The Cow That Laid an Egg by Andy Cutbill - Teaching Ideas

Does the cow really lay an egg or was it just a practical joke? Your students will love this hilarious book!

Reading level: 2.0
Theme/subject: friendship
Genre: general fiction 

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: down in the dumps, ordinary, hatched a cunning plan, almighty commotion, astonished, pleased as punch, crafty chickens, hatch, promptly 

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is about. Can cows really lay eggs? I wonder where the egg came from. {possible questions during} I wonder how the other cows can do handstands. I wonder why the chickens want to help Marjorie. I wonder why Marjorie believes she laid an egg. I wonder why the farmer and his wife believed Marjorie laid an egg. I wonder where Marjorie is taking the egg when she wheels it around in the wheel barrow. I wonder how the cows could prove that Marjorie didn’t lay an egg. I wonder why the baby chicken said Moo. I wonder why Marjorie thinks the chicken is a cow. {possible questions after} I wonder how the other cows are going to treat Marjorie now that she thinks the chicken is her baby cow. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this. (The chickens, the other cows, them, Marjorie)
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} cows do not lay eggs. Chickens cannot play tricks. The illustrator drew some silly pictures.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Marjorie the cow felt very ordinary because she couldn’t do anything special. {most important event from middle} Marjorie woke one morning to find that she had laid an egg. {most important event from end} The egg hatched and out popped a chicken that MOOOed.
• Cause and effect – What caused Marjorie to feel down in the dumps? Marjorie didn’t feel special because she didn’t think she could do anything special. Why did Marjorie shriek that she laid an egg? Because the chickens hatched a cunning plan to help Marjorie feel special. Why did the other cows feel astonished? Because none of them had even laid an egg before. Why did people come from far and wide? Because they wanted to see the egg that the cow laid. Why did Marjorie now feel special? Because she had laid an egg. How come the other cows were not happy? Because they couldn’t believe that Marjorie really laid an egg. How come the cows didn’t think Marjorie laid that egg? Because they though the crafty chickens did it. How come there was tapping on the egg? because is was starting to hatch. How come the chicken that hatched said MOO? Because it was Marjorie that sat on the egg and she was the first person the baby chicken saw. Why did Marjorie think that the little chicken was a cow? Because when she hatched she said MOOO.
• Character analysis - describe Marjorie. Describe the other cows. Describe the chickens. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Character changes – At the beginning of the story Marjorie was very sad and felt very ordinary. At the end of the story Marjorie was very happy, she felt very special; she had laid an egg and had a new chicken/cow baby to take care of and no other cow had ever done that before.
• Classify & categorize – Classify cows and chickens? Categorize what chickens do and what cows do.
• Compare & contrast – compare and contrast cows and chickens
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} A time when you felt ordinary. A time when someone helped you feel extra special. A time when you felt extra special.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Why do you think the baby chicken said MOOO? {text clues} Marjorie sat on the egg the whole time. Marjorie was the first person the little chicken saw. {what I know} When babies are born their moms are usually the first people they see. {my conclusion} I think the little chicken said MOOO when she hatched because Marjorie was the first person she saw.
• Fact & opinion – {fact} Marjorie was a cow. Marjorie was felt very down in the dumps. The chickens hatched a plan to help Marjorie. The farmer and his wife were very proud of Marjorie. The other cows didn’t believe that Marjorie laid the egg. {opinion} The other cows were bullies. The chickens were clever. The farmer and his wife were not very smart. Marjorie was happy that she laid an egg. The other cows were jealous of Marjorie’s egg.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} The story is mostly about Marjorie finally feeling special. {details} Marjorie felt very ordinary compared to the other cows. The chickens helped Marjorie feel special by putting an egg under Marjorie as she slept. The farmer and his wife were very proud of Marjorie.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Marjorie woke up and yelled, “I’ve laid an egg!”
• Predict – What do you think the story is going to be about? How do you think the cow laid an egg? What do you think the chickens’ cunning plan was? How do you think the other cows will react to Marjorie laying an egg? What do you think is going to hatch out of the egg? How do you think the story is going to end?
• Problem & solution - {problem} The problem in the story is that Marjorie feels very ordinary. {solution} Marjorie’s problem is solved when she woke up one morning to find that she laid an egg that was put there by the chickens.
• Sequencing – Marjorie felt like an ordinary cow. The chickens hatched a plan. Marjorie woke one morning to find she had laid an egg. The other cows were astonished. The farmer ‘s wife called the newspaper. People came from all over to see the egg. The other cows didn’t believe that Marjorie laid that egg. Everyone waited for the egg to hatch. The egg hatched. Out popped a chicken. The little chicken looked at Marjorie and said MOOO. Marjorie named the little chicken Daisy.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Marjorie was finally happy but the other cows wouldn’t just let her be, they wanted her to prove that she laid that egg. How could the other cows have behaved instead of telling her to prove it?
• Summarize - {someone} Marjorie {wanted} wanted to feel special {but} she just felt ordinary {so} so the chickens devised a plan to help her. Marjorie woke one morning for find she laid an egg and {then} then the other cows were jealous of Marjorie. {finally} Finally Marjorie felt special.
• Theme – Friends can help you feel special. With the help of friends it is easy to feel special.
• Visualize – The chickens helped Marjorie by making it seem like she laid an egg. If you were Marjorie’s friend visualize what you would have done to help her feel special?

 

 

IT'S FREE!!

Happy reading!

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When The Fly Flew In by Lisa Westberg Peters - Teaching Ideas

A little boy is supposed to clean his room but his animals are sleeping so peacefully, so he decides to do it later. As the animals sleep a fly comes in and disrupts their slumber, causing the animals to create a ruckus. In the midst of chasing the fly the room is somehow cleaned.

Here are a list of reading skill and strategy questions and ideas that work nicely with this book. I have also created a text-to-self connection freebie to use with this book.

Reading level: 2.5

Theme: animals

Genre: general fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: streaked, dust-mop cat, cobwebs

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} The fly flew in where? {possible questions during} Was the dog making a mess in the boys room? Was the cat hurt? How come the hamster was not in a cage? {possible questions after} How did the room get cleaned?
• author's point of view - Third person
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} The pictures are done from different perspectives. The dog went crazy chasing after the fly. The end of the story says the room was clean but it looked like animals were making a mess. These are all silly things that make the story entertaining.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} The fly flew into the room. {most important event from middle} All the sleeping animals woke and tried to catch the fly {most important event from end} When the fly left, the room was clean.
• cause and effect - Why did the boy not clean his room? because all the animals were sleeping. Why did the dog wake up? because the fly flew by his eye. Why was the cat tired? because he was chasing the fly and got tired. Why did the hamster not care about the fly? because he only wanted to eat the crumbs. Why did the parakeet watch the fly closely? because watching flies is a birds business.
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Having one of the animals listed in the story. Being bothered by a fly.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - What do you think the boy will say when he walks into his room? {text clues} The picture of the room is cleaner at the end of the story than at the beginning of the story. {what I know} If I left my dirty room and walked in later to find it clean I would think that someone cleaned it for me. {my conclusion} I think the boy is going to say "Wow! Who cleaned my room?"
• predict - What do you think the fly is going to do in the room? Do you think the boy will know it was the animals that cleaned his room?
• problem & solution - {problem #1} There was a fly in the room. {solution} All the animals chased the fly till it left the room. {problem #2} The boy needed to clean his room but the animals were sleeping so he waited. {solution} When the fly came in, the animals started chasing him which resulted in the room getting clean.
• sequencing - The boy needed to clean his room but decided to wait because all the animals were sleeping. The fly bothered the dog. The dog chased the fly. The fly bothered the cat. The cat chased the fly. The fly found a cookie crumb. The hamster wanted the crumb. The fly flew by the parrot. The parrot chased the fly. All the animals were tired and fell back to sleep. The fly left the room. The room was clean. 
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.

CLICK THE PICTURE TO DOWNLOAD

**Printing tip - Make sure under SIZE OPTIONS you chose "ACTUAL SIZE"**


Happy reading!

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The Very Busy Day by Diana Hendry - Teaching Ideas

This book is not only wonderfully written but the illustration {done by Jane Chapman} are so bright and creatively detailed. Your students will have fun looking at all of the human objects that Big Mouse and Little Mouse have used to make their special home. My favorite is the drain stop used as a tree swing...sooo cute!

Big Mouse has a lot of work to do and really wants some help. Unfortunately, Little Mouse is too busy thinking about his dream to help. As the day wears on Big Mouse is growing more frustrated with Little Mouse as he makes daisy chains, collects clovers, and lays around thinking about his dream. Finally, at the end of the day with Big Mouse tired and grumpy, Little Mouse comes running out of the kitchen with a surprise for Big Mouse. While Big Mouse was working and thinking that Little Mouse was doing nothing, he was really making Big Mouse a sun hat! Big Mouse was so surprised the he was no longer in a bad mood. He realized that Little Mouse really was doing something, making him a special sun hat.

Here is some more information that you might find useful.
 
Reading level: 2.5

Theme: behavior, social skills

Genre: animal stories

Suggested Vocabulary: grumbled, wheelbarrow, mopped his brow, indignantly, muttering angrily, annoyed

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {before} - What is going to keep the characters busy? Why do they have a wheelbarrow made out of clothespins? {during} - What was Big Mouse planting in the garden? Why wouldn't Little Mouse help Big Mouse? What is Little Mouse dreaming up? Why did Big Mouse dump Little Mouse out of the wheelbarrow? Where did Big Mouse and Little Mouse get all the stuff they have? Why is Little Mouse collecting bird feathers? {after} Why was Big Mouse not mad at Little Mouse any more? Why did Little Mouse make a sun hat for Big Mouse?
• author's point of view - 3rd person point of view
• author's purpose - entertain
• beginning, middle, end - {beg.} Big Mouse was working in the garden and wanted Little Mouse's help. {mid} - Little Mouse would not help Big Mouse because he was busy doing something else. {end} Little Mouse gave Big Mouse the sun hat that he was making all day and Big Mouse was happy. They were so tired from all their work that they took a nap.
• cause and effect - Why was Big Mouse upset with Little Mouse? because Little Mouse would not help Big Mouse in the garden. Why did Big Mouse dump Little Mouse out of the wheelbarrow? because he didn't want to push the weeds AND Little Mouse. Why did Big Mouse and Little Mouse take a nap? because they were both tired from all the work they did.
• characterization - describe Big Mouse, describe Little Mouse
• compare & contrast - compare Big Mouse to Little Mouse
• connections - text-to-self - having to do all the work while a brother or sister does nothing. Working in the garden. Being tired after a long day of work. Text-to-text - connect this book to The Little Red Hen. They both ask others for help and don't get it.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - What feelings does Big Mouse have toward Little Mouse during the story? {clues from text} Big Mouse keeps asking Little Mouse to help and he wont. {what I know} I know that when I ask for help and no one helps me I get angry or frustrated. {conclusion} Big Mouse is angry and frustrated with Little Mouse during the story. How does Big Mouse feel about Little Muse at the end of the story? {clues from text} Little Mouse gives Big Mouse a new sun hat. {what I know} I know that when someone gives me a gift I get happy. {conclusion} I think Big Mouse is not angry at Little Mouse anymore because even though he didn't help him he was doing something, he made him a sun hat.
• predict - What do you think Little Mouse was dreaming about? What do you think Little Mouse is doing?
• problem & solution - {problem} Big Mouse wants some help in the garden and Little Mouse won't help him because he is busy doing something else. {solution} At the end of the story Little Mouse gives Big Mouse a sun hat that he had been working on all day. Big Mouse realized that Little Mouse was actually doing something.
• sequencing - Big Mouse asked for help in the garden. Little Mouse said he was too busy to help. Big Mouse asked Little Mouse to plant some seeds. Little Mouse said that he was thinking about his dream. Big Mouse needed the wheelbarrow so he dumped Little Mouse out of it. Little Mouse made a daisy chain while Big Mouse picked up all the weeds. Little Mouse picked clover as Big Mouse dumped the weeds. Big Mouse wanted Little Mouse to help rake but Little Mouse was busy collecting feathers. Big Mouse wanted Little Mouse to help carry strawberries but Little Mouse ran into the kitchen to get something and didn't help. Little Mouse rushed out of the kitchen with a gift for Big Mouse, it was a sun hat he made for him. Big Mouse and Little Mouse were so tired from their busy day they both lay down to take a nap.
• story elements - list title, author, theme, genre, characters, setting, BME.
• summarize - {somebody} Big Mouse {wanted} wanted Little Mouse to help him in the garden {but} but Little Mouse was busy with something else {so} so Big Mouse was getting frustrated with Little Mouse. {then} Then Little Mouse came out of the kitchen with a surprise, a sun hat that he had made for Big Mouse during the day. {at the end} At the end of the day Big Mouse realized that Little Mouse was really busy all day so he was no longer mad at him. They were both so tired they took a nap.

I have created a few activities to go with this book...I hope it is something you will be able to use!

Happy teaching!

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Tiny the Snow Dog by Cari Meister - Teaching Ideas

This little book offers great independent practice for those beginning readers. Lots of sight word practice as well as picture clues to help read the story. Your students will love reading about Tiny and his best friend and their adventure in the snow.

Here is some information and suggested reading skills and strategies that can be used with this book.

Reading level: 1.5

Theme: weather, animals

Genre: animal stories

Suggested Vocabulary: toss, snowball, crunch, snow monster, slurp

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {beg} why is the dogs named Tiny when he is so big? What is a snow dog? {mid} why does Tiny run away? {end} What is a snow monster?
• beginning, middle, end - {beg} Tiny and the boy get ready to go play in the snow. {mid} Tiny hides from the boy and the boy can't find him.{end} Tiny sneaks up behind the boy and scares him. {freebie worksheet available below}
• cause and effect - what cause the boy to get scared?
• characterization - describe Tiny
• classify & categorize - clothes you wear during winter and clothes you wear during summer.
• compare & contrast - compare your do to Tiny.
• connections - text-to-self - I love the snow. I have a warm hat. My dog likes the snow. My dog has run away. My dog is a good dog too. {freebie worksheet available below}
• drawing conclusions & inference - Why does Tiny run away? How does the boy feel when he can't find Tiny? Why does the boy think there is a snow monster behind him?
• predict - What will the boy and Tiny do in the snow? Will the boy find Tiny?
• problem & solution - {problem} Tiny runs away and the boy cannot find him. {solution} Tiny sneaks up behind the boy and scares him.
• sequencing - The boy and Tiny get ready to go out to play in the snow. They put their warm hats on. Tiny pulls the boy on the sled. The boy throws a snowball at Tiny. Tiny runs away from the boy. The boy looks for Tiny in the barn. He looks by the hill. Tiny sneaks up behind the boy. The boy thinks a snow monster is behind him. Tiny and the boy go home.
• story elements - setting, characters, beginning, middle, end, genre.
• strong thought - your students may have students tell the boy where Tiny is hiding.
• summarize - {someone} Tiny and the boy {wanted} wanted to go out and play in the snow {but} but Tiny decided to run away from the boy. {so} So the boy started looking for Tiny and couldn't find him, {then} then Tiny snuck up on the boy and scared him. {in the end} Finally, they went home. 
• visualize - what does a snow monster look like?

To go along with this book I have created 2 freebies. The first is a beginning, middle end folding activity.  Click either picture to download it.

 The second freebie is a text - to - self connection worksheet. Click on the picture to download it.

 Happy teaching!

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