22 Sep.2014

Third Reading: Swirl by Swirl

THIRD READING: ANALYSIS – SWIRL BY SWIRL: SPIRALS IN NATURE

For the Third Reading, read the book all the way through. Share the reading responsibilities with the listener any way you wish. You may wish to alternate reading pages, or have the child retell the story. If your child is retelling the story, help your child use the details in the illustrations to guide the retelling and when to turn the page.

DISCUSSION OPTIONS:

~Explain spirals. (Include the purposes of spirals.)

~Review the words used to describe spirals. (clever, graceful, strong, bold, expanding, coiled, clinging, grasping)

~In addition to these words describing spirals, think of other parts of the natural world you could describe using these words.

~Compare a spiral to a circle. How are they alike and different?

~Which illustration did you like the best? Explain choice.

ACTIVITIES:

~Look for spirals both indoors and outdoors. Draw what you discover and use a couple of the new vocabulary words mentioned above to describe them.

~Add a couple of the vocabulary words to your Word Wall. Read about Word Walls in our blog: Practickle Activities.

22 Sep.2014

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Second Reading: Swirl by Swirl

SECOND READING: TEXT AND VOCABULARY – SWIRL BY SWIRL: SPIRALS IN NATURE

The sparse text is free-verse poetry.

We’ll focus on use of the ellipsis (…) to tell us that the idea is either unfinished or the reader is to make a long pause .

There is great vocabulary to describe the spirals.

*Ask the questions after reading the pages.

Pages 1 – 2:

~ coiled: wound in a circle. Discuss what coiled means.

~Point out the ellipsis for the reader to make a long pause. What could the spiral be waiting for?

Pages 3 – 4:

~expand: spread out. Discuss what expand means.

Pages 5 – 6:

~How does the spiral get bigger?

Pages 9 – 12:

~What do these spirals have in common? (to protect)

~ On page 10, protect: defend. How might the spirals protect the animals?

~On page 11, what is another word that means the same as protect?

Pages 13 – 16:

~What word could we use in place of clings tight and grasping? (hold)

Page 17 – 22:

After reading these pages, talk about how a spiral can be clever, graceful, strong, and bold. Discuss other spirals in the book that are clever, graceful, strong, and bold.

Pages 23 – 28:

~On page 27, what does starry arms mean?

~On page 28, the word expand occurs again. What is expanding in the illustration?

~On pages 29 and 30, how is this illustration similar to the first illustration on pages 1 and 2?

Pages 31 and 32:

~These pages provide additional information. Why might certain words be in bold print?

Did the text answer all of your questions? How can you find the answers for any of your questions that remain?

22 Sep.2014

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First Reading: Swirl by Swirl

FIRST READING: ILLUSTRATIONS – SWIRL by SWIRL: SPIRALS IN NATURE

The fun begins immediately! Starting with the cover, you can begin to look for spirals (a coil made around a fixed point that moves farther away from the point or closer to it).

*If the pages are not numbered, page 1 is the first page with text.

Pages 1 – 2:

~Investigate the illustration. How many spirals do you see? (4)

~What season is it? Why might the animals be underground in spirals?

Pages 3 – 4:

~What do you see in this illustration that is the same as the previous illustration? (same animals, same setting: a forest)

~What do you see that is different? (animals above ground, not in spirals, different season)

Pages 5 – 6:

~Look for spirals. (3)

~Where are these spirals found? (lake, river, or ocean)

Pages 7 – 8:

~Look for spirals.

~How are the spirals in this illustration different from the other spirals? (plants)

Pages 9 – 30:

As you can see, the questions follow a pattern.

~Find the spirals on each full page spread.

~What do the spirals in each illustration have in common? (The settings change. The types of spirals in the different settings change.)

Pages 31 – 32:

~This is the explanatory index. It will have additional information beyond the story text.

Now, you are going to be practicing the Reading Comprehension Best Practice: Reading for a Purpose. Come up with some questions about the spirals in the illustrations that you hope the text will answer.

Some questions that my grandchildren posed:

~Are these the only spirals in nature?

~Why do the millipedes and hedgehogs make spirals?

~Are all flowers spirals?

Write these questions down so that you have them ready for the Second Reading: Text and Vocabulary.

22 Sep.2014

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About Swirl by Swirl

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

by

Joyce Sidman

Ms. Sidman organizes the spirals of the natural world into categories. Some of her categories are: spirals that are snuggling shapes for sleeping, strong shapes for defense, or shapes that reach out to anchor an organism or help it move. The text during the story is minimal. However, the author uses great adjectives to describe the spirals: snuggling, coiled, expanding, clever, and graceful. There is an explanatory index at the back of the book that goes into greater detail to explain Ms. Sidman’s use of each of these adjectives. The index is a great resource to help the reader answer questions that the listener might pose.

The illustrations are bold. Every time that you look at them you will appreciate the beauty and instructional value in each page. The text and the illustrations blend perfectly, interesting both the young artist and the young scientist. The text combines informational text into free verse poetry. What a great reading experience!

Isabel Beck, a well-known reading expert, encourages quality read-alouds in early childhood to support children’s language development. However, successful read-alouds don’t just happen. Practickle’s mission is to provide the structure for these meaningful read-aloud sessions. In the guide to accompany this book, the featured Reading Comprehension Best Practice is to have a purpose or focus to the reading. Providing a purpose for reading helps children concentrate as they read. So, after the First Reading’s study of the illustrations, encourage your child to think up a couple of questions that the text might answer. Looking for the answers to these questions helps the brain focus. Finding the answers in the text helps children to see the value of the text as an important part of learning.

22 Sep.2014

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Third Reading: The Day The Crayons Quit

THIRD READING: ANALYSIS – THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT

Share the reading responsibilities with the listener any way you wish. You may wish to alternate reading pages, or have your child retell the contents of each crayon’s letter. If your child is retelling the letter, help your child use the details in the illustrations to guide the retelling.

Help your child with emphasis on words in CAPITAL LETTERS and exclamation marks. There are even a few ellipses (. . .) that appear, indicating a long pause to build interest.

DISCUSSION OPTIONS:

~Discuss additional details that Duncan could add to his final picture.

~Look back at the crayons’ letters. Are there any common complaints shared by any of the crayons? Which letter was your favorite? Explain your choice.

~Pick a color of crayon that you would like to be. Imagine that you are the crayon writing a letter to your child. What would your letter say? Remember to include words that indicate how you are feeling. (happy, sad, exhausted)

~This book is a series of letters. Do the letters make a story? Does it have the elements of a story (characters, setting, problem/solution)? Discuss.

ACTIVITY OPTIONS:

~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcVYE8eubY

This reading of the book is well done. Your child can listen to the emphasis but on certain words by a different reader. Hearing different ways to interpret a text helps to increase understanding of the text.

~Pick a toy of your child’s. What might the toy say in a letter to your child?

22 Sep.2014

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First Reading: The Day The Crayons Quit

FIRST READING and SECOND READINGS: ILLUSTRATIONS, TEXT and VOCABULARY – THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT

The format of this book requires a unique combination of First and Second Readings. Each full-page spread contains the illustration about and the letter from each of the colors in Duncan’s box of crayons. As you open to each new color, discuss the questions about the illustration. Then, read the letter or the text. The last step will be to discuss the questions about the letter or the text. These three steps are to be done before you turn the page to the next color. Using this discussion format may require two to three story times to reach the end of the book. Don’t hurry. Enjoy!

*If you’re numbering your pages, page 1 is the first page with text.

*Before you open the book, discuss what it means to quit something. Why might people quit doing something? What might crayons want to quit doing?

Pages 1 – 2:

~What do you see?

~Who might Duncan be?

READ THE TEXT.

Pages 3 – 4:

~Name the objects in the illustration.

~How might Red Crayon be feeling?

~What might Red Crayon be thinking?

~Who might have written the red letter?

READ THE LETTER.

~What is Red Crayon’s complaint?

~Do you agree with Red Crayon?

~What does “I wear myself out” mean? (I get so tired doing all of the work that I do.)

~How might Duncan be able to solve Red Crayon’s complaint?

Pages 5 – 6:

~How does Purple Crayon seem to be feeling?

~What might Purple Crayon be saying in the purple letter? (Its mouth is wide open. It might be yelling.)

READ THE LETTER.

~What is Purple Crayon’s complaint? Do you agree with its complaint?

~Why might Purple Crayon have written some words with all CAPITAL LETTERS, such as: “LISTEN”? (to show you the words to emphasize as you read the letter)

Pages 7 – 8:

~How does Beige Crayon seem to be feeling?

~This illustration has a single object with Beige Crayon. Why might that be?

~Why might Beige Crayon want to quit?

READ THE LETTER.

~What is Beige Crayon’s complaint?

~Can you help Beige Crayon by suggesting other things the Duncan might color beige?

Pages 9 – 10:

~What do you see?

~How does Gray Crayon seem to be feeling?

~Why might it want to quit?

READ THE LETTER.

Look at Gray Crayon’s use of CAPITAL LETTERS.

~Point out which words Gray Crayon wants to emphasize to Duncan. Reread the letter with special emphasis on these words.

~What do you think of Gray Crayon’s suggestion to solve its problem? Do you have any other ideas for Gray Crayon and Duncan?

Pages 11 – 12:

~What crayon might these two pages be about?

~How does White Crayon seem to be feeling?

~Why don’t you see much in this illustration?

READ THE LETTER.

~Discuss feeling empty (a negative feeling, feeling nothing, absence of emotion). Empty is used two different ways in White Crayon’s letter. Find the two different meanings of empty.

~When do you use a white crayon?

~How can Duncan make White Crayon feel better?

Pages 13 – 14:

~Look at the body language of Black Crayon. What does Black Crayon seem to be doing? (begging, pleading)

~What might Black Crayon be saying?

READ THE LETTER.

~What does brighter mean in Black Crayon’s letter? (smarter, more intelligent)

~Do you think Duncan should follow Black Crayon’s suggestion? Discuss.

Pages 15 – 16:

~Name all of the objects drawn with Green Crayon.

~What might Green Crayon want to quit doing?

READ THE LETTER.

~Does Green Crayon want to quit? Why did Green Crayon write a letter to Duncan?

~What does Green Crayon mean when he congratulates Duncan on a “very successful coloring things green career”? (In Green Crayon’s opinion, Duncan has done great work with his green crayon.)

~Who do you think should be the color of the sun?

Pages 17 – 20:

~What’s different about these two illustrations? (coloring book pages, two crayons are shown on the same page)

~Which crayon is talking in each illustration?

~What might the crayons be saying to Duncan in their letters?

READ THE LETTERS.

~How do both Yellow Crayon and Orange Crayon try to convince Duncan of their right to be the color of the sun?

~How would you suggest that Duncan solve the argument between Yellow Crayon and Orange Crayon?

~On page 19, tattletale: a person who tells information about another person for negative reasons. In your opinion, is Yellow Crayon a tattletale? Discuss.

Pages 21 – 22:

~What is different about Blue Crayon’s appearance?

~What might Blue Crayon want to quit doing? What might its reasons be?

READ THE LETTER.

~Do you think Blue Crayon is Duncan’s favorite color? Discuss.

~break: a pause in action or work. How can Duncan give Blue Crayon a break?

Pages 23 – 24:

~Are you surprised by some of the objects on Pink’s page? Discuss.

~What might be Pink’s complaint to Duncan?

READ THE LETTER.

~Do you think pink is a girl’s color? Discuss.

~After reading Pink Crayon’s letter, what emotion do you think Pink Crayon might be feeling?

~Is pink an important color to have in your crayon box? Why, or why not?

Pages 25 – 26:

~What is the color of this crayon?

~Discuss how this crayon seems to be feeling. Why might it be feeling this way?

READ THE LETTER.

~Why might Duncan have peeled off Peach Crayon’s wrapping?

~How should Duncan respond to Peach Crayon’s complaint?

Pages 27 – 28:

~Who do you think opened the letters?

READ THE TEXT.

~If you were Duncan, what would you do after you read all of the letters from your crayons?

Pages 29 – 31:

~On pages 29 and 30, who do you think might have drawn this picture?

~What do you notice about the objects and use of color in this picture?

~Why do you think Duncan drew this picture?

~On page 31, what might be the meaning of this illustration?

READ THE TEXT.

~Did Duncan make each of his crayons happy with this picture?

~Would you give Duncan an A for coloring? Discuss.

~On page 31, creativity: coming up with new ideas. Do you think Duncan’s picture shows creativity?

22 Sep.2014

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Third Reading: Olivia

THIRD READING: ANALYSIS – OLIVIA

For the Third Reading, read the book all the way through. Share the reading responsibilities with the listener any way you wish. You may wish to alternate reading pages, or have the child retell the story. If your child is retelling the story to you, help your child use the details in the illustrations to guide the retelling and when to turn the page.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Discussion Options will focus on Olivia’s personality.

~Do you think Olivia behaves properly in the book?

~What activity do you think Olivia does the best?

~Give an example of a time in the story when Olivia and you are the most alike.

~Give an example of a time in the story when Olivia and you are the most different.

~To reinforce the vocabulary, discuss times in your life when you:

wore people out basked in the sun were firm with someone someone was firm with you you visited a museum.

ACTIVITIES:

~Use the graphic organizers to record and organize your responses to these questions:

How are Olivia and you alike?

How are Olivia and you different?

or

What do you do well?

What do you want to learn to do well?

~Check out Olivia’s website: www.myolivia.com

~Check out this website for other activities: www.homeschoolshare.com. Search: Olivia.

22 Sep.2014

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Second Reading: Olivia

SECOND READING: TEXT AND VOCABULARY – OLIVIA

During the reading of the text, look for information to answer your questions. If you didn’t have any questions, don’t worry. Connect the information in the text to your inferences about the illustrations.

*There are a few vocabulary words that are highlighted.

*Ask the questions after you read the pages.

Pages 2 – 3:

~ wearing people out: getting people tired. What does wearing people out mean?

~Do you wear people out like Olivia does?

Page 4 – 9:

~On page 5, firm: demanding. What does it mean to be firm with Ian?

~Does Olivia do any of the same activities that you do?

~Why might she have to keep moving Edwin?

Pages 10 – 14:

~What does Olivia do well at the beach?

~On page 14, bask in the sun: lie and relax in the sun. What does bask in the sun mean?

~Is basking in the sun a good idea or a bad idea? Discuss.

Pages 15 – 17:

~What do you think she might be saying to her mother about taking a nap? Do you agree with Olivia?

Pages 18 – 21:

~Can you figure out what a museum might be? (a place where art or other objects of value are displayed)

~On page 19, what might Olivia be thinking?

Pages 22 – 25:

~On page 24, time out: for a child: a short break in play or work due to misbehavior. What is a time out?

~Do you think Olivia should have a time out for painting the picture?

~Have you ever had a time out, like Olivia?

Pages 26 – End:

~What do you think Olivia is dreaming about?

~Do you dream about the books that you read?

~Why might Olivia wear her mother out?

22 Sep.2014

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First Reading: Olivia

FIRST READING: ILLUSTRATIONS – OLIVIA

The purpose of the illustrations is to give you information about the main character, Olivia. Mr. Falconer uses quite a bit of humor in them which both reader and listener will enjoy. As you move through the illustrations, you’ll be talking about Olivia’s personality traits, her likes and dislikes, and her family.

*Page 1 is the page on which the text begins.

Pages 2 – 5:

Meet Olivia.

~What activities do you see Olivia doing?

~What does this tell you about Olivia? (She is very active and likes to do many things.)

~Do you like to do any of the things that Olivia likes to do?

~On pages 4 and 5, who do you think the little piglet might be?

Pages 6 – 7:

~What do you see Olivia doing?

~How are Olivia and you alike? How are Olivia and you different?

Pages 8 – 9:

~What do you notice about Olivia’s clothes? What might this tell you about Olivia?

~On page 8, note Olivia trying to wear a pair of panty hose. Panty hose might need an explanation to your listener.

Pages 10 – 14:

~Where are Olivia, her mother, and brother?

~What can you tell about Olivia from these illustrations? (She likes the beach. She knows how to swim.)

Pages 15 – 17:

~On page 15, how does Olivia seem to be feeling? Why might she be feeling this way?

~What do you think is happening on these pages?

Pages 18 – 20:

~On page 18, what do you see? Does this give you a clue where Olivia, her mother, and her brother might be?

~On page 19, what do you think Olivia is looking at?

~On page 20, what do you see? What might be happening?

Page 21 – 24:

~What do you see on these pages?

~Why might Olivia be sitting on the steps by herself?

Pages 25 – End:

~ What do you see? What do you think is happening?

~Look at the faces of the characters. How are they feeling? Why might they be feeling that way?

~Is the ending happy? Why or why not?

What did we learn about Olivia’s likes and dislikes from the illustrations?

What did we learn about Olivia’s family from the illustrations?

After looking at the illustrations, some questions that occurred to my grandchildren were simple questions, such as:

~Why is there so much red in the illustrations?

~Why does her mother look like she gets mad at her?

Write down any questions that you have to have them handy for the Second Reading of Olivia. After the Second Reading, your listener will discover that sometimes the text will provide the answers to the questions, and sometimes it won’t. When the text doesn’t provide an answer, it can be a learning experience to talk about what questions weren’t answered. Sometimes the author wants the reader to create their own ideas or answers using clues provided in the illustrations and text.

22 Sep.2014

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About: Olivia

Olivia

by

Ian Falconer

Do you know a precocious child that tires you out by the end of the day? Author and illustrator Ian Falconer knows one: his niece, Olivia. Mr. Falconer’s simple text and hilarious illustrations will capture both the reader and the listener. The adults will laugh at Olivia’s stupendous sand castle, as well as her numerous attempts to be grown-up. Children will laugh at her attempts at painting and at her interaction with her little brother, Ian.

This little piglet’s flamboyant personality has led to numerous comparisons to Fancy Nancy and Eloise. However, Olivia’s creativity and independence remind me of my granddaughter, Izzie. Getting dressed for preschool each morning, is not a simple task for Izzie. She takes time to put together unique outfits that are always accessorized by her sparkly red cowboy boots.

Ian Falconer’s credits as an artist are impressive: illustrator of covers for the New Yorker, and set and costume designer for the New York City Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, and the Royal Opera House. Knowing these credits will give you an understanding of some of his illustrations that are connected to famous pieces of art.

A Reading Comprehension Best Practice that works nicely with Olivia is the use of Graphic Organizers. Please check our blog entries under Practickle Activities to understand the importance of graphic organizers as an aid to retention and comprehension. We, also, have a board on www.Pinterest.com/practickle that contains simple graphic organizers to use with preschoolers to aid comprehension, recall, and retention.

Olivia is quite popular around the world and has her very own website. Check out: www.myolivia.com.

Parent Links

Practickle: Where Reading Is Made Run!

Third Reading: Swirl by Swirl

Second Reading: Swirl by Swirl

First Reading: Swirl by Swirl

About Swirl by Swirl

Third Reading: The Day The Crayons Quit

First Reading: The Day The Crayons Quit

Third Reading: Olivia

Second Reading: Olivia

First Reading: Olivia

About: Olivia