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?

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