Let's Go Home Little Bear by Martin Waddell - Teaching Ideas

Little Bear and Big Bear are out walking in the woods when all of a sudden Little Bear keeps hearing strange sounds. He keeps stopping and thinking that something is following them home. Little Bear gets so scared that he won't get up and walk home. Finally, Big Bear picks Little Bear up and carries him the rest of the way home. Once home, Big Bear tells Little Bear a story about all the things that could make the noises Little Bear heard on his walk.

This is a super sweet story with many skills and strategies. Listed below you can find what you need to help create a fun lesson or activity that gets your students practicing a skill or strategy they might be struggling with.

I have also created a Visualizing Writing Freebie to go with this.

Reading level: 1.7

Theme/subject: new life experiences

Genre: fiction

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: plod, plodder, plop, plopper, woo, creak, embers

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is going to be about. I wonder if they live in a cave. {possible questions during} I wonder if there really is something following Little Bear and Big Bear. {possible questions after} I wonder if Little Bear will be frightened by those noises anymore.  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third.  Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (they, Little Bear, Big Bear, he, him).
• Author's purpose – Entertain {evidence} Little Bear is so cute. Little Bear and Big Bear are walking on their hind legs and talking to each other. Little Bear and Big Bear live in a cave with furniture and a fireplace. All these things make an entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Little Bear and Big Bear were walking in the woods to their home.  {most important event from middle} Little Bear kept hearing noises behind him and they were scaring him.  {most important event from end} Big Bear told Little Bear a story about all the sounds in the snow.
• Cause and effect – Why were Little Bear and Big Bear going home? Because their walk was over and it was time to head back home. Why did Little Bear think there was a Plodder behind him? Because he heard plod, plod, plod behind him. Why did Little Bear think there was a Dripper behind him? Because he heard a drip, drip, drip. Why did Little Bear think there was a Plopper behind him? Because he heard a plop, plop, plop. Why did Big Bear carry Little Bear home? Because Little Bear sat down and wouldn’t move.
• Character analysis - describe Big Bear. Describe Little Bear {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Classify & categorize – Categorize noises, classifying scary noises and not scary noises.
• Compare & contrast – compare and contrast Little Bear and Big Bear
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Hearing noises that frighten you. Being carried by someone. Having someone tell you a story. Walking through the woods and hearing different noises.  {possible text-to-text connections} Connect to any of the Little Bear books.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Why did Big Bear tell the story of Plodders and Ploppers and Drippers to Little Bear? {text clues} The story was about all the noises that you would hear in the snow when you are out walking around. {what I know} I know that stories can sometimes help me understand things better. {my conclusion} I think Big Bear told the story of Plodders, Ploppers and Drippers because he was trying to have Little Bear understand that they were all noises that he didn’t have to be afraid of.
• Fact & opinion – {fact} Little Bear is the little bear. Big Bear is the big bear. Little Bear and Big Bear were walking in the woods. Little Bear heard a plod, plod, plod noise. Big Bear carried Little Bear home. Big Bear told Little Bear a story. {opinion} Noises in the woods are scary. Big Bear is very brave. Little Bear is a scaredy cat. Big Bear’s story was scary. It isn’t safe for Little Bear and Big Bear to be in the woods.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} The story is mostly about Little Bear hearing noises in the woods. {details} Little Bear hears plod, plod, plod. Little Bear sits down and won’t move. Big Bear has to carry Little Bear home.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Big Bear was carrying Little Bear home and explaining what all the noises were that they heard while they were walking home.
• Predict – What do you think the story will be about? Where do you think they are going? What do you think made the plodding noise? What do you think made the dripping noise? How do you think Big Bear will get Little Bear home? What do you think Big Bear’s story will be about?
• Problem & solution - {problem} Little Bear is afraid of the noises he is hearing in the woods. {solution} Big Bear carries him home and explains what the sounds are as they hear them.
• Sequencing – Big Bear and Little Bear went for a walk in the woods. Little Bear thinks a plodder is following them. Big Bear tells him it is just his feet in the snow. Little Bear thinks a Dripper is following them. Big Bear tells him that it is just the noise the ice is making as it melts. Little Bear thinks a Plopper is following them. Big Bear tells him that it is just the snow plopping off the branches. Little Bear sits down and won’t get up. Big Bear carries Little Bear home. Big Bear tells Little Bear a story.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Little Bear is getting scared of all the noises he is hearing in the woods. What could you do or tell Little Bear to help him not be scared.
• Visualize – Visualize yourself walking through the woods and hearing the sound SWOOSH. What would you think is making that noise? Describe and explain what it is and how it is making that noise.

IT'S FREE!!

Happy Reading!