How to catch a star

Jeffers, O. (2004). How to catch a star. Great Britain, HarperCollins Children’s Books.

ISBN#:978-0-00-715034-2

When I opened the pages to this book they were as beautiful and imaginative as the cover. The story is about boy who has a fascination with stars. He wants a star of his very own and so he sets out to catch a star. He uses his imagination to come up with different ways that are suitable for catching a star but none of which seem to work. His determination and patience do not fail him because sure enough he catches a star even though it is not the star high in the sky. He catches a star much more reachable, a star of the sea. In the end determination and patience bring the boy the friendship he set out for. The reason I choose this book for three to five-year olds is because it is imaginative. I also like the idea that if you set out to do something it can be achieved with determination and patience. This book is not saturated with text and has captivating illustrations full of colour. The colours are warm and inviting and come in all sorts of shades.

The author both wrote and illustrated the book. The illustrations look as though they have been done in water colour. The illustrations are simplistic but saturated with colour, the illustrations complement the text. At the back of the book there is a little blurb on the author, it says there that he studied visual communication. This helps to explain why the text and illustrations go so well together. I feel as though I could open the pages and understand the story through the illustrations.

Provocations:

My initial presentation will include a big cardboard box. I will close up the cardboard box leaving a covered entrance. Inside the roof of the box I will hang or stick glow in the dark stars. Children will be able to get inside the box with all the glowing stars. They can take a flash light if it is too dark at first. I could also hang stars from the ceiling of the classroom.

Bringing in props like a tree, life belt, rocket ship, and a seagull. Either printed images that stick to a felt board or actual objects, both would work. I would than pose the title as question, “how would you catch a star?” Giving the children the chance to brainstorm and come up with ideas before delving into the book… (See extension 1)

At the end of the book the boy catches a star fish so as a fourth provocation I will bring in my collection of star fish, another kind of star. The children will be able to explore the different kinds of star fish which I could display on sand.

Dropping plastic stars into a bin of water and having the children fish out the stars, is one idea I stumbled upon. Stick magnets to plastic stars, then creating a rod using a rope and stick, attach a magnet to the end of the rope.  The children can also reach for the plastic stars with their hands similar to the boy in the book.

Presentations:

Clothesline Story: I will tie up a string hanging vertically from the ceiling. On the string I will have a star (either a plastic star or a paper star) which will remain at the top of the line throughout the telling of the story. I will than have laminated pictures of the boy, a tree, life belt, rocket ship and seagull. One by one, I will pop up the object in which the boy is using to try and catch a star. With the string hung vertically it will be as though the boy is trying to get higher and higher to reach the star.  On page 21 just as the boy is starting to lose hope I will unpin all the objects except for the boy, who by now is almost at the top of the string.  I will than put a new star at the bottom of the string just as the boy spots a star in the sea. As he tries to reach for the starfish I will slowly slide the boy back down the string.

Props: Bringing in props like a tree (represented by a branch or cut from construction paper), life belt (a small toy or life size object depending on what I find first), rocket ship (a plastic toy or made from paper like toilet rolls and colourful construction paper), and a seagull (represented by feathers or a stuffed toy). All of the objects would go in a box, depending on weather I find a life size life belt which would have to go in a big bag. Keep the props hidden so we can wonder…I wonder what he is going to use next to try and catch that star?

Magnetic Tin: A four sided tin. Each side of the tin would be decorated in paint or construction paper, in accordance to the pages in the book. I would need small laminated images of the boy, a tree, life belt, rocket ship, and a seagull with small magnets glued to the back. Side one would be painted green with trees, side two would be shades of blue to represent the sea, side three would be deep dark blue like the midnight sky and side four would be shades of blue with a dock.  As I turned the tin I would pull out an object For Example side three I would place the rocket ship and side four I would perch the seagull on the deck.

Story blocks: Four sided blocks that would be like rolling dice. In this version of telling the story we wouldn’t have to go in the order of the book we could pose the question: I wonder how you would catch a star and have the children roll the dice. On the dice would be the four objects from the book (tree, life belt, rocket ship, and a seagull) As the children took turns rolling the block we could also have them help tell the story by coming up with more objects to catch a star. Eventually we could have lots of blocks filled with objects.

Extensions:

Have paper and materials available if they want to illustrate their ideas. This also where I would stop and wonder (page 12) just as a star starts to appear in the approaching night sky…I wonder how he is going to try and catch a star?  Let them illustrate for you after you have read the book.

Taking closer look at stars whether it be stars in the sky or star fish:

If we were to take a look at stars in the night sky I would bring in a map of the constellations for the children to explore. If we were to take a closer look at star fish a trip to aquarium is always fun! The children might even get a chance to touch or hold a star fish.  

Discuss the themes in the book: Determination, patience, and friendship. One quote I found suiting…“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” Wonder with the children (page 21 just as the boy is starting to lose hope) I wonder what he is going to do next? I wonder what will happen if he waits a little more? 

Another extension could be getting the children to choose something that fascinates them for example an octopus…I wonder how you would catch an octopus? Getting the children to use their imagination! This could be either illustrated or shown through movement.