Forest of Reading®

Forest of Reading®

The Blue Spruce Award™

We're All Friends Here
Nancy Wilcox Richards  Illustrated by Tom Goldsmith

http://www.renaud-bray.com/ImagesEditeurs/PG/1552/1552422-gf.jpg

Below is the activity I'm doing with this book.  Students in grade one can draw their thinking.  Students in grade two and three will be encouraged to write their thinking as one of the characters in the book.  They can connect to Sonny or Arthur.


 

Super Red Riding Hood
Claudia Davila 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zovPsx7wL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg 
Below is the activity that I will do with this book.  I can produce a larger 'super hero' template for younger grades if necessary.  I will encourage teachers to give time for students to write their own super hero stories.  I look forward to reading them!


Stop, Thief!
By Heather Tekavec   Illustrated by Pierre Pratt
http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396844204l/20674699.jpg 
Below is the activity that I will do with students.  Teachers may want to use this page as a rough copy.  Older students may be able to make a detailed map in this space, but younger students may need more room.
 In A Cloud of Dust
By Alma Fullerton    Art by Brian Deines
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PQMyrVm8L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
 Below you will find an activity for grades 1 and 2.  They will be asked about a bicycle library.  Teachers may decide to research them.  As well I will give them access to a CBC news article about bicycles donated to a remote Nunavut village.
After, students can make their own bicycle library when they follow the steps to draw their own bikes.  The instructions are from Pyjama Press www.pyjamapress.ca
Next you will find an activity for grade 3.  It could also be used in grade 2.  I know our grade 3 teachers are doing reading response questions in anticipation of EQAO in May.  Open ended questions, which asks students to back up their responses are a regular activity in our school.  I do believe the title of this book is very effective which is why I did not ask whether students felt it was effective.  I hope they get to realize that in a cloud of dust, the lives of these students are forever changed!  A great story!
Sam's Pet Temper
By Sangeeta Bhadra & Marion Arbona
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LoD2WTyORVU/U5o7ugfnI6I/AAAAAAAAXzU/XMcvnI6rsDk/s1600/Sams+Pet+Temper.jpgBelow is the activity I would do with this book.  It is from KidsCanPress.com


If Kids Ruled the World
Written by Linda Bailey    Illustrated by David Huyck
http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397433235l/20673509.jpg 

Below is my idea for an activity for this book.  Classroom teachers can make a class book.  I'm going to attempt a library book for classes that want to contribute.  I will encourage students to think of ideas not included in the book.  Books could have a theme - the environment, peace...



Henry Holton Takes the Ice
By Sandra Bradley    Pictures by Sara Palacios
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515KGkQQFVL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg 

 Here are the activities for this book.  The first one is for grades 1 & 2. Students will pick a sport or an activity and pick some terms specific to that activity and write definitions.  They will need to list these terms in alphabetical order.

 The next activity is for grade 3.  EQAO practice again for the grade 3's but kids in grade 2 could do it as well.  There is usually a characterization question on the test.  Students sometimes struggle when asked about a characteristic.  Giving them one is better, then the kids just have to find the proof!

The Cardinal & the Crow
by Michael Moniz

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395001287l/20775816.jpg 

For this activity, I will do a lesson on the characteristics of Fables.  I will use the Fable lapbook at homeschoolshare.com check these out!  They are great.




Definition of a Moral
A moral is an important lesson in a story or an event.

Characteristics of a Fable
1.     Fiction - short story
2.     Written a long time ago
3.     Characters are animals and act like humans
4.     Setting is usually outdoors
5.     Teaches a moral

Fishermen Through & Through
Colleen Sydor    Illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51M07ReEfdL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg 

Below is the activity I would do with this book.  The descriptions of the fishermen's dreams are so vivid, I will not show them the pictures (riding a camel in the desert, the hot air balloon ride and the tulips in Holland).  They will have to draw these pictures from what they visualize.


Butterfly Park
Elly Mackay

This is a beautifully illustrated story and I'm planning it to be the last book I read for The Blue Spruce Award™.  So I'm going to plan an art activity for the classes.  They will have a choice of 2 butterfly art projects.  Both will require a butterfly punch, like a Martha Stewart one from Michaels.
1. The first choice is called paint sample DIY.  It requires a small punch.  Students pick a colour chip and cut our butterflies from it in all the different shades.  They then position them on white paper.  It can be mounted and framed if it is going to be a present.





2.  The second choice uses a larger butterfly punch.  This time the students do watercolour painting of a sheet of paper, using all sorts of colours.  Once it's dried, they punch our butterflies and position them as well.

 

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