"Green Eggs and Ham"

Authors: Dr. Seuss

Summary: Would you like them here or there? Would you like them in a box with a fox? Where would you like your Green Eggs and Ham? Dr. Seuss takes a poetic route when writing about a stubborn man not wanting to try Green Eggs and Ham! Until finally, after being pestered, he actually enjoyed it! 

Theme: You do not know if you do not try!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What is a food you have never tried? Would you ever want to try it? 

Activity: Make actual Green Eggs and Ham while reading the book to the students!

 

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: Where was your favorite place Sam offered to give him his Eggs and Ham? Where would you like eat your Green Eggs and Ham?
Activity: Do a rhyming activity where students would be thrown a blow up beach ball with words that can rhyme! 

"If You Give A Mouse A Cookie"

Authors: Laura Numeroff

Summary: "When a generous boy shares a cookie with a hungry mouse, it is the beginning of a chain of events that keeps the boy busy all day long, and might keep him busy for days to come. If you give a mouse a cookie, after all, he's bound to ask for a glass of milk, for which he'll certainly need a straw, not to mention a napkin, and a mirror to check for a milk mustache, which will only lead to him noticing that he needs a haircut!"

Theme: Be careful when be generous!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think happens in this book? What do you think the main idea of the story is?

Activity: Discuss with the class about prediction.

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part about the story? If you were a mouse, what would you ask the little boy?
Activity: Continue on the story! Write and illustrate a mini continuation of the story! What would you ask, and so on!

"Officer Buckle & Gloria"

Authors:  Peggy Rathmann

Summary: A police officer named Officer Buckle is assigned to take a police dog named Gloria to his safety speech at the local school. Until that time, whenever Officer Buckle tried to tell schools about safety, everyone fell asleep! Then, unbeknownst to Officer Buckle (literally, behind his back), Gloria does tricks imitating the safety tip demonstrating safety rules, and Gloria is a big success!

Theme: Safety first!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What is safety? What do police officers do? What do you think this story is about?

Activity: Have a police officer off duty come in and explain to the class about what his duty is, and talk about how they have their own K-9 unit!

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Why do you think safety is important? What other ways you can be safe?
Activity: Illustrate a scene from the story by using Gloria and teaching your own safety lesson!

"Madeline"

Authors: Ludwig Bemelmans

Summary: "Madeline lives at an all girl's school and is not afraid of anything.  One night Miss Clavel  fears something is not right.  Poor little Madeline has a pain in her stomach and must go to hospital, where she has her appendix out.  The other girls come to visit her and see that she is feeling better with many presents surrounding her.  That night Miss Clavel is awakened feeling that something else is not right.  She hurries upstairs to find all the other little girls crying that they want their appendix out too."

Theme: Friendship

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: Who is Madeline? Where do you think the story is taken place based on the cover? Have you had a close friend who has helped you?

Activity: As a class, we will discuss about the word friendship and what is means to the class!

 

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Why do you think the girls faked a  stomach ache? Would you want to me Madeline's friend? 
Activity: Write about a time your friend helped you and was there for you!

"Jumanji"

Authors: Chris Van Allsburg

Summary: "When the children play the game, each adventure on the board brings the real creatures and events to life and into their home, creating danger and chaos. It isn't until Judy reaches Jumanji, the golden city at the end of the board, and yells the name that everything disappears, broken things are made whole and all is normal. The children put the game back where they found it, telling no one, only to watch children of friends of their parents who are known for not reading directions, take the game."

Theme: Be careful what you open! 

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think this story is about? What is Jumanji? Where do you think this story takes place?

Activity: Make a prediction chart of all the ideas the students believe what the story is about!

 

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Why do you think they wanted to finish the game? What would have you done?

Activity: Create a scene from the game! What would it involve? Would it be a good or bad spot to land on?

"The Polar Express"

Authors: Chris Van Allsburg

Summary: "A young boy on Christmas Eve who boards on a powerful magical train that's headed to the North Pole and Santa Claus's home. What unfolds is an an adventure which follows a doubting boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe."

Theme: Seeing is believing!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think the Polar Express is? Have you ever been on a train? What is your favorite part about Christmas?

Activity: Line the desks up as if the students were on a train! While reading the book use different  sound effects therefore students who have never been on a train will get the full effect!

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Do you believe in the saying "seeing is believing"? What do you think the bell represented?

Activity: Create your own Christmas story that gives a good idea of what "seeing is believing" really means! Also, you can play the movie as well while they are writing!

"The Snowy Day"

Authors: Ezra Jack Keats

Summary: A little boy is adventurous and curious about the first snowfall of the season. His curiosity leads him on wandering thoughts about snow! I absolutely love to read this story on a snow day!

Theme: Less is more!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you know about snow? What do you wear when you go out in the snow? What season has snow?

Activity: Color your snowsuit on a worksheet and write about your favorite time you played in the snow! 

 

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part about the story? Do you remember your first snow day? What is your favorite part about winter?

 Activity: Create a short story and illustration about your dream snow day!

"Owl Moon"

Authors: Jane Yolen

Summary:  This is a story of a little girl and her father, who go looking for owls together on a moon-lit winter night. As the father and daughter walk through the woods on their search for the great horned owl, the daughter discovers many things about how a winter night feels, how much is said in silence, how much can be learned from listening and watching.  At the end of the story, the father and daughter meet up with the owl they were in search of. As the owl stares at the father and daughter, it flies away and the father and the daughter head for home. The magic of winter, of the love between a parent and child!

Theme: Enjoy the simple things! 

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think this story is about by looking at the cover? What season is this? What do you predict is going to happen?

Activity: Write a short story about Winter and what you like to do in the winter time

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think the owl represented? What do you like to do with someone special to you?
Activity: Illustrate a picture of you and someone special! Write about your favorite thing you both like to do together!

"Skippy Jon Jones"

Authors: Judy Schachner

Summary: Skippy Jon Jones is a hyper Siamese cat with a big imagination. He does not want to be cat! He is sent to his room because he wanted to be a bird and was doing many bird like things such as eating worms and sleeping in a nest in the tree. After being sent to his room, Skippy's imagination brings him to a fiesta and he now imagines he is a Chihuahua! After his wild adventure, he realizes that he likes being a kitty and is just fine with it!

Theme: Be yourself!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What does it mean to have an imagination? Do you have a big imagination? What is something you like to do with your imagination?

Activity: Before the story, talk about imagination and share around the classroom what students think.

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part? Does Skippy Jon Jones have a big imagination? What is something you would tell Skippy Jon Jones? 
Activity: Use your imagination! Create your perfect day as something else!

"Counting Candy"

Authors: Lisa McCourt

Summary: This book is designed to help readers take their favorite thing, candy, and apply it to addition and subtraction!

Theme: You can add and subtract anything!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What is your favorite kind of candy? What is adding? What is subtracting?

Activity: Do an addition and subtraction worksheet

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite candy math problem in the story? What else can you use to add or subtract?
Activity: Bring in candy and have the students do hands on equations using it!

"J is for Jack-O'-Lantern"

Authors: Denise Brennan-Nelson

Summary: This fun book  takes the reader A-Z with different things associated with Halloween! 

Theme: Alphabet story about Halloween!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you know about Halloween? What is your favorite part about Fall? What is something you would like to learn about Fall or Halloween!

Activity: Complete a K-W-L chart with the class about Halloween and Fall

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite thing you learned about Halloween? Were you able to discover new things about the holiday and season?
Activity: Design your own alphabet book about your favorite thing!

"Leo the Late Bloomer"

Authors: Robert Kraus

Summary: Leo is behind his friends in reading, writing, drawing, eating neatly and speaking. When Leo’s father becomes concerned, Leo’s mother explains that Leo is simply a "late bloomer."  Leo “blooms” pleasing his patient parents and of course, himself.

Theme: You can do anything that you want to do as long as you stay positive!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think it means to be a "late bloomer"? What are some ways you can achieve something? What is something you want to achieve?
Activity: Have the children make a list of goals they would like to achieve and share it with the class.

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What did you like about the story? Why do you think Leo never gave up? What is one thing you learned about the story?

Activity: Write your own story about when you had to work hard to achieve something! Draw a picture of your accomplishment!

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Authors: Eric Carle

Summary: A very hungry caterpillar inches his way around, and finds a lot of yummy food and takes a couple bites of each one! After a whole day of eating, the caterpillar gets a big belly ache. After resting in his cocoon, he eventually becomes a big beautiful butterfly!

Theme: Life cycle of a butterfly!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What is the life cycle of a caterpillar? What do you think the caterpillar will eat in the story? What do you think will happen in the end?

Activity: Complete a worksheet on the life cycle of a caterpillar!

 

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Why do you think the caterpillar ate so much food? 

Activity: Create your very own butterfly! Illustrate your favorite food you would eat on the wings!

"Where The Wild Things Are"

Authors: Maurice Sendak 

Summary: A little boy named Max is sent to his room by his mother without supper because he was misbehaving! While Max is in his room, his imagination starts to "run away with him" and he is taken to a land far away where crazy, wild monsters are! Max is eventually crowned as the "King of Wild Things" and he returns home to have his supper waiting for him! 

Theme: Home is where the heart is!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What is a habitat? What is in a habitat? Where can you find a habitat?

Activity: Take the children to a nature center or outside to observe animal habitats. Take guided tour and allow the children to really understand animals and their habitats! 

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was Max's habitat? Who was in his habitat? Did Max like his habitat?

Activity:  Create your very own habitat and write a short summary about it!

"The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark"

Authors: Ken Geist and Julia Gorton

Summary: We are taking the popular folktale "The Three Little Pigs" to underneath the sea! Three little fishes; Kim, Jim and Tim are making their own little house underneath the sea using seaweed, sand, and an abandon ship! The shark consistently tries to get into the fishes homes, but they do not let him in, "Not by the skin of my finny fin fin!" 

Theme: Good planning can lead to success!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think this book is about? What is a fairy tale? What fairy tale book does this look like? 

Activity: Discuss what a fairy tale is, and have to the class brainstorm other different fairy tales!

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: Which house was your favorite? What would you use under the sea as a house!

Activity: Create your own "under the sea" house you would make to keep the big bad  shark out!

"Red or Blue, I Like You!"

Authors: Sarah Albee

Summary: This is a great book about differences. Elmo and Angela were two different colored monsters, who were best friends. When Elmo is invited over to Angela's house, her entire neighborhood was the color of her fur, blue! Elmo did not feel different because Angela was his friend! When Angela came over to Elmo's house, she saw many different colored monsters in his neighborhood!  At first she was surprised, but Elmo simply said that "everyone's welcome on Sesame Street!"

Theme: Don't judge a book by its cover!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think that this book is about? Tell me about your best friend! What do you guys like to do together?

Activity: Together as a class, talk about differences. Talk about what the word different is and what the class thinks about it!

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Why do you think Angela felt shy at Elmo's family reunion? Did she feel better at the end of the story?

Activity: Create a story about your best friend. What do you guys like to do? Do you have more that one best friend?

"The Very Busy Spider"

Authors: Eric Carle

Summary: Eric Carle did an amazing job illustrating and designing this book. It is about a little spider who is on a mission to make a beautiful web. However, many different animals want the spider to come and do fun things with them! The spider never answered and kept spinning its web until finally that night she finished, and fell asleep from working hard on her web!

Theme: Working hard always pays off!

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: What do you think this story is about? What do you know about spiders?
Activity: Create your own spider web! Brainstorm anything you know about spiders.

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: Why do you think the spider ignored her friends? Why do spiders make webs? What was your favorite part of the story?
Activity: Using construction paper, markers and your thinking caps, create a short story of something you have worked on hard that you are proud of! What did you do? Where did you do it? How long did it take?

"10 Trick-or-Treaters"

Authors: Janet Schulman

Summary: This fun counting book that involves 10 little trick-or-treaters on a Halloween night. The story helps children learn to count backwards from 10 using fun different ways such as


Theme: Counting

Initiation Questions and Activity:

Questions: Have you been trick or treating before? What are things you think the trick or treaters are going to do in the story? How can we count to ten?

Activity: Discuss with the class about numbers, and all together count to ten both up and down, ex: 1...2...3 and 10...9...8. After, hand out one piece of candy while reading the story!

Culminating and Extending Questions and Activity:

Questions: What was your favorite part of the story? Is Halloween one of your favorite holidays? What are other things you can count?

Activity: After Trick-or Treating on Halloween night, find your favorite piece of candy and count how many you have!