Today is Monday by Eric Carle

Inspired by the lovely and talented Jean over at The Artful Parent, I'm sharing another Eric Carle language extension I made long ago. Using the book Today is Monday, I reproduced the types of food eaten in the story. (I cut mine out using colored construction paper but you could make color copies of the illustrations and reduce their size) Next laminate so they will hold up with repeated use. Provide days of the week cards for the children to match the food choices with.

(*MM's notes: Looking at this old photo I'm thinking for non-readers this work could be created as a matching. Instead of leaving the lower squares empty under the days of the week, add the images of the animals in those boxes. Then the children could match the food with the animal! I think I'll have to make another one.)
For another Eric Carle language extension please visit my past post 'Lovin' Eric Carle'
In PEACE
Montessori Mama

Happy Belated Birthday Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss is a family favorite. Personally I'm a big fan of all rhyme and his illustrations are unconventional and entertaining. But you already know this...
What you may not know is March 2nd was Dr. Seuss's birthday. Usually I would be on top of this important day but due to my recent surgery I've been distracted. So here goes:
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (story stretcher)
I made this language work with a particular child in mind. My little friend was four years old and and also a BIG fan of Dr. Seuss.
To Make:
I drew the rhyming combinations pictures from the book and printed the appropriate labels, next I mounted them on red poster board and had them laminated. As you can see from the photo, the book is on the shelf along side the tray (and is intended to be used as self correcting guide). This work is often chosen by a pair of children and one will read the book and the other pair up the rhyming words and pictures. A non-reading child care be successful with this work also, because of the familiarity of the book. Before putting this work out on the shelf, I read the book to the group at circle time and as an extension (and for fun) I offer green eggs for a group snack. You may be surprised to know, most of the children try them! A few even loved them!
In addition because St. Patrick's Day is also in the month of May (May 17th) many of the practical life works contain green objects and the color GREEN comes up allot in conversations and art work throughout the classroom.
If drawing is not your talent, I'm sure Dr. Seuss wouldn't mind you making color copies of his characters to create this work for your home or classroom. I don't know of anything out there like this for sale. Anyway as long as you don't sell the one you create for your classroom I think it is all good. Happy rhyming!
In PEACE
~~MM

Story Stretcher: The Cat on the Mat

Expanding on a favorite children's book is a fun way to s t r e t c h the language learning fun. Here some of my friends play with the animals from the Cat on the Mat beginner reader book. This simple book with a focus on the 'at' sound is a funny story about a cat that would prefer to have the mat all to himself, but fellow animals keep joining him on it!
In the end the cat (feeling disgruntled) hisses at the other animals causing them to run away and leaving him with the mat to lay on by himself. The teachers use this story to help illustrate the importance of grace and courtesy and the 3 classroom rules:
"Be Gentle, Be Safe, Be Kind"
We ask open ended questions such as, "Do you think the cat likes sharing his mat?" (pointing out his grumpy face in the illustrations) and "How could the cat let the other animals know that he would like to have the mat to himself?" and "What would you do, if you were the cat?"
by asking the children these types of questions they become part of the problem solving process and together come up with more appropriate solutions than the angry cat chooses.


They LOVE this book and language extension work. As you can see in the photos, these children extended this work even further by beginning to build the words from the story with the movable alphabet.
~~MM

Harold and the Purple Crayon

When I was a little girl this was one of my favorite stories:
Harold and the Purple Crayon

Crayons were always available to me as a child, (my parents were both artists) and Harold lived in a world of blank paper! What could be better? As a parent & teacher I have read this story many times with children. I thought you might be interested to know some of the activities I have followed it up with.

In the story (for those of you who have not read it) Harold takes his crayon with him on a walk where he proceeds to draw adventures, supplying everything he needs. When he needs more light, he draws a moon to shine on his path. When he wants a walk in the forest, he draws a tree. But occasionally Harold's drawing has some unexpected results, as the dragon he drew to protect the apples frightens him his hand shakes and he draws the waves sea. In the end, Harold's purple crayon and imagination comes to the rescue and we find him safe at home in bed. It's a delightful tale written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson. (Did you know there are over ten Harold stories!) These activities follow the story, share the story aloud with the group first, familiarizing them with the story before beginning the activities.

Purple Crayon Activities for Children:

1.) Cooperation: group activity: Creating a Purple Mural
(or a red, green, yellow...mural)
provide the children with a large piece of butcher paper or newsprint
various shades of purple (crayons, markers etc.)
encourage them to create images from their imagination

2.) Coloring to music.
Play music without words, while the children listen, they can draw with crayons.

3.) Story dictation
Encourage the children to make up a story while drawing and you record it. When done, read it back to them (or share with the group) aloud while the child displays his or her drawings.

4.) Act Out the Story!
Provide a large cardboard purple crayon props and read the story out loud at circle.
Every child can be 'Harold' and move their crayons in the air 'drawing' the images in the book.

Have fun!
~~MM