April 16th: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

 

This week, I chose to read "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. This book is one of my childhood favorites. I always loved the crazy story of all the letters climbing up the coconut tree. I asked the kids if they remembered talking about onomatopeais when we read the Rattletrap car. There were more onomatopeias in this book like Boom, Skit Skat Skoodle Doot, and Flip Flop Flee. As I read I asked them about the letters, why they all fell out of the tree, and why they thought a full moon was called a full moon.

After we read, we played a modified version of "Mother May I?" When I gave the kids a command, they had to say "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room?" before they could proceed. For example, I would say: Take 3 bunny hops forward or take 2 giant steps forward and they would have to reply "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room?" before they took their turn. If they forgot to say that, they couldn't go and had to go back to the beginning. The kids really liked that game and we played two rounds.

After the game, I told each kid to pick their favorite color of construction paper, write in bubble letters the first inital of their name, and cut it out. I wanted each of them to have a little letter similar to the ones in "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom". Here are some of the letters the kids did:

Once everyone had their letter cut out, I drew a coconut tree on the board and had each kid tape their letter to the tree. It looked really cool with lots of different colored letters on the board. I reminded the kids about how, in the book, once all the letters were in the tree, it was too heavy and they all fell down. Then, I knocked all their letters off the tree on the board, ripping some. While this may seem heartless, it was for a purpose. I then passed out bandaids and told them to help take care of their letters. They bandaged up their letters and made sure they were all okay :)

For our snack this week, we had fruit. I thought this snack went well with the fruit tree from "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom".

April 9th: Dr. Seuss Day!

Today, we read two Dr. Seuss books, "The Cat in the Hat" and "Oh say can you say!". As a kid, Dr. Seuss books were my favorite, so I picked two I had at home to read to the Bookmunchers this week. Most of the kids had read "The Cat in the Hat" before, but "Oh say can you say!" was a new one full of exciting tongue twisters. I asked them if they knew any tongue twisters already. One girl quickly replied "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as he could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood". I was very impressed with the tongue twisters they knew and could say right off the bat.

After we read both books, I drew a picture on the board of a rainy day, like the one that was in "The Cat in the Hat". I asked all the kids what they usually do on rainy days. Then, I drew a stick figure person of each of them in the house doing what they usually do on rainy days. Some were watching TV, others listening to music, one kid was sleeping, and a few were playing outside in the puddles :)

Then, I passed out little slips of paper with a word from "The Cat in the Hat". For example, box, wall, dress, fun, or fish. I asked them to come up with as many rhymes for that word as they could. After they finished, we gathered in a circle and each kid read all their rhymes as fast as they could.

 

These are some pictures of the slips of paper the kids wrote on. They each came up with lots of rhymes for each word. We talked about how in "The Cat in the Hat", every phrase rhymed with each other, which made it more fun to read and listen.

 

 

Next, I laid out strips of colored construction paper and asked them each to choose one of their favorite color. Then, I told them they would be making their own alliteration sentences using their names. Similar to the alliteration phrases in "Oh say can you say!", each kid would have to come up with a sentence using their name and other words that started with the same syllable. For example:

 

 

Claire cooked a casserole

Therese tickled a turtle

Megan made a marshmallow museum

Emerson entered the elevator

 

The kids had fun using their own names to create sentences with alliteration. They were able to help each other think of words and share their ideas at the end.

 

For our snack this week, we had grapes and mini pancakes. Each snack was based off of the food mentioned in "Oh say can you say!".

 

Green Grape Cakes

As he gobbled the cakes on his plate,
the greedy ape said as he ate,
the greener green grapes are,
the keener keen apes are
to gobble green grape cakes,
they’re great!

 

What would you rather be when you grow up?

A cop in a cop’s cap?
Or a cupcake cook
in a cupcake cook’s cap?
Or a fat flapjack flapper
in a flat flapped-jack cap?
OR…
If you think
you don’t like cops’ caps,
flapjack flappers’
or cupcake cooks’ caps,
maybe you’re one
of those choosy chaps
who likes kooky captains’ caps
perhaps

 

 

April 2nd: Mickey and the Magic Cloak

 

This week, we read our Disney book. From Walt Disney Productions, Mickey and the Magic Cloak is one of Mickey's earliest adventures. I had this book at my house and since my younger sister Therese liked it, I thought it would be good for the group. Before we read, I asked the kids if they knew when it was written. I gave them a hint: "It was written when your parents were probably around your age". One of the younger girls guessed 1850. Well, it wasn't quite that early but this Disney tale, published in 1975, is one of Mickey's first adventures.

After we read, we talked about Mickey's journey, the magic cloak, and the Old Woman of the Woods. I asked them what characteristic Mickey had that gave him the courage to save Minnie from the Wizard Malgar. After telling them it started with a B, they all guessed BRAVE! I asked them if they had ever been on special mission and had to show bravery.

After our discussion, I passed out activity sheets that I had made. I asked them to draw on the page one place they would go if they had Mickey's Magic Cloak. Then, I asked all of them to sit on the floor in a circle with me and share what they had drawn.

These are some of the pictures and places the kids would go if they had Mickey's Magic Cloak :)


When we got together to talk about everyone's picture, I told them we'd be doing it a little bit differently than our normal sharing. This week, I had brought a "magic" cloak and they would each have the opportunity to wear it! I called it the Pink Cloak game. They were all very excited about my shiny pink cloak, even the boys. Similar to Mickey, they each got to pretend they were going on their own adventure. I told each kid as they were in the middle of the circle to put the cloak on, close their eyes, and say out loud the place they had drawn on their paper. They all had fun wearing the magic cloak and imagining going to those special places.

 

 

After everyone had the chance to wear the pink cloak, we had our snack. Disney-based fruit snacks! My mom couldn't find any with Mickey Mouse so we had Toy Story fruit chews instead. We talked about how Disney has changed since 1975, when Mickey and the Magic Cloak was written. I asked them what their favorite new Disney movie was. Some of their new favorites are Brave, The Croods, and Wreck-it Ralph.

March 26th: Amelia Bedelia

One of my favorite books as a kid, Amelia Bedelia, is what we read today. Written by Peggy Parish, these hilarious classics are full of fun twists. Through this book, I was able to talk to the kids about what the words literal and idiom mean. We discussed the literal meaning of some phrases and I told them to notice how Amelia Bedelia always takes things literally. When she was told to draw the curtains, instead of closing them, she literally drew a picture of them. Amelia Bedelia books are funny, thoughtful, and spark the imaginations of children. Before we read, I asked them to name some of the idioms they had heard. I told them an idiom is a word or phrase that says one thing but means another. I was happily surprised that they already knew lots of idioms, they just didn't know those phrases were idioms. It brought a smile to my face when one little boy said "I broke my ankle". I knew that wasn't really an idiom, but I didn't have the heart to tell them that. I let them write their idioms on the board and then we read the book.

After we read, we pointed out all the idioms in Amelia Bedelia. This is a list I made:

Dress the Chicken
Draw the Drapes
Dust the Furniture
Prune the Hedges
Change the towels
Put the lights out

Then, I passed out activity sheets and the kids enjoyed doing word searches and mini quizzes.

After they had filled out the worksheets, they each showed me all the words they found in the word search. Then, we went back to the list of Amelia Bedelia idioms from the book and I passed out slips of paper with an idiom on each one. I told the kids to get in groups of 2 or 3 and come up with a charade based on each idiom. The kids had fun acting out scenes like dressing the chicken and changing the towels.

This week's snack would have to be the best yet! I brought in two whip cream topped lemon meringue pies, like the ones Amelia Bedelia made!

 

 

The kids were so excited and demanded 2 pieces...giving in to them wasn't the best idea.

March 19th: Rattletrap Car

 

This week, we read Rattletrap Car, written by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Jill Barton. This book was full of onomatopoeias and the kids had fun saying each of them. I first asked them if they had ever heard of an onomatopoeia and gave some examples of some. I wrote a list of onomatopoeias on the board and they read them aloud. I asked them if they could think of any other examples of onomatopoeias.

After we read the book, I passed out slips of paper to each kid. Each slip of paper had an onomatopoeia from the book. We all lined up in order of when they were said to create our own rattletrap car. Each kid said their onomatopoeia aloud and we sounded like the Rattletrap Car in the book!

This is a list of all the onomatopoeias in Rattletrap Car

Then, we had our discussion questions. I asked them what family vacations they had been on and if they had fun. We talked about cars we had been in that didn't run so well. I asked them how they keep cool in the summer time. They said they swim, run in the sprinklers, and dump buckets of water on their heads!

 

For our snack, we made fudge marshmallow delight from the book! Using graham crackers, Nutella spread, and marshmallows, each kid made their own tasty treat. After they finished their snacks, we played some fun games - Duck, Duck Goose, Simon Says, and Honey, do you love me? When we played Duck, Duck Goose, I told them they had to "quack" as they ran around to use onomatopoeias.

 



March 5: Help! A Story of Friendship

 



This week, we read a book about Friendship. Written by Holly Keller, "Help! A Story of Friendship" is a cute story about how true friendship overcomes rumors and gossip. After I read the book to them, we had discussion questions. I asked them if they had ever thought someone would be mean but they turned out to be really nice. I told the kids how important it is to not judge before you meet someone. In the story, mouse thought Snake was dangerous, but in the end, Snake saved mouse because he cared about him. We talked about which animal was their favorite and why. I also asked them if they had ever been distracted and not paid attention like mouse had. We discussed the importance of paying attention in class and at home. We also talked about what a rumor is, how they can be mean, and why we shouldn't start or spread them.

 

 

Next, I wrote the phrase "To have good friends, you must be a good friend" on the board. I asked the kids what this statement meant to them. Each of them had thoughtful answers of how if you want friends, you must be nice to others. One girl said "If you're mean, no one will like you". I explained to them how important it is that they have a good attitude and are always nice to others so they can be good friends.

 



 

 

For our craft, we made a Friendship chain. I passed out three strips of colorful construction paper to each kid and asked them to write the names of three of their friends on the papers. They each picked three friends, wrote their names on the paper, and decorated them. Once everyone had finished, they got in a line and I linked the strips together to form a chain. Once everyone's was on, we had a very long chain full of friends! Then, I asked them if they could find theirs on there and see if anyone had put the same person. They had fun talking to each other and seeing who everyone's friends were.

 



 

Then, we played a fun game called "I'm your friend". We sat in a circle with one chair facing outward. Taking turns, I had one kid at a time sit in the chair. Another kid from the circle went up behind them and said in a disguised or funny voice "Do you know me? I'm your friend". The kid in the chair had to guess who was behind them without looking. They really liked this game and had fun making up silly voices and trying to guess who the mystery voice was.

 

I think this week's meeting went really well and the kids are cooperating better. My friends Dianne and Cathryn are there to help me now and things haven't been as crazy. The kids are paying attention better and listening to the book. I still need to work on full participation when we do the activities and games, but I've definitely seen improvement. I'm proud of each of the kids and I can't wait to start meeting again after Spring Break!

 

 



February 26th: Red Sings from Treetops

 

This week, we read a book about seasons. Written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, Red Sings from Treetops is a book filled with lively and imaginative colors that change throughout the seasons. This book gave a great illustration of each season and showed them how trees changed during each season. After I read the book to them, we had our usual discussion time. I asked them what their favorite season was and why. Most of them said summer because they went on vacations and didn't have to be in school, which they reffered to as "this crazy place!" We talked about new life in spring, the shining sun in summer, pumpkins and leaves in the fall, and snow and hot chocolate in Winter.

After we had discussion, I passed out slips of paper that each had an activity/item associated with one of the seasons. Some examples of what they got include worms, lemonade, pumpkins, schoolbuses, a sled, and snowmen. They had to read theirs aloud and then tape it on the white board under the season it belonged to.


Everyone's piece of paper taped to the board

For our craft, I made little 4-page booklets using cardstock paper. The night before, I had cut squares of different colored paper and stapled them together to make mini-books for each kid.

After I passed out the booklets, I instructed the kids to draw something that reminds them of each season. The green paper was for spring, pink for summer, orange for fall, and white for winter. Each kid drew their own pictures of what they like to do during each season or something that reminds them of that season. When they were finished, they went through their books with me.





 

I think the kids' favorite part about our meetings is when they get to go and color. Each one of them is so creative and can't wait to show me their drawings. It's inspiring to see how excited they get when they draw even the simplest things, their satisfaction comes in sharing their new ideas.

 

 

When they had all finished drawing their booklets, they waited in line while Dianne and I got the snacks ready. This week we had flavored marshmallows. The marshmallows were different pastel colors that reminded me of Spring. I told the kids to smell their cup of marshmallows and asked them what season it smelled like. One girl said they smelled like Summer, because of the fruity flavors!



 

 

February 19th: The Lion and the Mouse

 

This week we read The Lion and the Mouse, a popular Aesop fable rewritten by Bernadette Watts. This lesson was meant to teach the kids about stereotyping and the importance of kind deeds. This well-known Aesop fable was perfect in showing how even the smallest creatures can help the big and powerful leaders. I asked the kids if they've ever had to help their parents or older siblings with something. I gave an example of how sometimes, when I was little, I would have to reach behind or climb under things to get stuff for my parents because they were too big. Some of the kids told stories of when they had to help others and were able to because they were smaller.

I began the meeting by reading the book. After, we went over it and answered some discussion questions. We talked about how the lion was the selfish king of the jungle and laughed at the mouse's offer for help. But later on, he realized the mouse could in fact help him and freed him from the trap. After we had discussion time, I gave each kid a sheet of paper and asked them to draw their own interpretation of the story. They each drew their own lion and mouse in a different way and colored it. When everyone finished, we gathered into a circle and each kid showed their picture to everyone. It was great to see what each kid took away from the story through their picture.

 

The craft for the Lion and the Mouse was to make lion and mouse masks. We used paper plates to make the faces. I let each kid pick if they wanted to be a lion or a mouse and then they colored the faces using markers. For the mice, we cut the plates in half and used the top half for the little face and the bottom half to make two ears. For the lions, we cut slits around the edges to make a 3D mane. The kids really liked making their own masks and it was fun to help them. Even though they were the same animals, every mask was different! When we finished the craft, we all sat down and I told them they now had to use the masks to make a skit! They picked a partner, rehearsed for a couple minutes, and then perfomed the skit in front of everyone. I think they did a fantastic job of retelling the story for their friends.

 

 

 

After we watched the skits, I gave them each a pack of Animal Crackers which they were very excited about. I told them to see if they could find a lion and a mouse!