Games with Books Twenty-eight of the Best Children's Books and How to Use Them to Help Your Child Learn—From Preschool to Third Grade

by Kaye, Peggy

• ISBN13: 9780374528157
• ISBN10: 0374528152
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-21
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary

Everyone knows how important it is to read with children. But how can you continue your child's learning experience and enjoyment of a story once you close the book? In her engaging new book, Peggy Kaye shows parents and teachers how to play learning games based on classic children's books.Games with Booksfeatures 14 picture books, fromHarold and the Purple CrayontoBluesberries for Sal and 14 chapter books, fromWinnie the PoohtoCharlotte's Web. For each book, Kaye provides a summary and then offers three to four games that will keep kids entertained while they are practicing valuable reading, writing and math skills. The games require few materials and can easily be played both in home and at school. They cover a wide skill and age range. In addition to her creative and fun approach to learning, Kaye offers a wonderful bonus in her new book: a selective list of great children's books that no reader -- young or old -- will want to miss. Peggy Kaye, a tutor and eductional consultant, is the author ofGames for Math,Games for Writingand Games for Learning. She has a master's degree in early-childhood education from Columbia University's Teachers College and has taught in both public and private elementary schools. She lives in New York City. Kaye shows educators and parents how to play learning games based on classic children's books.Games With Booksfeatures fourteen picture books, such asHarold and the Purple CrayonandBlueberries for Saland fourteen chapter books, such asWinnie the PoohandStuart Little.For each book, Kaye provides a summary and then introduces three to four games designed to help children develop crucial reading, writing, math, and conceptual skills. The games require few materials and can easily be played both in home and at school, and they cover a wide skill and age range. "[Kaye] takes 28 well-loved kids' books, from picture books to novels for third-graders, and provides instructions for easy activities (using inexpensive, ready-to-handle materials) to build upon the reading experience."Rosemary Herbert,The Boston Herald "Peggy Kaye is the teacher everyone wishes they had, the teacher from heaven. Her special genius is for turning something you're doing alreadyin this new book, reading aloud to your childreninto an act of education. And for Peggy Kaye, an act of education is an act of imagination. She stretches the creative muscles. Her games will inspire your kids, and maybe they'll inspire you, too."Louis Menand "Very imaginative and stimulating . . . Kaye has written a guidebook for turning well-known children's stories into playful learning games."Angela Nurse,Daily News(New York) "Kaye offers innovative activities, from word plays to crafts, to deepen children's experience of some great vintage stories. A gentle, encouraging instructor, her book will be especially appealing to homeschoolers."Mothering "An extremely valuable resource."Betty Holmes, Director, United Federation of Teachers, Dial-a-Teacher

Author Biography

Peggy Kaye, a tutor and eductional consultant, is the author of Games for Math, Games for Writing and Games for Learning. She has a master's degree in early-childhood education from Columbia University's Teachers College and has taught in both public and private elementary schools. She lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction: How to Play with Books	xi
PART ONE: HOW TO PLAY WITH PICTURE BOOKS
The Carrot Seed	3	(8)
Preschool and Kindergarten
How Many Carrots?	4	(2)
Painting with Carrots	6	(3)
Pet Plant	9	(2)
Harold and the Purple Crayon	11	(12)
Preschool and Kindergarten
With My Purple Crayon	12	(4)
Purple Maze	16	(5)
Pass the Purple Crayon	21	(2)
Ten Black Dots	23	(11)
Preschool and Kindergarten
Dot Book	24	(6)
Dots Galore	30	(3)
Fingerprint Dots	33	(1)
The Something	34	(9)
Preschool and Kindergarten
The Face of a Something	35	(4)
Something Speak	39	(2)
All About My Something	41	(2)
Caps for Sale	43	(8)
Preschool and Kindergarten
Getting In on the Act	44	(2)
Patterns	46	(3)
Monkey See, Monkey Do	49	(2)
Chrysanthemum	51	(8)
Preschool and Kindergarten
The Name Game	52	(4)
Chry-san-the-mum	56	(2)
So That's a Chrysanthemum	58	(1)
Blueberries for Sal	59	(9)
Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade
Kuplink, Kuplank, Kuplunk	60	(3)
Blueberry Treats	63	(4)
Blueberry Count	67	(1)
Katy No-Pocket	68	(9)
Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade
Who Is Hiding in Katy's Pocket?	69	(4)
Be an Official Master Pocket Counter	73	(1)
Eat Them If You Can	74	(2)
Kangaroo Hop	76	(1)
Frederick	77	(10)
Kindergarten and First Grade
Word Collection	78	(3)
Using Your Collection	81	(2)
Secret Friends	83	(2)
I Dream of Frederick	85	(2)
Martha Blah Blah	87	(10)
Kindergarten and First Grade
Missing Letters	88	(3)
Feel Those Letters	91	(2)
What Did I Say?	93	(2)
Alphabet Soup	95	(2)
Crow Boy	97	(10)
Kindergarten and First and Second Grades
I See It	98	(2)
Copy My Sounds	100	(2)
Did You Hear My Sound?	102	(4)
In Search of Japan	106	(1)
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street	107	(6)
Kindergarten and First Grade
Your Own Mulberry Street	108	(2)
That's a Mulberry Street!	110	(3)
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins	113	(12)
Kindergarten and First and Second Grades
Make a Hat	115	(5)
How Much Is 500, Anyway?	120	(3)
Yeoman of the Bowmen	123	(2)
Many Moons	125	(18)
First and Second Grades
Moon Gazing	127	(2)
Full Moon Book	129	(5)
Moon Facts	134	(3)
An Almost Golden Moon Necklace	137	(6)
PART TWO: NOW TO PLAY WITH CHAPTER BOOKS
A Bear Called Paddington	143	(11)
Kindergarten and First and Second Grades
Shaving-Cream Writing	144	(5)
A Simple Card Trick	149	(3)
Anything and Everything Can Go Wrong	152	(2)
My Father's Dragon	154	(14)
Kindergarten and First, Second, and Third Grades
Spice Ball	155	(2)
Mapmaking	157	(6)
Find the Dragon	163	(5)
Winnie-the-Pooh	168	(20)
Kindergarten and First and Second Grades
The Hum Game	169	(4)
Make a Bear	173	(9)
Wobbly Letters	182	(4)
Pooh Picnic Party	186	(2)
Pippi Longstocking	188	(15)
First, Second, and Third Grades
How Long Can You Be Strong?	189	(7)
Sound Tag	196	(3)
Don't Touch the Floor Game	199	(3)
Thing-Finders	202	(1)
Mr. Popper's Penguins	203	(15)
First, Second, and Third Grades
Mr. Astor's Ants	204	(3)
Penguin Book	207	(8)
Your Solution	215	(3)
Stuart Little	218	(13)
First, Second, and Third Grades
Making a Boat	219	(7)
Chairman of the House	226	(3)
Just Stuart's Size	229	(2)
Charlotte's Web	231	(13)
First, Second, and Third Grades
Friendship Medallion	232	(6)
Single-Line Web Game	238	(3)
Blend the Friends	241	(3)
The Enormous Egg	244	(12)
First, Second, and Third Grades
How Big Is Uncle Beazley?	245	(5)
How Big Am I? How Big Will I Be?	250	(4)
Egg Latin	254	(2)
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic	256	(17)
Second and Third Grades
My Mom (or Dad) Needs a Cure	257	(8)
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Board Game	265	(5)
Treasure Hunt	270	(3)
The Borrowers	273	(10)
First, Second, and Third Grades
A Borrower's House	275	(5)
Beat the Sound Borrower	280	(3)
Beezus and Ramona	283	(13)
First, Second, and Third Grades
Mu Torere	284	(7)
A Rainy-Day Project	291	(3)
Applesauce	294	(2)
The Hundred Dresses	296	(13)
Second and Third Grades
Dresses, Dresses, Dresses	297	(6)
Scrapbook of Dresses	303	(4)
Closet Estimation	307	(2)
The Half A-Moon Inn	309	(17)
Second and Third Grades
Poetry Dream Book	311	(11)
Almost Charades	322	(2)
Talkless Time	324	(2)
The Search for Delicious	326	(21)
Second and Third Grades
Definition Poll	327	(3)
Paper Doll	330	(10)
The Dictionary, Please	340	(5)
APPENDIXES
Why the Moon Changes Shape	345	(2)
A Note to Teachers	347

Excerpts

Chapter One

THE CARROT SEED

WRITTEN BY RUTH KRAUSS

ILLUSTRATED BY CROCKETT JOHNSON

1945

GOOD READING FOR PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN

                                Should children always listen to their parents? Most adults will say yes, but many thoughtful children will argue otherwise. The Carrot Seed tells the story of a little boy who refuses to mind his parents' sensible advice. In so doing, he sets an elegant example of childhood independence. Should grownups introduce children to such a seditious tale? Yes, absolutely.

    The little boy plants a carrot seed, and he is sure his carrot will grow. His mother doubts, his father doubts, his big brother doubts, but the little boy has faith. Despite the naysayers, the boy patiently cares for his plant. "And then, one day, a carrot came up just as the little boy had known it would." How often does a young child manage to prove that he is right and that the grownups are grandly and gloriously wrong? In real life, not often. But it happens every single time you read The Carrot Seed .

    Ruth Krauss, the author, creates her carrot fable with just one hundred one words. After a few readings, therefore, your child may memorize some of the pages and start reciting words with you. Such pretend reading is extremely valuable for young children. A child who pretends to read, even if his eyes never land on words, begins to think of himself as a reader. He gets lost in books--the way all avid readers do. He will love his books. A child who already loves books will work hard, when the time is right, to learn to read in the non-pretend version.

    In between readings of The Carrot Seed , you might consider turning your attention to one or another of the following three activities. All three relate directly to the book. All three will set your child to thinking in valuable ways. Take a few minutes to read through the activities and pick one you believe will intrigue your child and that you, too, might find amusing. If more than one game appeals, better yet. So long as you and your child enjoy yourselves, you are doing the right thing.

                                  What a carrot the boy grows! It is huge. It is as big as the boy himself. How does the height of a normal, everyday carrot compare to the height of a normal, everyday preschooler or kindergartner? Why not find out with your child? Before you begin, make sure you have three bunches of carrots--leafy tops removed--in your kitchen.

    When you are ready to measure, have your child lie down on a wood or linoleum floor, then run a long strip of masking tape from his feet to the top of his head.

    Once the masking tape is in place, your child can stand up. Spend a minute or two studying the tape. If your child has never seen his horizontal length before, he may be surprised at how far the tape stretches across the floor. Next, take the carrots and help your child line them up, tip to stem, until you have a row that matches the tape. If your child is between four and five carrots tall, snap off the top of the fifth carrot so that you get a match. Count and you will know your child's carrot height. It might be four carrots, or it might be four and a little bit more.

    If your child enjoyed discovering his carrot height, he might like to find out yours. Go ahead, measure yourself. In fact, measure anyone who happens to be at home.

    Why should you measure with carrots instead of in inches or centimeters? First, it is a fine way to expand the fun of The Carrot Seed . Second, it is good to have a child measure with a variety of materials--carrots, or pencils, or paper clips, or all kinds of things--before introducing him to the standard measures. Measuring with various household objects helps a child see the value in comparing different lengths. Eventually the child may notice that not all carrots are alike, and a uniform, universally accepted length, such as an inch or a centimeter, might be more useful. But that realization is for later. It is a bad idea to use carrot-measuring to teach about inches and centimeters. Trying to teach too much will ruin the fun of this game. So stick with carrots for the time being.

    Why do you need a row of carrots? Why not grab a single one and push it along the masking tape? When you create a row of carrots, it is very simple to count how many stretch from top to bottom. It is harder, much harder, for a young child to appreciate what a single carrot moving along the masking tape represents. True, your child may attentively watch as you maneuver the carrot along its path, but he will not really understand what you are doing or the reason you are doing it. So it is better to give the child lots of experience in measuring rows of objects he can see and touch--a row of carrots, for instance.

                             What should the little boy in The Carrot Seed do with his colossal carrot? It is a logical question to ask after finishing the book, and that is exactly what I did with Joe, a creative kindergarten student. Joe suggested several interesting ideas. The little boy could cook his carrot, or wave it like a sword, or maybe lay it down and use it as a table. Then, being a polite child, Joe asked me for my opinion.

    "He should use it to make a painting," I said.

    Assuming I was kidding, Joe laughed. "He couldn't do that!"

    "Sure he could, and we can, too, if you want," I said.

    "How?"

    "I'm glad you asked. I just happen to have a few carrots handy, and I can show you."

    Joe smiled.

    "First, we need to clear a painting space on the tabletop and cover it with newspaper," I said.

    After establishing our work area, I found old T-shirts for us to wear in order to protect our clothes. Then I placed a few sheets of construction paper, a few sheets of plain white paper, some plastic lids, a container of water, a roll of paper towels, a set of tempera paints, a knife, and four carrots on the table.

    This work done, I said, "Go ahead, Joe, and pick your first color for carrot painting."

    Joe pointed to green. I took that jar and poured some of its paint into one of the plastic lids.

    "Now, what color paper do you want?" I asked.

    Joe picked a sheet of yellow construction paper. I took a plain white sheet for myself.

    "We're just about ready to paint," I said.

    "But we don't have paintbrushes," Joe observed.

    "We're not painting with brushes today, Joe. Remember, we're creating carrot art."

    Quickly I took one of the carrots and cut it into four more or less equal sections.

    Then t dipped the end of one section into the paint. Using the coated carrot, I began to dab paint on my paper. After a few dabs, I "refilled" my carrot.

    Joe caught on right away, took his own piece of carrot, and began dabbing. Before long, I suggested that we add a second color. Joe wanted red. We dipped our green fingers in the bowl of water, and dried our clean hands with paper towels. I poured some red paint in a clean plastic lid and handed us each a fresh section of carrot. We were ready to go. This time, though, I took my carrot, dipped it lengthwise in the paint, and rolled it until the entire length was paint-covered. Then I rolled the carrot over the paper, creating a thick, weaving red line. Joe liked this method and copied me.

    After rolling and dabbing with red for a bit, we decided to mix red and yellow paint together, using the end of a carrot to stir, thus producing orange. We kept adding colors, mixing colors, dabbing and rolling, until our paintings were done. One artistic triumph was not enough for Joe. He wanted to make a second carrot painting and then a third.

    If you decide to try this odd way of painting with your child, you can be assured that you are helping him learn a great deal about colors and what happens when you mix them together. When red and blue blend, they make purple. Red and yellow together make orange. These are valuable pieces of basic knowledge--the kind of facts every child should know by first grade. You are also encouraging your child to express himself artistically. Many young children love to draw and paint. These youngsters do not need inspiration to pick up crayons and paintbrushes. Other children, though, lacking confidence in their abilities, shy away from using art materials. Not every child will grow up to be an artist, but every child--especially every young child--should have the chance to freely and confidently express his artistic side.

                              After reading The Carrot Seed , your child might be eager to grow his own carrot. Despite the little boy's surprising success in the story, it is not always practical to grow carrots at home. Carrots fail to thrive in winter, and although you can grow them inside, it takes a lot of work and a lot of time to get results. You could, however, direct your child's gardening enthusiasm in a less problematic direction.

    After reading the book, for the first or the hundredth time, ask your child if he would like to have his very own plant. This would not be any old plant. This would be his own personal PET PLANT. The PET PLANT will belong exclusively to him, and he will be in charge of its well-being.

    For his pet, tell your child he can choose any plant he likes--big, small, flowering, or prickly cactus, any plant at all--within set economic limits. Then explore your neighborhood florist or nursery. You might ask the salesperson which plants are most likely to flourish in your house or apartment. After your child selects his PET PLANT, take it home and find a perfect place for it to live. If you can find a spot in your child's room, so much the better.

    Once the plant is settled in, think of ways to make it special--different from all other houseplants you own. First off, your child can name his plant. This might seem like an odd thing to do, but sometimes odd is good. Your child might enjoy decorating his plant's container. He can start by making a name tag. Take a piece of paper and cut it down to an appropriate size. Have your child write the plant's name, using a colored marker, and then glue the tag to the container. After the tag is in place, he can further glamorize the pot. He might want to cover it with stickers, draw on it with permanent markers, or glue on strips of colored ribbon.

    If you have a camera handy, snap a few photos of your child standing proudly by his new "pet." After a few weeks, take the camera out again and shoot more pictures. You might even make a PET PLANT album with dated photographs that record the plant's growth.

    Naturally, your child will have to care for his plant. He must water it regularly. Occasionally, he must fertilize the soil. From time to time, he might need to trim leaves. Someday, if the plant gets big enough, he may have to transfer it to a larger pot. This is a lot of responsibility for a young child, and that is exactly the point. Owning a PET PLANT gives your child a clear reason to act responsibly. Don't expect perfection, though. Your child will undoubtedly need help from you. He may need reminders to carry out his chores or require your assistance with the more difficult tasks. Even if your child is very conscientious, his plant might fail to thrive. This will be very sad and your child is likely to feel discouraged and frustrated. Perhaps a new plant will comfort him. But if he wants to mourn his first plant for a while, let him do so. On the other hand, with luck and care, his PET PLANT just might live and grow for years and years.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from GAMES WITH BOOKS by Peggy Kaye. Copyright © 2002 by Peggy Kaye. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.