Tap the Magic Tree

Tap the Magic Tree

Title: Tap the Magic Tree

 Christie Matheson (Author & Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategy: Questioning                       

Art Modality: Creative Movement

Summary:

It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. The collage-and-watercolor art evokes the bright simplicity of Lois Ehlert and Eric Carle and the interactive concept will delight fans of Pat the Bunny. Combining a playful spirit and a sense of wonder about nature, Christie Matheson has created a new modern classic that is a winner in every season—and every story time! (Summary from HarperCollins Children’s.)

Materials:

Tap the Magic Tree
felt: red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, pink and two different colors of green

Lesson:

Begin your lesson by focusing on students’ background knowledge. If possible provide a collection of photographs of trees in all seasons. You might collect these photos from calendars, Google images, or photography books. A walk outside to look at trees would be a nice beginning to discussing how trees change during the seasons.

After asking, “What do we already know about how trees change?”, begin to ask questions about Tap the Magic Tree. How are the branches on the cover different? Why are the branches different? What causes the branches to change? What will happen if we tap the tree? Is it really magic?

After reading the book, ask, "How do the heat of the sun and the movement of the wind affect the tree?” To explore these ideas through creative movement, pair the students. Explain that one student will be the tree. The other student will be the wind and the sun. As you reread the text, invite the sun/wind partner to move around the tree. This student will pretend to tap, jiggle and rub the tree to create a collaborative dance.

For example, when you read, “Now blow a whooshing breeze...” the wind partner might wave his arms toward the tree. When you read “Rub the tree to make it warm...”, ask the tree partner to explore how she might move her hands to represent the leaves and flowers as they bloom.

Art Extension:
To create a tactile center for creating art similar to the text’s illustrations, you’ll need red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, pink and two different colors of green felt. Duplicate the bare tree at the beginning of the story onto card stock. Cut simple leaves, blossoms, apples and snowflakes out of the felt to match the colors and sizes in the story. To use the center, a child taps and claps and wiggles his fingers to change the magic tree. As he is arranging the felt pieces on the tree, he will also have the opportunity to practice his sequencing and story retelling.

To get a peek at how delightfully interactive this book can be, watch the trailer:

You can also peek inside the book here: 

An activity guide with Common Core State Standards is also available: 

Cindy Moo

Title: Cindy Moo

Lori Mortensen (Author)

Jeff Mack (Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategy: Questioning                       

Art Modality: Creative Movement

Summary:

One night on the farm, the cows overhear a fantastic tale. “Hey Diddle Diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon!” Inspired by this classic rhyme, a plucky cow named Cindy Moo sets out to prove that cows really can leap over the moon. The other cows laugh at her, but that doesn’t stop Cindy from trying—and failing—night after night . . . until a trick of nature shows Cindy a way to triumph. As delightfully silly as the original nursery rhyme, this hilarious picture book will have readers of all stripes (and spots) cheering for its determined heroine. (HarperCollins)

Materials:

Cindy Moo

hula hoops

white paper plates

Lesson:

It’s time to get your kids “moo-ving!” All you need is a copy of this book and some hoops. (Real rain puddles would be best, but...well, they’re wet.) Begin by making sure that all of your little ones are familiar with the nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle.” For fun you can check out the many versions of the rhyme/song on YouTube. Here are two I liked. The first has the words and a pleasant version of the tune. The second video is from vintage Sesame Street.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSELJdLRwz0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAhhZ0w0iQU

And now introducing...Cindy Moo! She’s the determined cow that is going to help your young readers practice our comprehension strategy of the day: questioning. After all, Cindy Moo wouldn’t be where she is today (famous) if she hadn’t asked the question, “WHY can’t a cow jump to the moon?” Let the questions begin before you even open the book. Just look at the cover. WHY is the cow jumping? WHAT are the three cows on the back thinking as they look on? 

Now on to the first pages...WHY is the cow peeking out of the barn? WHAT is the girl reading? And before too long, the burning question..."WHY can’t a cow jump to the moon?” Give your listeners time to discuss the issues, just as the cows in the barn did that very night. To really stretch their thinking, insert a question that isn’t in the book. Ask students to problem-solve with partners. If a cow wanted to jump over the moon, HOW could it be done? You might get some pretty creative answers! Continue reading to find out how Cindy Loo finally makes it over the moon.

After the book, show your kids a mighty-fine, bovine time with this movement activity. First locate some hoedown style music on the internet. I found this fun music

http://www.pond5.com/music/1/hoedown.html and also songs on this site that I could download for free http://www.mediamusicnow.co.uk/royalty-free-music-loops/country/hoedown.

Take your kids to a gym or open area. Arrange your hula hoop puddles throughout the area. Place a paper-plate moon in each puddle. Now just play the music and encourage the kiddie cattle to start jumping puddles. Yee-Haw!

For an inside peek into the book click here!

The Book with a Hole

Title: The Book with a Hole

Herve Tullet (Author and Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategy: Questioning                                   

Art Modality: Visual Art

Summary:

There’s a book and there’s a hole. The hole goes right through the middle of the book...

Sometimes the hole is a magnifying glass to look at bugs. Sometimes it is a pool to jump into, a track to race around or a tropical island. Build your own 3D skyscraper, attach a trunk to an elephant or play basketball with a crumpled sheet of paper...

There’s no limit to the games you can play or the fun you can have...Just don’t fall into the hole!

Packed full with zany drawings and even zanier ideas by best-selling author Herve Tullet, The Book with a Hole is endlessly inventive and bound to enchant children of all ages. (Summary from the book.)

Materials:

The Book with a Hole

art paper

markers or crayons

Lesson:

It’s my birthday today. So my sweet family took me to the HIGH Museum of Art in Atlanta to see the “Picasso to Warhol” exhibit. Did I leave the museum without visiting the gift shop? Nooooo. Did I leave the gift shop without looking at the children’s books? Noooooo. And did I leave the gift shop without the purchase of a children’s book? Nooooooo.

Chances are you work hard to help your readers interact with a text. With this book, that goal just got a “hole” lot easier. Just look at this spread from inside with the question, “What are you going to cook?”

I don’t even have to suggest the ideas to go with this book...I’ll just hand them to you on a platter.

If you are teaching questioning, simply open up the book and let the children answer the questions or ask new ones. Of course, you’ll want to follow up with some drawing and creative writing. Now there’s a book with a “hole” lot of possibilites!  Enjoy...my dog did!

Another book you’ll want to find by Herve Tullet...

Dancing Feet!

Title: Dancing Feet

Lindsey Craig (Author)

Marc Brown (Illustrator)

Comprehension Strategy: Questioning                                   

Art Modality: Creative Movement

Summary:

“Clickity! Clickety! Long green feet! Who is dancing that clickity beat? Lizard is dancing on clickity feet.” Introducing a get-up-and-dance book—so catchy and rhythmic, you’ll almost want to sing it. Lindsey Craig’s rollicking text features funny sound words (Tippity! Creepity! Stompity! Thumpity!), a singsong beat, and a guessing element just easy enough for little ones to anticipate. Marc Brown’s artwork is bright, textured, and joyful, a collage of simple shapes for kids to find and name. So grab a partner and tap your feet to this read-aloud picture-book treat. (Summary from book.)

Materials:

Dancing Feet

Lesson:

Want to get your little ones off on the right foot when it comes to thinking about reading? Read aloud this picture book to introduce questioning to beginning readers. Pause after you read the question for each animal. (“Who is dancing that tippity beat?”) Invite youngsters to look at the animal’s footprints and isolated body parts to predict which animal will be shown on the next page. After thinking about the answer to each question, turn the page and explore one of the movement suggestions below.

animals	movement suggestions
ladybugs	Balance on one foot; then tap feet. (tippity)
elephant	Stomp. (stompity)
ducks	Waddle. (slappity)
caterpillar	Tiptoe. (creepity)
bear	Jump with both feet. (thumpity)
lizard	Tap feet. (clickity)

When youngsters are familiar with the rhythm of the text and movements, vary your speed to help develop their body control and listening skills.

Idea Contributors:

Get up on your feet to show your appreciation for the contributors of this movement lesson—Maria Hanley and Kerry Aradhya. To see more of their great ideas for combining picture books with creative movement, just hop over to their blogs! 

 http://kerryaradhya.blogspot.com

http://mariasmovers.com

                                                                     

Questions, Questions

Title: Questions, Questions

Marcus Pfister 

(Author and Illustrator)

(Click this link to order from Amazon: Questions, Questions)

Comprehension Strategy: Questioning                        

Art Modality: Visual Art

Summary:

Pfister's latest book is a sweetly simple look at some very deep questions, allowing children the opportunity to delve into some of life's mysteries. ...In a world that so often emphasizes answers and solid facts, it is refreshing to see a text that encourages questioning, whether realistic or imaginative

flights of fancy. (Summary from Kirkus Reviews.)

Materials:

Questions, Questions

art paper or construction paper

pencils

cardboard (thick enough to hold a cutout shape, but not too thick for young children to cut)

acrylic paints in a variety of colors and silver

paintbrushes

Lesson:

Is there any question what this teaching idea is all about? What is the focus comprehension strategy? Questioning, course! What art modality? Visual art, it’s plain to see! You’ll want to begin by just reading this simply beautiful book aloud. After reading, you might want to let students partner-talk about answers to some of the questions. Or you might give students a chance to journal their answers to their favorite questions. And without a doubt, you’ll want to give students time to brainstorm and ask their own questions. Students will also enjoy finding the silver design on each page. Follow-up your class discussions and writing with this visual-art activity.

Mr. Pfister says, “The illustrations have been realized with a new technique. First I transferred each part of a picture onto a cardboard and then cut them out. Afterwards I colored the cutout pieces of cardboard with acrylics and stamped them onto aquarelle paper. Try this technique once with your kids! You will get very nice results...”

First have each student record a question to illustrate. Students may be invited to choose a question from the book, or ask their own questions. Each child draws the outline of a simple shape, “coloring-book style,” onto a piece of cardboard. He then cuts out the shape. Next he paints one side of the shape. Finally, he flips the painted shape over and presses it gently onto the paper. Slowly peeling the shape away from the paper will reveal the design. Students may then paint something near the design. Display the students’ questions along with their artwork. One question you’re sure to hear from colleagues... “Can I do that with my class, too?”

Here are some examples of my students’ questions and art:

So you have more questions about the author and illustrator Marcus Pfister? Visit his web site:

http://www.marcuspfister.ch/index.htm

The Cheese

Title: The Cheese 

(Click this title for the Amazon.com link:
The Cheese)

Margie Palatini (Author)

Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (Illustrators)

Comprehension Strategies: Inferring, Questioning, 

Prior Knowledge (Connections)

Art Modalities: Creative Movement, Music

Summary: In this hilarious riff on the favorite nursery rhyme "The Farmer in the Dell," readers will discover what really happened to that hunk of cheddar. (Summary from HarperCollinsChildrens.com.)

Materials: The Cheese

Lesson:

So why does the cheese stand alone? Hi-ho the dairy-o, students will want to know before and after reading this funny version of the folk song, "The Farmer in the Dell." Before reading the book, lead children in playing a version of the singing game. To play, the children hold hands to form a group circle. One child—the farmer—stands in the center of the circle. The group moves around the farmer while singing the first verse. When the verse ends, the "farmer" closes his eyes, spins around and points to a child in the group. This child joins the farmer in the center and becomes the "wife." The singing game continues until the "wife" has chosen a "child," the "child" has chosen a "dog," the "dog" has chosen a "cat," the "cat" has chosen a "rat" and the "rat" has chosen the "cheese." At this point, all of the characters return to the circle except for the cheese, who stands alone as the group sings the final verse.

Following the game, ask children, "Why does the cheese stand alone?" Invite children to turn and talk with partners, record their responses in journals, or write their answers on self-adhesive notes to create a chart.

Read the story aloud stopping often to observe the rat's changing emotions. Invite students to copy the rat's facial expressions and body positions to help them infer the rat's thoughts and feelings throughout the story. When looking at the illustration of the "cat's evidence," you may want to remind the children that an inference is made when a person combines clues with background knowledge. How did the clues and the cat's background knowledge help her discover the rat's motives? Finally, pause after the rat is left alone with the cheese. Encourage predictions about the rat's next move. Will he eat the cheese, move the cheese, or use good manners and wait to share the cheese? Hi-ho the dairy-o, read the book so you'll know!

Hear it for yourself! Use this link to enjoy listening to the story read aloud by the author, Margie Palatini. You'll also hear some of her thoughts about the book. Audio clip of The Cheese