Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball

Title: Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball

Vicki Churchill (Author)

Charles Fuge (Illustrator)

Arts Modality: creative movement

Reading Strategies: inferring, making connections

Summary: Little wombat spends a day doing favorite things--what could they be? Are they your favorites, too? Let's look and see! He especially enjoys walking around and around, and doing a pigeon step till he falls down. Or sticking out his pink tongue--and pulling funny faces (now that can be fun)! And maybe he'll jump just as high as he can, and see how much noise he will make when he lands. But when the day ends and the sun starts to fall...he goes back home to mama and curls into a ball. Good night! (Summary from Sterling Children's Books.)

Materials:

Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball

Lesson:

Do you ever feel like curling up in a ball? Or maybe jumping as high as you can? Either way, you and your little listeners are sure to connect with the feelings of the toddler-like wombat in Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball. 

In this charmingly illustrated book, the wombat and his woodland friends spend the day doing some of their favorite things, such as jumping, walking around, falling down, and just standing still. Along with all the romping and rolling, there's rhyming as well. The simple rhyming phrases are easy for little ones to listen to, repeat, and understand. In much the same way, the simple movements are easy for young movers to watch, mimic, and enjoy.

Begin your story time by simply asking the children, "Have you ever wanted to curl up in a ball?" Go ahead. Let them wrap their arms around their legs and curl up into balls. Next explore the feelings that would make someone want to curl up so small that no one could see him or her, like the combat wants to do in the beginning of the book.

Continue this exploration of emotions with a picture walk through the book. Invite the children to look carefully at the wombat's facial expressions on each spread. Also consider the expressions of his companions. What feelings and situations would make them want to move the different ways they move in the book?

After you've used the illustrations to infer the animal's feelings, invite listeners to connect to the text through movement. Help the children find their own spaces. As you read each rhyming phrase, allow the children to copy the wombat's actions. Help them describe his movements. Where are his arms? Do his legs go in the same direction every time? When is his body up high? When is it down low?

 

As you read, children can:

• Curl up in a ball
• Jump high
• Walk round and round
• Fall down
• Stand still
• Make funny faces
• “Play” in mud
• Run fast
• Curl up in a ball and “sleep”

If you feel like reading another book that connects emotions with movements, try Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse: A Book about Feelings by Jeanne Modessitt and Robin Spowart. Another good pairing is with Quick as a Cricket by Audrey and Don Wood.

Giraffes Can't Dance

Title: Giraffes Can’t Dance

Giles Andrae (Author)

Guy Parker-Rees (Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategy: Making Connections                     

Art Modality: Drama, Creative Movement

Summary:

Meet Gerald, the humble and inspiring giraffe in Giraffes Can’t Dance, written by Giles Andrae and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. Gerald is tall and slim and a really bad dancer. Other animals show up at the Jungle Dance to skip and prance. In fact, the warthogs waltz, the rhinos rock and roll, the lions dance a tango, the chimps do a cha-cha and the baboons even spin a Scottish reel. Feeling useless and lonely, Gerald leaves the dance. Just in time, a cricket gives him a wonderful piece of advice: “...sometimes when you’re different you just need a different song.”  Gerald finds his boogie, and his dance is like a dream. The moral of the story? “We all can dance...when we find music that we love.”

Materials:

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Lesson:

We know that good readers ask questions before, during and after a story. With this lesson, good readers will be guided to making connections before, during and after a story.

Begin by asking, “Have you ever tried to do something and you didn’t think you were very good at it?” The story I tell my kids is actually about dancing. When I took my movement class during my Integrated Arts program, I was very nervous. I didn’t think I’d be able learn the steps fast enough and I already knew I wasn’t very coordinated.

Read aloud Giraffes Can’t Dance. There is also an animated version you can enjoy: http://vimeo.com/33829782. 

After the read aloud, use these ideas to practice making connections through movement.

Travel through the story from Gerald’s perspective:

How does it feel to be tall and slim? Stretch your neck to eat the leaves.

Try to run around, but buckle at the knees. What are your feelings when you fall?

Slowly walk onto the dance floor. Freeze. How does your body look when you feel useless?

Creep away. How do you move when you are sad and lonely?

Find your own space where you can look up at the moon. 

Shuffle your hooves in circles on the ground. Gently sway from the neck. Swish your tail.

Throw your arms out sideways! Leap into the air!

Twirl and finish with a bow.

Just for fun, try out some dance movements inspired by the other animals. Your students’ will probably not be familiar with this dance lingo, so be sure to use the illustrations to increase their understanding of the new vocabulary.

Waltz like the warthogs.

Rock and roll like the rhinos.

Get a partner and do a bold and elegant tango like the lions.

Do a cha-cha like the chimps.

Now for making connections after the story. Again, I tell my kids that in my class, I learned to enjoy moving in my own way—even if it was a little bit fun and funky. When we acted out this story, guess who played the part of Gerald? (I’m not sharing pictures of this part!) Ask, “What special skills or talents do you have? What is something you didn’t think you were good at but you now you have fun doing it anyway?”

Need more Gerald?

Visit Deep Space Sparkle for a step-by-step art lesson.
http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2008/02/04/giraffes-cant-dance/

I jumped for joy when I recently found this new Gerald book…

A Ball For Daisy

Title: A Ball for Daisy

Chris Raschka (Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategies:

Inferring

Making Connections

                       

Art Modalities:

Drama

Storytelling

Summary:

Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. In the tradition of his nearly wordless picture book Yo! Yes?, Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka explores in pictures the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. Raschka's signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special. (Summary from Random House.)

Materials:

A Ball for Daisy

red ball

Lesson:

Here’s a book for the dog days of summer. In fact, here’s a book for any day that has been just plain  “ruff.”

There are a couple of reasons you might want to share this book first with a small group. As you know, wordless picture books can be powerful literacy tools. As students “read” the pictures, allow time for them to create narration. Encourage students to look at the pictures and retell the events to partners. As they retell, help students discover the elements of story and the sequence of events. Another reason to start with a small group is the opportunity for sharing personal connections. You little ones are sure to connect to how Daisy felt about the new toy, the broken toy and the new friendship.

To encourage students to make connections to the events and Daisy’s feelings, find a red ball and gather your group into a circle. Gently toss the ball to a volunteer who is ready to tell about a time that he experienced a loss such as a broken toy. (Older students may be able to make the connection to more significant life losses.) After the student shares his connection, have him toss the ball to another friend in the group.

Try these drama activities to help students infer what Daisy is thinking and how she is feeling throughout the story. Begin by asking each child to pretend she is Daisy. As you show each illustration, have each child say out loud what she (as Daisy) is thinking. Don’t worry about everyone talking at once...simply encourage students to think about the events and carefully study the details in the illustrations to narrate the story from the dog’s point of view.

Older students will enjoy retelling the story with this second drama extension. Put students in groups of four. Each child will play a character (Daisy, Daisy’s owner, the second dog, or the second dog’s owner). Direct the students to act out the story, saying what they think their characters would say in each scene. You might want to guide students in acting out the story with these parts:

Scene 1: Daisy gets the red ball.

Scene 2: Daisy goes to the park with the ball.

Scene 3: The second dog pops the ball.

Scene 4: Daisy misses her ball.

Scene 5: Daisy gets a new ball at the park.

Finally, here are some graphic organizers and writing frames for this story. They were designed to help your youngest readers turn their thinking into writing, but they are useful with older students as well. Just click on the links to download them for free. (If you like these graphic organizers and writing frames, be sure to check out my Smart Charts store on Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook.)

Having a ball with this book? Catch this teacher guide provided by Random House:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375858611.pdf

When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry

Title:

When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry...

Molly Bang (Author & Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategies: 

Inferring, Making Connections 

             

Art Modalities: 

Drama, Visual Art

Summary:

It is often difficult for kids to talk about their feelings, especially anger. Bang offers a great opportunity for parents and kids to discuss anger and how Sophie handles it. The situation is typical; Sophie's sister has taken her toy, which makes her very angry. The vivid colors and illustrations likening Sophie to a volcano get the point across. So too does the resolution that Sophie finds, by escaping outdoors to climb her favorite tree. There she calms down and the world becomes a quieter place bathed in soothing green and blue. (Review from Children’s Literature.)

Materials:

When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry...

paints and paper

Lesson:

Let’s face it...we all get angry. Sometimes we even get really, really angry. Chances are you’ll know when the time is right to share this book with your class. There are just those days when you and your students are tired and grumpy. Begin by showing your group only the cover. Infer...How is the girl feeling and how do you know? Invite students to make a similar face. Next have students take a closer look at the first spread. How is Sophie feeling now? How can you tell? Uh-oh. Now how is Sophie feeling? Can you use your experience with the picture clues to infer Sophie’s feelings? Show the next spread. Oh, my. Have students closely examine Sophie’s face and the cat. Even the zig-zag lines are a clue. At this point, you might want to remind your readers that inferring means combining your background knowledge and the clues in the book to infer a character’s feelings. Remind them that their own experiences count as background knowledge. Provide time for students to share similar experiences and feelings they may have had in the past.

Read the story aloud. Discuss the ways that Sophie handles her anger. Which are appropriate and which are inappropriate? Be sure to validate a variety of opinions. Finally, invite students to act out the story as you reread. Now doesn’t that feel better?

For younger students...

What Would Sophie Do?

(sung to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)

If you’re angry and you know it, kick and scream.

If you’re angry and you know it, kick and scream.

If you’re angry and you know it,

Smash the world to smithereens.

If you’re angry and you know it, kick and scream.

If you’re angry and you know it, give a roar.

If you’re angry and you know it, give a roar.

If you’re angry and you know it,

Roar “red” more and more.

If you’re angry and you know it, give a roar.

If you’re angry and you know it, run and run.

If you’re angry and you know it, run and run.

If you’re angry and you know it,

Don’t stop until you’re done.

If you’re angry and you know it, run and run.

If you’re angry and you know it, cry and cry.

If you’re angry and you know it, cry and cry.

If you’re angry and you know it,

Find a tree and start to climb.

If you’re angry and you know it, cry and cry.

If you’re calm and you know it, climb back down.

If you’re calm and you know it, climb back down.

If you’re calm and you know it,

Climb back down and walk back home.

If you’re calm and you know it, climb back down.

Art Extension...
On her website, Molly Bang expresses her own feelings about creating the illustrations for the book:

“I made the pictures of gouache, which is a thick, mud-like paint and which feels nice and gucky when painted thickly. It is very satisfying to paint exuberant feelings with gouache. I began the book with bright pinks and purples and chartreuse, turning to reds and oranges when Sophie gets angry, then turning to browns, then blues and greens as she calms down, and then using the full palette when she returns home, "whole" again. It was interesting to notice how angry I felt while I was making the angry pictures, and how much calmer I felt when I was painting with the blues and greens.”

Already heading for the paints? Consider using fingerpaints. Even older kids will enjoy the experience. Another option is the dimensional paint recipe found here: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/paintrecipes/a/dimenpaint.htm

Teachers of older students, Let me express my feelings...CHECK OUT THIS LINK! You’ll find a picture book writing lesson from WritingFix. The lesson focuses on idea development and voice using Molly Bang’s book as the mentor text. There are templates and student samples. More feelings...I ESPECIALLY LOVED the interactive pre-writing buttons.

http://writingfix.com/Picture_Book_Prompts/WhenSophieGetsAngry3.htm

To read more about Molly Bang’s feelings about the book.

http://www.mollybang.com/Pages/sophie.html

Can't Sleep Without Sheep

Title: Can’t Sleep Without Sheep

Susanna Leonard Hill (Author)

Mike Wohnoutka (Illustrator)

Classroom Guides by Shannon Morgan

Comprehension Strategies: 
Visualizing, Making Connections                  

Art Modality: Drama

Summary: 
Whenever Ava can’t sleep, she counts sheep. But Ava takes so long to fall asleep, it’s the sheep who are getting tired—until they finally quit! The sheep promise to find a replacement Ava can count on, but it might not be as easy as they think...

In this hilarious take on a familiar bedtime ritual, readers will be charmed by Ava and her fluffy friends. (Summary from book.)

Materials:

Can’t Sleep Without Sheep

Lesson:

Here’s a dreamy way to help your students practice visualizing. Begin the lesson by asking students to describe their own sleep dilemmas and solutions. The main character in the story, Ava, counts sheep. Ask your students to consider this question: What if the sheep got tired of being counted?

Next, read the story aloud, but without sharing the illustrations. Encourage students to visualize each of the animals that the sheep enlist to help Ava fall asleep. Read the story again, this time showing the pictures.

You can count on this dramatic follow-up to awaken your students visualizing skills. For each of the animals in the story, have students consider:

*Is this animal big or small?

*What shape is it?

*Does it have legs? How many?

*How quickly or slowly does it move?

*What sounds does it make?

To dramatize the story, choose a volunteer to be Ava. Invite students to choose an animal to portray from the following choices: sheep, horse, chicken, pig, cow, penguin, hippo, buffalo, flamingo, armadillo or beaver. Line up your cast of characters and reread the story, stopping to assist with dialogue and movement. Get ready for the stampede!

You won’t get tired of this book any time soon, so head over to Susanna Leonard Hill’s website for activities to help you integrate the book into language arts, math, science, social studies, art and drama curricula. The activities are linked to the common core standards.

http://www.susannahill.com/cantsleepwithoutsheep.html

Don’t quit yet! Here’s the trailer...      

http://youtu.be/_5rTzSjGqT4

Farmyard Beat

Title: Farmyard Beat

Lindsey Craig (Author)

Marc Brown (Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategy: Making Connections

Art Modality: Music

Summary:

“Chicks can’t sleep. Chicks can’t sleep. Chicks can’t sleep ’cause they got that beat!” The sounds of the farm animals create a lively beat that keeps Farmer Sue, the chicks, sheep, and other farm animals awake. (Summary from book.)

Materials:

Farmyard Beat

rhythm instruments

Lesson:

Peep! Peep! Peep-peep-peep! Early childhood teachers...Your little chicks might not be “reading” yet, but they are sure to get the beat of books with this fun farmyard chant. Here’s a reading lesson that will have your pre-readers making connections, predicting and making music. First, drag the box of rhythm instruments out of the back of your school’s supply closet. Kindergarten teachers, beg your music teacher to loan you a set. Next, have your kids help you match up the instruments you have with the animals in the story so each animal is represented by one instrument.

Here are some ideas:

animal	sound it makes	possible instrument
chick	Peep! Peep! Peep-peep-peep!	triangle
sheep	TAT! TAT! Tattity-  tat-tat!	rhythm sticks     or drum
cat	Puuuurrrr! Mee-ooow!	tambourine
cow	SWISH! CLANK! Swish-swish! Clank!	cymbals
dog	Woof! How-WOOOOO!	sound tube
owl	WHOOO?	sounder or    whistle

When your students are familiar with the rhythm and sequence of the text, have them join in by playing the appropriate instrument as each animal gets the beat. Pretty soon your class will be like the farmyard...you’ll all “fall in heap! Asleep!” Naptime!