Spotlight on Literacy #12 - Observing Trolls

One of our favorite stories by Tomie dePaola is Helga's Dowry: A Troll Love Story.  In some places in the world when a man and woman get married, the woman's family pays the man a dowry — money and goods that reward the man for agreeing to take care of the woman.  If the woman is poor, she is likely not going to have a very big dowry. 
In Helga's Dowry, Helga is an orphan and doesn't have anyone to pay her dowry.  She expects to marry Lars but ...
When Lars agrees to marry Inge, because she has a larger dowry, Helga sits herself under a bridge. That is when she decides to do something about the dowry. So what does Helga do?  She sets out to do something about earning her own dowry. But it is also when someone else notices Helga. 

As you read or view the book, watch carefully to see who sees her under the bridge and who is watching her every time she goes down the hill to earn more of the dowry?  At the end of the story you will know who has been so interested in Helga and her work ethic — too bad for Lars.

Helga's Dowry, a Troll Love Story, by Tomie dePaola. Read by Jill, at Little Scandinavia, in Elkhorn, Nebraska.  https://youtu.be/L9F8CV42ZLE

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For more learning activities visit http://bit.ly/mclinks101

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McElmeel, Sharron (2020, April 23). Spotlight on Literacy #12 - Observing Trolls.  Reading Trove.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/readingtrove-12

Spotlight on Literacy #11 - We're Going on a Babar Hunt

Finding Babar -

Babar is an elephant character in books by Jean De Brunhoff, and in books by Laurent de Brunhoff. He snuck into  Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann.  View the book and read along: Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann | Children’s Read Aloud Story at https://youtu.be/VUMeBH6TXEY.  

See if you can find Babar.

We are going on a hunt — a hunt for hidden images in books.

 If you find Babar - tell us where in the comments below.  We'll post the answer there sometime in the future - in case you can not find him.

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For more learning activities visit http://bit.ly/mclinks101

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McElmeel, Sharron (2020, April 23). Spotlight on Literacy #11 - We're Going on a Babar Hunt.  Reading Trove.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/readingtrove-11

Spotlight on Literacy #10 - Being a Builder

It is fun to build things.  Here's a story about Maxine who builds things.  She takes apart objects and makes a float for the class pet parade.

Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro, with illustrations by Holly Hatam (Dial Books, 2018). ISBN: 9780399186295.


Until June 2020 you can hear the author Ruth Spiro read her story on YouTube at https://youtu.be/93cE9QwsiMA.

Raid your family's recycling bin and see what you can repurpose to build something new. Or if your household has marshmallows (any size) and any of these items you can build towers, buildings, constellations, shapes, and other things that you can imagine.

Now let's see what you can make.

Teachers/parents:  To learn more about the author and her other books go to https://ruthspiro.com/.  

And if you have access to Jacqueline Briggs Martin's book, Bim, Bam, Bop and Oona, with illustrations by Larry Day (University of Minnesota Press, 2019) you may want to read that book too.

Check out the blog post "Being Good With Gizmos and Gadgets" 

at http://bit.ly/gizmos-gadgets for more ideas about building and creating.

Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. (2019). Bim, Bam, Bop …. And Oona. Illustrations by Larry Day. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN-13/EAN: 978-1517903954
Spiro, Ruth. (2018). Made by Maxine. Illustrations by Holly Hatam. Dial Books. ISBN-13/EAN: 978-0399186295

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For more learning activities visit http://bit.ly/mclinks101

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McElmeel, Sharron (2020, April 22). Spotlight on Literacy #10 - Being a Builder.  Reading Trove.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/readingtrove-10

Spotlight on Literacy #9 - Math Literacy

Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! A Mathematical Story by Debbie Tilley and Marilyn Burns (Scholastic, 2008).  View and read along with Glennan Saraceno at https://youtu.be/jN_GmgeU5cw.  

Cut eight pieces of paper into 2 inch x 2 inch squares.  Find markers of some type to represent chairs.  I will use buttons. (You could use mini cookies, bottle caps, or even a small lego piece -- anything to pretend we have a chair at the table).  Pretend the paper is a table and place one chair (the button) on each side of each table.  There should be 32 chairs for guests to sit at. Four at each table.

In the story as each new guest arrived they pushed tables together to make room.  Actually they were making fewer places to sit each time they moved a table or tables together.  Pretend new guests come.  Push a couple tables together.  How much room is there for chairs now?  Tell your own story about people coming to your house for dinner.  Move the tables and chairs.  See how moving the chairs changes the number of chairs that can be put at each table.

And does it matter if we put the tables in one long row or put the tables in a larger square?

The outside edge of the tables is called the perimeter.

Make your own drawings and write the problems.
How many sides x 2 feet = perimeter.

Each person needs 2 feet to sit at the table so, perimeter divided by 2 = the number of people that can sit at a table.

Try these problems:

1. Put all eight tables together, how many chairs or people will fit at the tables?
2. Put four of the tables together, how many chairs or people will fit at the tables?
3. Put two of the tables together, how many chairs or people will fit at the tables?
4. If each table is by itself, how many chairs or people will fit at the tables?
5. Can you think of any other way to arrange the tables?
6.  What arrangement allows the most people to sit at the eight tables?
7. What arrangement allows the least number of people to sit at the eight tables?

Answers:

1. (18) 1 on each side of the table, and one at the 2 ends = 18
2. (10) 1 on each side of the table, and one at the 2 ends  x 2 (sets of tables) = 20
3. (6) 1 on each side of the table, and one at the 2 ends x 4 (sets of tables) = 24
4. (32) 8 tables x 4 = 32
5. 
   
6. 8 tables set alone so that one person can sit on each of the four sides.
7. When all 8 tables are set end to end, two sides on six of the tables can not have people sitting at them; and two tables can only have three sides with people at them.

Use your paper pieces to show each arrangement; or just draw the arrangement on a piece of paper.

Teachers/parents:  If you wish more titles that feature mathematical concepts, you may wish to visit: Math Connections & Literacy. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/Math-Literacy

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For more learning activities visit http://bit.ly/mclinks101

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McElmeel, Sharron (2020, April 21). Spotlight on Literacy #9 - Math Literacy.  Reading Trove.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/readingtrove-9

Book Lovers: Get a Clue from Pryor Optimus

Read along!

Can you answer these questions?

1) Who is the author of this story?  That is the person who wrote the story

2) Who is the illustrator that created the pictures? 

3) Who are the three main characters in the story?

4) Which character do you not see in the illustrations?

5) Please draw a picture of that character? 

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Check your answers.

1) The author is really two people, Don and Audrey Wood.

2) The illustrator is Don Wood.

3) The three main characters are named in the title: the mouse, the strawberry, and the bear.  Really the strawberry is probably not a character as she is not living but she is a main object.

4) We do not see the bear.

5) So what does your bear look like?

Oh and the book it is of course:

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood, with illustrations by Don Wood (Child's Play, 1984).  To learn more about Audrey and Don Wood and their many books visit:  http://www.audreywood.com/

Spotlight on Literacy #8 - Find Flowers to Press

Find Flowers to Press

Poetry and stories that connect to flowers beg to be illustrated with a collage of dried flowers.  And now is the time to gather flowers to create some art.

April is a month when flowers begin to bloom.  Depending on where you live there might be violets (purple/blue or white), daffodils, jonquils, and other flowers such as irises.  There are many fun things to make with dried flower blooms but it takes 2-3 weeks to dry the flowers and then to make the art, bookmarks, or other objects.  To get ready for this, you might search for the flowers now, dry them, and in a couple of weeks we will be ready to create some fun art projects.  And to write or collect some favorite poems or stories to connect with our flowers.

1) Plan a flower foraging walk outside of your house.  

2) Take a plastic bucket to put your flowers in.  Pick only the blooms and a few inches of the stem.  Be careful not to disturb the entire plant.  And pick only where you are permitted to pick them. Try collecting the flowers on a sunny day when they will not be wet or covered with dew. 

3) When you get the flowers home, gently take the blossoms off the stems, and a few leaves / stems that you may want to dry/press.

4) Locate a very fat book, a telephone book, or two heavy objects such as two bricks.  Open the book, and put a piece of newspaper (or parchment paper) on the page.  If using objects such as a brick, put the paper on top of one of the bricks. 

5) Place the flower, face down on the newspaper.  Make sure it will be covered by the top of the book or the other brick. 

6) Put a piece of newspaper, or the parchment paper on top of the flowers and then close the book or put the second heavy object on top of the flowers.  If the flowers are not under the heavy object or are sticking out of the book they will not be pressed.

7)  The newspaper will help absorb the moisture from the flower so don't skip that part.

8)  We will leave the flowers for at least two weeks.

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For more learning activities visit http://bit.ly/mclinks101

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McElmeel, Sharron (2020, April 17). Spotlight on Literacy #8 - Find Flowers to Press.  Reading Trove.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/readingtrove-8

Spotlight on Literacy #7 - Collecting Family Recipes

Collect a Family Recipe

Uncle Steve makes wonderful chocolate chip cookies, and Aunt Suzi makes delicious pumpkin bars. Often grandmothers or grandfathers have favorite dishes that they bring for family potlucks or serve for holiday meals.   For the next couple of days make a plan to find recipes from your family.  Gather just one or create a cookbook for the family.  Perhaps even make copies of the cookbook and plan to gift other members of the family.

Think about a favorite food that you like that someone has made for you.  Write a letter or send a message to the person or you might want to phone and ask for the recipe.  Write the recipe down and collect information about the recipe.  Use these templates if they are helpful.

Use the recipe and ask an adult to help you make the recipe and share the results.

Teachers/parents:  If you wish more details regarding this activity lesson, you may wish to visit: Family Recipes: Publishing a Family Recipe Book. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/familyrecipebook

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For more learning activities visit http://bit.ly/mclinks101

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McElmeel, Sharron (2020, April 9). Spotlight on Literacy #7 - Collecting Family Recipes.  Reading Trove.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/readingtrove-7