Put On Your Hat and Mittens: Literacy Activities with Jan Brett's Classic Winter Stories

Hi Friends.
All this snowy weather really puts me in the mood to enjoy some Jan Brett books with my class.  She is one of my favorite authors and illustrators.
On our short week returning from Christmas break and the next short week (due to snow days), we read The Mitten and The Hat.  We used these two books as jumping off points for some Mitten and Hat inspired literacy activities.
We, of course, had to compare and contrast these two stories.  We worked as a class to brainstorm a list of ways these stories are alike and how they are different.  Students completed their own Venn diagrams using our class list.

After finishing the Venn diagram, students picked their favorite of the two stories.  They wrote about it and explained their choice.  Then, they illustrated their favorite part of their story.

If you would like a FREE copy of these printables, just click on one of the pictures or click here.

Our class just happen to be finishing up our study of long vowel sounds, spelled vowel-consonant-silent e.  I made a Real Word/Silly Word sort with a hedgehog theme to reinforce our work with this pattern.  I printed enough sets of this literacy center for the whole class to work on at the same time in partner sets.
It was a quick little assessment that let me know how well my young learners are reading with this pattern.
If you would like a FREE copy of Hedgie's Word Sort, you can click on the picture or click here.

The Hat influenced our practice with adjectives.  My firsties still have a ways to go when it comes to identifying and working with adjectives.  Any practice that we can get with adjectives is needed.

With this simple activity, students had to match the correct adjective with the correct hat.  Just like in the Real Word/Silly Word sort (pictured above), I printed enough sets of this literacy center for the whole class to work on at the same time in partner sets.  However, this activity would be great in small group or in whole group with a pocket chart or by adding magnets to the backs of the cards.

If you would like a FREE copy of Happy Hats Adjectives, you can click on the picture or click here. 

As an extension of our work with adjectives, we made our Winter Kids for display in the classroom.  Students designed their own hats and then wrote about them.  Writing about their original hat deigns gave students the perfect opportunity to use adjectives.

If you would like more details about this writing craftivity, you can click one of the pictures or click here.

There are so many ideas for using The Hat and The Mitten with students.  You may already have your own stockpile of activities and resources that you love.  If not, I hope some of these activities will be a help to you.  Also, if you visit  Pinterest, there are loads and loads of Hat and Mitten activities to choose from.

Thanks for visiting and have a great week.

Just a Little Nutty: The Nutcracker for Young Learners

The couple of weeks leading up to Christmas break, is there anything better???  We are down to about a week and a half in counting.  The are so many fun learning opportunities during this time of the year. With Thanksgiving falling so late, it will be a real challenge to fit them all in.

Some of the work we did this week focused on the story The Nutcracker.  We read Mary Engelbreit's version of this classic story.  There are certainly other versions of this story, but I've always enjoyed her illustrations.

After reading the story we discussed the basic story elements and then a couple of days later we went to see a performance of The Nutcracker.  

After seeing the ballet, we compared and contrasted the book with the performance.  I was really impressed with the ideas and observations my kiddos came up with.  Reading and discussing the story before seeing the performance really helped them understand what they saw.

If you would like a free copy of the Venn diagram that we used in class, click on the picture below.  The clip art is from My Clip Art Store (etsy).

Students also made a little art project to spruce up the room.  Their nutcrackers turned out pretty cute.

Our family is going to the public performance next week.  Last year was the first year we took  A.   She loved it.  After it was over she asked if she could touch one of the ballerinas.  I told her no, they were just for watching.  But as we exited, there they were.  It was so sweet.

Thanks so much for reading.  I hope you have a great week.

Strega Nona's Harvest: A Language Arts Mentor Text and a Freebie

A Sunday morning with an extra hour before church.  Perfect time to join up with the Collaboration Cuties for their weekly Must Read Mentor Text Linky.  It's the first Sunday of the month, so I'll be sharing a favorite language arts text.  My pick for this week is Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona's Harvest.

This book is wonderful selection for this time of year.  It is the story of two gardens, Strega Nona's and Big Anthony's.  One is well planned and well executed.  One is not.  When it's harvest time, things become a bit complicated for Strega Nona and her young helpers.

The Strega Nona books are great jumping off points for many language arts lessons.  There are opportunities to discuss vocabulary, predictions, story elements, sequencing, and more.  Below you will find a Venn diagram to use with this story.
Students will compare and contrast Strega Nona and Big Anthony.  If you would like a free copy of this activity, you can click on the picture below.

The clip art is from Melonheadz.  The fonts are from Cara Carroll and A Cupcake for the Teacher.

Strega Nona's Harvest is a great addition to your class library.  If you have it already, don't forget to bring it out to share with your students.  I'm sure they will love it. 

For more mentor text recommendations, pop over to Collaboration Cuties.  There you will find loads of great ideas from classroom teachers.

Language Arts Mentor Text Link Up (Featuring Jon Klassen and Two FREEBIES)

It's the first Sunday of the month and time for Collaboration Cuties' Mentor Text Linkup.  This week's topic is language arts.  My mentor text picks for this week are two books by Jon Klassen:  I Want My Hat Back and This Is Not My Hat.

I Want My Hat Back follows Bear as he tries to find his beloved hat.  He asks a series of animals, including  Rabbit (who is actually wearing the missing hat) if they know where his hat is.  All of the animals tell Bear they have not seen his hat.  Eventually Deer asks Bear a question and sparks Bear's memory.  Bear retrieves his hat with a vengeance.
This book is great for sequencing, predictions, and identifying the problem/solution.  Its repetitive phrases are great for early readers.  Bear's hat is also very simple to make.  The kids will love it.

This is Not My Hat is Klassens' follow up to I Want My Hat Back.  It has a similar premise.  The Big Fish's hat goes missing.  But instead of following the Big Fish around, the story focuses on the hat stealing Little Fish.  The Little Fish has a plan to get away with the theft, however the end result is the same as in I Want My Hat Back.  Basically, both books show that crime doesn't pay.

This Is Not My Hat is also perfect for predictions, identifying the problem/solution, as well as retelling. When read together these books offer a fabulous opportunity for comparing and contrasting the characters or the texts.  Below you will find two Venn diagrams to go with these books.  The first compares and contrasts the characters.  The second works with the two books.  The clip art is from KPM Doodles and Melonheadz.

If you would like a free copy of these printables, click on one of the pictures below.

Here's the low down . . .

More mentor text recommendations and activities are at Collaboration.  Be sure to check them out.

Hooway for Wodney Wat: A Social Studies Mentor Text

I'm hoping this post will work.  I am now on vacation and had to schedule it.  I've never scheduled one before.  But, I just hate missing Collaboration Cutie's Mentor Text Link Up.  This week's topic is social studies.

Since we are out of school, I'm thinking about social studies books I use at the beginning of the year with my firsties.  The first few weeks usually focus on getting to know you and community building.  One book I love for community building is Helen Lester's Hooway for Wodney Wat.

This book tells the story of Rodney (Wodney) who is a rodent that cannot say his R's correctly.  He is very shy because of his speech and the other students at his school are not kind to him.  The illustrations of little Wodney are very relatable and tug at the readers' heart strings.

As the story progresses, shy Wodney inadvertently stands up to the class bully and becomes a hero.

This story is great for starting a conversation about how to treat others and how to take care of each other.  As a class community, we certainly want our students to take care of each other and to be kind.  

Hooway for Wodney Wat is not only a wonderful book to use to help build community in your classroom, it also lends itself to various literacy activities.  One activity that I like to use is a comparison between Wodney at the beginning of the story and Wodney at the end of the story.  

In the past we have done this activity whole group making a T chart on some chart paper.  However, I have created a graphic organizer that basically serves the same function as the T chart, but each student can have a copy.  Students can either illustrate or write about the changes Wodney experiences.  How you use it really depends on the level of your students. 

You can have your own FREE copy of this activity by clicking on one of the pictures below. 

Here's the breakdown for this week's Mentor Text for social studies . . .

Thanks for reading.  Be sure to visit Collaboration Cuties for more social studies text ideas.  These Mentor Text Link Ups are really great resources.  I'll have to catch up with the other Mentor Text suggestions next week after I return from my trip.  

Have a great week.

Language Arts Mentor Text Link Up (Featuring Keiko Kasza and a FREEBIE)

This week's Collaboration Cuties Mentor Text Link Up is all about Language Arts.  I selected two books by Keiko Kasza, My Lucky Day and The Wolf's Chicken Stew to share.

Both books are very funny and both have surprise endings.  In My Lucky Day a piglet "accidentally" ends up at Mr. Fox's door.  Fox thinks he is about to have a delicious dinner, but piglet has other plans. In The Wolf's Chicken Stew, Wolf's plans to fatten Mrs. Chicken up for his stew are ruined by some unknown and unlikely new friends.
There are  M A N Y  activities you can do with these books.  Character work, summaries, predictions, inferences, and on and on.  My school sweeties love these books and so does my daughter.  My husband does a great piglet voice.

If you would like a little FREE activity to use with your students for these books just click on the picture below.
The clip art is from Scrappin Doodles and KPM Doodles.

If you do not have these texts, you really should check them out.  They would be a fabulous addition to your class library.
And as a side note The Wolf's Chicken Stew is a fun book to use for 100th Day of School activities.
So here's the lowdown...

Thanks for reading.  Be sure to head over to Collaboration Cuties to read about more language arts mentor texts.  It's always fun to see how over teachers are using literature in their classes.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Compare and Contrast FREEBIE: Good Old Goldilocks

Happy Monday.
Am I allowed to say that?
Anyway I am just coming off of a crazy busy weekend.  We had a fundraiser event on that took part of Friday and most of Saturday to prepare and attend.   A's  first soccer game of the season was Saturday morning.  I was in charge of our children's church message on Sunday morning.  In between times, I had to get a few things ready for next week at school.
One activity we will be using is a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting two fab books:  Goldilocks and the Three Bears retold by Jan Brett and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs retold Mo Willems.  Both books are great.  I am a huge fan of both authors.

You could use another version of Goldilocks if you do not have Brett's.  But, her illustrations are just lovely and they are a great contrast to Willems' more graphic drawings.  

If you would like to do this activity with your students you can click on the picture below.

The clip art is from Scrappin Doodles and KPM Doodles.  If you have any questions about activity, please email me.

I'll be signing off, but I must share a pic from  A's  game.  We were so happy to have some sun for the game.  Spring has finally arrived.

Best.