The Way to Start a Day by Byrd Baylor

The Way to Start a Day

Written by Byrd Baylor

Illustrated by Peter Parnall

Book Review

Language Arts

1. Discuss the meaning of freestyle prose and compare it to other types of poetry.

2. Vocabulary study including: east, chant, power, honor, dawn, temple, sway, sacred, pale, streak, offering, mysterious, exactly, float, salute, ceremony, shrines, mesa, magic

3. Have each child write about their start to a typical day using freestyle prose.

Social Studies

1. Individual or small group guided inquiry on a culture of their choice. This could include a presentation for the class.

2. Create a map that details all the cultures discussed in the book.  

Math

1. Calculate the distance from various places described in the book to other places discussed. For example: How many miles is it from Peru to Egypt?  From Peru to Mexico?  

This could lead to discussion about methods of travel and travel times.  For example:  How might one travel from Mexico to Egypt?  How long might those methods take?

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Green

Written and Illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Book Trailer, etc.

Language Arts

1.  Green's simplicity prompts higher level questioning:  

Why did the author write this book? 

Why did she choose the particular green subjects she chose?  

If you were to write a book about a specific color, what would it be? Why?  

What do you think prompted the author to choose the words she used?  

What other words could she have used?

2.  Guided inquiry based on book subjects.  Students can research forests, sea turtles, limes or green fruit/vegetables, jungles, caterpillars, etc.  This research can be done individually or with a partner or small group.  Students can follow up their research by creating a presentation for the class.

3. Students can create a color book of their own using their favorite color.  Encourage them to consider cut outs similar to those used in Green as they plan for their books.  This can be done in groups or individually.  Once their books have been published, arrange for your students to partner with another class or younger grade to share their work.  Finally, books can be added to the classroom library for all to share.

A Whole Nother Story As told by Dr. Cuthbert Soup

Wonderfully Illustrated by
Jeffrey Stewart Timmons

Book Review

Book Trailer

Language Arts

1. Create compilation of all students' favorite Dr. Soup quotes. This can be a video, PowerPoint, performance, paper slide video, or any other creative expression of the preferred literary lines.


2. Writing Topics:
- Where and when would you go if you could travel through space and time?
- What would you name yourself if you could pick any name? Why? Describe your reasoning for two more new names.
-Which was your favorite villan in the book? Why? 


3. Discuss in depth the importance of each bit of advice offered by Dr. Soup. I found the advice on tattoos and time travel particularly interesting.


4. Guided inquiry based on topics students wish to know more about. For instance, the Trojan Horse as referred to on page 145. Students can then share what they learned with each other.

Dave the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill

Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Book Review

Language Arts

Biography:

1. Read aloud to class as an introduction to biographies.

2. Discuss characteristics of biographies and autobiographies.

3. Allow students to choose a biography to read independently or with a partner.

4. Have create a presentation related to the biography they chose to read. Encourage them to create multimedia presentations using videos, photos, PowerPoints, etc.

5. Students will practice listening and public speaking skills as they share their presentations.

Poetry:

1. Discuss characteristics of poetry.

2. Spend several days reading a variety of poetry as a whole group, in small groups, and independently.

3. Have students partner or create small groups based on their favorite poem or type of poetry. Students will discuss and list the reasons they prefer the specific poem or type of poetry.  They can share what they discussed with the other groups.

4. Model poem writing by working as a whole group to create poems. 

5. Small groups can create poems to share.

6. Independent writing of poems based on choice or suggested topics such as seasons or friendship.

Following Directions:

*See art activities below

Social Studies

1. Create a time line that demonstrates the elapsed time between current day and when Dave was alive.

2. Small groups can research or complete internet scavenger hunts that detail the importance of pottery throughout history. Compare past pottery with today's storage methods.

3. Upper grades can research the impact of slavery on African American families and how this theme is illustrated throughout the book.

Art

1. Students can make pinch pots. Write about the experience.

     How to Make a Pinch Pot Video

     Step by Step Pinch Pot Instructions with Pictures

2. Students can make coil pots. Write about the experience.

     Step by Step Coil Pot Instructions with Pictures

     How to Make a Coil Pot Video

3. Have students write their own instructions for each method or compare the methods and which they preferred and why.

Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

Illustrated by Tony Fucile

Book Review

Language Arts

Writing Prompts:

1. Tell about a time when you compromised.

2. Tell about a time when you wished you would be left alone.

3. What is a pet you wish you could have? Why?

4. Tell about a time when you were jealous. What happened?

Vocabulary:

companion, gray matter, jealous, longs for/longing, inquire, furthermore, unremarkable, incapable, virtually, spectacular, desperate, extraordinary, venture, accomplishment, journey, tolerate, baffled, forth, compromise, outrageous, especially, enchantment, bonanza, bargain

There are many activities that can be done with the above words.

1. Add them to the word wall

2. Syllabicate them

3. Let them be the spelling words

4. Write a story that uses all the words (individually or as a group)

5. Give an award to the three people who use the new words the most in their daily language (use a chart to keep score)

6. Create advertisements that use the words and discuss the purpose of advertisements. Add propaganda to the list of new words

Social Studies

Have the students spin the globe then use their finger as Gollie did to find a place to research. Discover all the facts about the place and the culture of the people. Create PowerPoints or paper videos about the place. Act out what it might be like to live in the place just as Gollie did with the Andes Mountains.

Book Review

We Are in a Book by Mo Willems

Language Arts:

The greatest thing about this book is that it is designed to be read over and over again.  The primary grades will love to hear it again and again.  As we all know, it is imperative that little learners hear the same book many times.  My niece, a reader since forever, has her parents to thank, because they spent time reading her favorite books repeatedly until the covers were soft and worn and barely hanging on.  Repeated reading builds crucial synapses!

Read this book at least once a day until every child in your class has had a turn as the "Reader" to whom which Piggie and Gerald refer.  Every student will want an individual turn saying "Banana" at Piggie's prompting.  This enables those not so strong readers a chance to be a confident reader.  Thank you Mo Willems!

Invite Mo Willems to serve as the focus of your class for a week.  Bring in a variety of Mo Willems books. For a list of all Mo's books: Mo's Bibliography 

• Have the students compare and contrast the books.  
• Use Mo's Website to learn more about Mo and play some games he has to offer. 
• Chart and graph your students' favorite books and characters.
• Write letters to Mo Willems or a favorite character.
• Discuss how the illustrations are used to express feeling, tone, and mood.

Math:

Calculate the exact number of pages from page 45 when Piggie peeks to see how many pages until the book is over and page 57 when the book is over.  Discuss the different ways of finding the answer.

See chart and graph activity listed above.

Count how many times the word "Hee" or "Ha" is written in the book.

Review of We Are in a Book