read the book again.

 

2. Make a prop box and tell a story without a book.  While you tell a story, you add props so that children can visually understand what is going on.  Things you need are: box covered with brown paper with some holes that you stick green tissue paper or any light materials inside as his garden, some wires that you can put around the box, wooden wall that can be that you can make with chopsticks, three milk cartons that water can be filled, and door made of carton board and a lock (real one would be nice, but you can also make it with clay, paper, or anything children use daily. One this you have to remember is that all the things surrounding the garden have to be three dimension so that children can see what is happening in the garden.  You fill the box with green light materials so that you can pull one of them each time as if you are pulling a vegetable, and do the “muncha muncha muncha part” Finally, when Mr.McGreely gets into his garden, that’s when you use the same basket with bunnies’ ears sticking out and end the story.

3.Make a song.  Use the recognizable tune, like “twinkle twinkle litter star”, and sing together with body movements. Not the whole story, but like

              “Mr.McGreely plants his garden

               Here come bunnies, muncha muncha muncha.

               He puts a fence, he builds a wall,

               He makes a moat, and he locks the door.

               Here comes bunnies muncha muncha muncha.

               Now they’re friends, muncha muncha muncha.”

When sing, we can add actions, like holding hands as a part of being friends, or move fingers as part of munching. The part of Mr.McGreely works on his tricks outside the garden, we can add actions; for example, rolling arms, making a box tall and wide, locking the door gesture, and hopping when the bunnies come.

Extension:

1.Give children paper marked off in quarters. And ask, “If you want to make your own garden, what do you want to plant?” Then children get the idea and start to draw pictures of their garden. When they are done drawing, put all the pictures aside each other on the wall, and here we make the centre’s big garden.

2.Experimental activity. Bring any kind of seeds from home, apple seeds, avocado pits, beans, etc and see if they grow! In water or in a dirt and see how sprouts come out.

 

3. Plant real vegetables. The easiest plants you can grow are any kind of sprouts. All you need is sponge and milk carton.  Cut the milk carton 10cm tall. And place the sponge at the bottom. Then add water and put the seeds on the sponge.  Also radish is easy one. You can grow them in 2 weeks. You can do that outside or inside. Every morning, children can check if the bunnies came during the night. They should be excited to come to the centre just to see that.