Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson - Teaching Ideas

Poor bear, he is really feeling sick! His head is hot, he is achy and sneezy, wheezy and stuffy! But when his friends find out he is sick they immediately come to take care of him. They cook broth, make tea, and put a cool cloth on his head. Poor bear, he is really feeling sick. Bear tosses and turns, mumbles and grumbles and he just can't rest. His friends walk around on tippy toes, whisper and softly sing until finally poor bear falls asleep. When bear finally wakes, he is feeling well again. He dances and jumps and tells his friends to come out and play! But poor friends, they are now feeling sick. When bear sees how they are feeling he rushes to their side, kisses all their sweet little heads and tells them that he will be there to make them all feel better.

I just love this story, it is so sweet!

Listed below are reading skills, strategies and ideas you can use to create a great lesson to go with this book.

I have created an Asking Questions Freebie for you if that is something your students are needing help with.

Reading level: 1.8

Theme/subject: kindness/compassion, friendship

Genre: animal stories

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: autumn, achy, heap, whiffs and wheezes, mutters, mumbles, grumbles, soothes, coax, smidgen, quivers, frolic

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder why bear feels sick. I wonder if all his friends will help him. {possible questions during} I wonder if bear will feel better. I wonder if the other animals will start to feel sick. {possible questions after} I wonder if bear will make them tea.  **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.
• Author's purpose - entertain {evidence} Bears don’t drink tea and eat broth. Gophers don’t know how to cook. The author wrote this story in rhyme. All these things make a very sweet, entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Bear feels sick. {most important event from middle} Bear's friends come and take care of him. {most important event from end} Bear takes care of his friends when they start to feel sick.
• Cause and effect – Why can’t bear sleep? Because he feels sick. Why does bear want to go out and celebrate? Because bear feels better. How come his friends don’t want to play? Because they all feel sick. Why is bear taking care of his friends? Because they all took care of him.
• Character analysis - describe Bear. Describe the friends. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Character changes – {beginning} bear feels sick. {end} bear feels better. All because his friends took care of him.
• Classify & categorize – things to do when you are sick and things you do when you are well.
• Compare & contrast – how bear’s friends took care of him to how your mom takes care of you.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Feeling sick. Having someone take care of you. Feeling achy. {possible text-to-text connections} You can connect to any of the other Bear books from this series, or Can’t You Sleep Little Bear? by Martin Waddell because in both books others are taking care of a bear.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} Bear feels sick. {details} He feels achy and wheezy and sneezy. His friends come and take care of him. They fix him broth, wrap him in a blanket and put a cold cloth on his head.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when bear finally falls asleep.
• Predict – What do you think the story is about? How will his friends help? What do you think they will do with the herbs? Do you think bear will get better? What do you think he will want to do when he feels better?  Do you think his friends will get sick?
• Problem & solution - {problem} Bear feels sick. {solution} His friends wrap him in a blanket, give him water and broth, put herbs on him and cool his head with a cold cloth.
• Sequencing – All alone bear starts to feel sick. Bear can’t sleep. Bear's friends come and want him to play. Bear is too sick to play. His friends gather to help take care of him. They cook broth and put a cold cloth on his head. They gather herbs and give him some tea. Bear starts to sleep. All the friends watch bear sleep.  Bear wakes and is feeling much better. Bear wants to play but his friends are all sick. Bear kisses them all and tells them he will take care of them.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Bear feels sick and his friends are doing a lot of things to take care of him. They wrap him in a blanket, make some broth, collect herbs and give him some tea. What else could you tell them to do to help him?
• Summarize - {someone} Bear’s friends {wanted} wanted to play {but} but bear was too sick {so} so his friends came in to take care of him. Bear {finally} finally started to feel better.
• Theme – having someone there to take care of you always makes you feel better.
• Visualize – What would you have done to help bear feel better?

 

Happy Reading!

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A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Zierfert - Teaching Ideas

Anna needs a new coat but they don't have any money, and even if they did they wouldn't be able to buy one because the stores are empty. Anna's mother decides to trade some of her valuables to get Anna a new coat, but they can't just trade what they have for a new coat, they need to have the coat made. Anna and her mother visit a farmer for some wool, a spinner to get the wool spun into yarn, a weaver to get the yarn woven into cloth and a tailor to get the cloth turned into a coat. All of these generous people traded their goods and services for the valuables that Anna's mother had: a watch, a lamp, a necklace, and a teapot. By the time Anna picks up her coat it is a year later, because each person needed time to do their part. Anna admires her new coat and as a thank you Anna and her mother invite everyone that helped make it to a Christmas celebration. This is a wonderful book that shows kindness and generosity.

This is such a great teaching book, there are so many opportunities for teaching theme, plot, predicting, questioning and cause and effect, I couldn't help but make a HUGE packet to go with it - most of the reading skills and strategies listed below are in the packet and are differentiated for all your kiddos.

Not interested in a pre-made packet? Listed below is all the information you need to create a meaningful activity/lesson.

Reading level: 3.1

Theme: giving/generosity, kindness

Genre: historical fiction

Suggested vocabulary and phrases: wool, sheared the sheep’s wool, card the wool, spinning wheel, lingonberries, weaver, garnet necklace, porcelain tea pot, tailor

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is about. I wonder why Anna needs a new coat. I wonder where Anna will get her new coat. {possible questions during} How come Anna and her mother don’t have enough money for a new coat? How come the stores were empty? Won’t Anna’s mother miss all the things she is giving away? I wonder why it took so long for Anna to get her coat. {possible questions after} I wonder what they will do the next time Anna needs a new coat. **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.
• Author’s purpose – entertain {evidence} The author is telling a story. Anna made the sheep paper necklaces. The illustrator helps tell the story with the pictures she painted.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Anna needs a new coat; her old one is much too small. {most important event from middle} Anna’s mother decides to trade valuable belongings to get Anna her coat. {most important event from end} Anna and her mother have a Christmas celebration inviting everyone that helped make Anna’s new coat.
• Cause and effect – Why did Anna need a new coat? Because her old one was too small. Why could Anna’s mother not buy her a coat when the war ended? Because the stores remained empty and no one had any money. Why did mother decide to give her valuable belongings away? So she could get all the materials needed for Anna to get a new coat. Why did Anna and her mother go see a farmer? Because they needed wool from his sheep. Why did Anna and her mother go see an old woman that had a spinning wheel? Because they needed her to turn the wool into yarn. Why did the old woman say to come back when the cherries were ripe? Because she was old and she needed time to spin the wool. Why did Anna and her mother pick lingonberries? Because they were going to use them to die the yarn red. Why did Anna and her mother go see the weaver? Because they needed her to weave the yarn into cloth. Why did Anna and her mother go see a tailor? Because they needed the tailor to make Anna’s coat. Why did Anna keep looking in the store windows? Because she was looking at her new coat. Why did Anna and her mother invite everyone that helped make her coat to their Christmas celebration? Because they wanted to thank them for helping to make Anna’s new coat.
• character analysis - describe Anna, describe Anna’s mother {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Classify & categorize – clothes you wear for summer and clothes you wear for winter.
• Compare & contrast – your coat to Anna’s new coat.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Needing a new coat. Visiting sheep. Having a caring mom. Having a Christmas celebration. Having a red coat. Trading for something you need.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – How do you think Anna’s mother feels about giving away her valuables? {text clues} Anna’s mother promised to get her a new coat. They did not have any money and Anna really needed a new coat; her old one was too small. {what I know} I know that things are nice to have but family is more important. If you really need something you will find a way to get it. {my conclusion} I think Anna’s mom might have been a little sad giving her things away, but because Anna needed a new coat and they didn’t have any money she had to give her stuff away to be able to get Anna that coat. In the end I think Anna’s mother is happy because Anna is happy and warm.
• Fact & opinion – about sheep. {facts} There are over 1 billion sheep in the world. Female sheep are called ewes. Young sheep are called lambs. A group of sheep are called a flock, herd or mob. Sheep are herbivores. {opinions} Sheep are the best farm animals. Sheep look funny when their wool is real long. Sheep are dirty animals. I think sheep are loud when the say “baa”. Sheep are very fluffy.  
• Main idea & details - {main idea} Anna needs a new coat. {details} Anna and her mom trade a watch for the wool. They trade a lamp to get the wool spun into yarn. Anna and her mom die the yarn red with lingonberries. They trade a necklace to get the yarn woven into cloth. They trade a porcelain teapot to a tailor to get the cloth made into a coat.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when Anna’s mother decides to trade her valuable possessions to get Anna her new coat.
• Predict – What do you think the story is going to be about? How do you think they will get Anna a new coat? How long will it take for Anna to get a new coat? Do you think the farmer will trade the wool for the watch? What do you think they will do with the bag of wool? What color do you think Anna will pick for her new coat? What will Anna and her mother use to dye the yarn? After they dye the yarn, what will they do with it? Will the tailor trade his services for the teapot? How do you think Anna and her mother will thank everyone that helped to make Anna’s coat?
• Problem & solution - {problem} Anna needs a new coat and there is no money or supplies in the stores. {solution} Anna’s mother decides to trade her valuable possessions to get the things needed to make Anna a new coat.
• Sequencing – Anna needs a new coat. Anna’s mother has no money and the stores are empty. Anna’s mother decided to give some things away to get Anna a new coat. They go to see a farmer to get wool. They go to a woman with a spinning wheel to turn the wool into yarn. Anna and her mother dye the yarn red. They take the yarn to a weaver. They take the yarn to a tailor and trade a teapot to get the cloth made into a coat. After picking up the coat, Anna looks at herself in all the windows as they walk home. Anna and her mother have a Christmas celebration and invite everyone that helped make Anna’s coat. Everyone had the best Christmas.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – It would make me so sad to give away my valuable possessions, but the only way for Anna to get a new coat was to give them away. If you needed a new coat and you had no money, what valuable possessions would you give away to get a new coat?
• Summarize - {someone} Anna {wanted needed} needed a new coat {but} but they didn’t have any money {so} so Anna’s mother decided to give away some of her valuable possession to get Anna a new coat. Anna {finally} finally got her new coat.
• Theme – Because of the generosity and kindness of others not only was Anna happy but so were her mother, the farmer, the spinner, the weaver, and the tailor. 
• Visualize – Anna really needed a new coat because hers was too small. When Anna finally got her coat she loved it. Visualize yourself getting a new coat. What would your new coat look like?

Included in the packet:
Directions and Common Core Standards for each skill and strategy. Plus ideas for extending some of the activities.
* Vocabulary - 4 pages
* Asking Questions - 2 pages
* Author's Point of View - 2 pages
* Beginning, Middle, End - 5 pages
* Cause and Effect - 8 pages and 1 key
* Character Analysis - 4 pages
* Classify and Categorize - 5 pages
* Compare and Contrast - 6 pages
* Text-to-Self Connections - 3 pages
* Text-to-Text Connections - 2 pages
* Drawing Conclusions/Inferencing - 3 pages
* Fact and Opinion - 2 pages
* Main Idea and Details - 6 pages
* Making Predictions - 3 pages
* Problem/Solution - 5 pages
* Sequencing - 8 pages  plus 2 keys
* Plot - 2 pages
* Summarize - 1 page
* Story Map - 3 pages
* Strong Thought - 3 pages
* Visualize - 3 pages

Happy reading!

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A Kwanzaa Miracle by Sharon Shavers Gayle -Teaching Ideas

A Kwanzaa Miracle is a story about loss and friendship. Mrs. Jackson is a grumpy neighbor that doesn't want to take part in the Kwanzaa celebration that all the neighbors are planning. The kids in the building are afraid of Mrs. Jackson and when Darryl and Ashley hit her window with a snowball they are extra nervous, especially when she has them come into her home. As Darryl and Ashley are in Mrs. Jackson's home they soon discover that Mrs. Jackson is not mean, she is just lonely, she lost both her daughter and her husband. After leaving Mrs. Jackson's home they tell their mom and dad that they want Mrs. Jackson to be their honorary ancestor for their Kwanzaa celebration. All the neighbors think this is a wonderful idea. At the Kwanzaa celebration Mrs. Jackson is surprised to see her sister there, because she lives so far away. Mrs. Jackson is so happy and thankful to all her neighbors and most especially Darryl and Ashley, she said they gave her a "Kwanzaa Miracle"!

This is a heartwarming story that is a good introduction into the Kwanzaa holiday. I hope you have this book or can find it to share with your students. I have created a problem/solution freebie to go with the book if you decide to share it with your class.

Below are the reading skills, strategies and ideas that could help in creating a very meaningful holiday lesson.

Reading level: 4.5

Theme: kindness

Genre: fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: mound, loomed, Kwanzaa, Umoja, unison, honorary ancestor, honored, festivities,

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} What is Kwanzaa? I wonder what the miracle might be. {possible questions during} I wonder why Mrs. Jackson is so mean. I wonder what some of the things were that they did to get ready for Kwanzaa. {possible questions after} I wonder who celebrates Kwanzaa. I wonder when Kwanzaa is celebrated.  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author’s point of view – 3^rd person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} The author made Mrs. Jackson seem so mean. {most important event from middle} Mrs. Jackson asked Darryl and Ashley come into her house. {most important event from end} Mrs. Jackson’s sister showed up for the Kwanzaa celebration.
• Cause and effect – Why do you think Mrs. Jackson is so mean? Because she is sad about her daughter and husband. Why did Mrs. Jackson invite the kids in? Because they hit her window with a snowball and it reminded her of her daughter. Why did Ashley and Darryl decide to have Mrs. Jackson as the honorary ancestor for Kwanzaa? Because the discovered that she was nice and lonely and sad. Why did they invite Mrs. Jackson’s sister? Because it would make Mrs. Jackson very happy. Why did Mrs. Jackson say that they gave her a Kwanzaa miracle? because she was very sad and lonely for her own family so having her sister come celebrate and naming her honorary ancestral grandmother made her feel like she had family.
• Character analysis - describe Mrs. Jackson {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Character changes – Mrs. Jackson seems to be very grumpy and mean at the beginning of the book but at the end she is very happy and gracious. Talking about her daughter and husband and then having her sister come to the Kwanzaa celebration helped Mrs. Jackson not be so grumpy.
• Compare & contrast – Kwanzaa with Hanukkah or Christmas
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} having a neighbor that is not very nice. Having an important celebration. Making friends with someone that is not so nice. Surprising someone with a nice gesture.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Why did Mrs. Jackson say they gave her a Kwanzaa miracle? {text clues} Mrs. Jackson was missing her daughter and husband. Mrs. Jackson’s sister came to the Kwanzaa festivities. Ashley and Darryl named Mrs. Jackson honorary ancestral grandmother.  {what I know} Whenever I see family I haven’t seen in a long time it makes me happy and when I receive an honor it always makes me feel so happy. {my conclusion} I think Mrs. Jackson said they gave her a Kwanzaa miracle because she got to see her sister and she felt like she would not be lonely anymore.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} Kwanzaa was getting close and all the neighbors were trying to get ready for the celebration. {details} They had a meeting about what they should do for Kwanzaa. They decided on naming an honorary ancestor. They had to figure out who that honorary member should be. They had a great party.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Darryl hit Mrs. Jackson’s window with a snowball.
• Predict – What do you think the story will be about? Why do you think Mrs. Jackson is so mean? Who do you think they will pick as their honorary ancestor? What do you think Mrs. Jackson is going to do to Darryl and Ashley when she invites them in to her house? Do you think Ashley’s sister will come? Do you think Mrs. Jackson will be happy at the party?
• Problem & solution - {problem} Mrs. Jackson is a grumpy old woman. {solution} Ashley and Darryl decide to make her the honorary ancestor for their Kwanzaa celebration.
• Sequencing – Mrs. Jackson speaks to Ashley and Darryl about leaving their toys on the walkway. It is time for the Kwanzaa meeting. They decide to have an honorary ancestor at their celebration. Darryl and Ashley hit Mrs. Jackson’s window with a snowball. Mrs. Jackson invites the kids in. Mrs. Jackson shares her pictures of her daughter and husband with the kids. Ashley and Darryl go home and ask their parents if Mrs. Jackson could be their honorary ancestor. Everyone is preparing for the Kwanzaa festivities. Darryl escorts Mrs. Jackson into the party. Mrs. Jackson sees her sister and they hug. They name Mrs. Jackson honorary ancestral grandmother. Mrs. Jackson is very happy.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Theme - sometimes sadness makes people do or say mean things but a little kindness toward that person can make them happy again.

IT'S FREE!!

Happy Kwanzaa!

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The Mitten Tree by Candice Christiansen - Teaching Ideas

This is a beautiful story about kindness and is a must have for any classroom. Sarah is a lonely woman whose kids have moved out. One day she is watching the children out her window and notices a little boy with no mittens. She sees him standing back from the others, a little sad, a little lonely. She wonders why he has no mittens and then decides she will make him a pair. She spends the night knitting him a blue pair of mittens and by morning she attaches them to the tree. The boy finds the mittens and immediately puts them on. He looks happy! He plays with the other children when they come to the bus stop. As Sarah watches the boy, she is happy, and she also notices a little girl wearing mittens that don't match. That night she makes a pair of red mittens for the girl and attaches them to the tree. The girls is excited about her new red mittens, and Sarah is happy. As the days go by Sarah knits mittens and the kids look for them on the tree, until one day there is a big basket of yarn on her porch. Where did it come from? The kids never saw her knit the mittens nor did they see her put them on the tree, so who could have given Sarah this beautiful gift?

Here is a bit more information you might find useful if you use it in your teaching.

Reading level: 2.5

Theme: kindness

Genre: realistic fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: shutters, sunk, lingered, shades of blue, hedge, knit, blue spruce tree

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {before} Why is the book called the Mitten Tree? I wonder if her children visit her? I wonder why the children don't smile at Sarah? Why does the boy have no mittens? Why is the boy not playing with the other children? {during} How did the boy know those mittens were for him? I wonder if the boy did see Sarah? Why was Sarah knitting so many mittens? I wonder who gave Sarah the basket of yarn? {after} Do the children have an idea who is knitting the mittens? Does Sarah have an idea who is leaving her the yarn?
• author's point of view - 3rd person point of view
• author's purpose - entertain
• beginning, middle, end - {beg} Sarah was an old lonely woman. She noticed a boy with no mittens waiting of the bus. Sarah knitted a pair of mittens for the little boy and left them on the spruce tree the next morning. The boy found the mittens and was very happy.{mid} Day after day Sarah made mittens for the children and would leave a par on the tree every morning. The children did not know who was leaving them the mittens. {end} The morning before winter vacation Sarah left mittens on the tree for all the children. They stood there and stared at all the mittens. After the kids got on the bus and Sarah walked home she saw a big basket of yarn on her porch. She still knits mittens for all the children and leaves them on the tree and when she runs out of yarn she finds a new basket of yarn on her porch.
• cause and effect - Why was Sarah so lonely? because her children were grown and moved away. Why did Sarah leave the blue mittens on the tree? because she saw a boy with no mittens.  Why was the boy so happy? because now he could play in the snow and not freeze his hands. Why did the children look on the branches and boughs every morning? because they like the game. Why did the children just stare at all the mittens on the mitten tree? because they were amazed at all the mittens that were there for them. Why was there a basket of yarn on Sarah's front porch? because someone must have known she was the one leaving the mittens on the tree and they wanted to return the kindness.
• characterization - describe Sarah, describe the boy in blue
• classify & categorize - things that show kindness and things that don't. Activities you would wear gloves/mittens and activities that you wouldn't.
• compare & contrast - compare Sarah to the boy in blue. compare the boy in blue to you. Compare Sarah to your grandmother.
• connections - text-to-self connection - When someone has left you a surprise gift. Having a neighbor that you don't talk to. Making a gift for someone. Doing something special for someone. Having a grandmother or mother as giving as Sarah. Not having matching gloves.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - What kind of person is Sarah? What kind of boy is the boy in blue? Who is leaving Sarah the basket of yarn?
• predict - Will the children figure out who is leaving the mittens? Will the children ever thank Sarah?
• sequencing - Sarah is lonely. Sarah sees a boy with no mittens. Sarah knits a pair of mittens and leaves them on the tree for the boy. The boy finds the mittens. Sarah knits another pair of mittens for the girl in red. Sarah leaves a new pair of mittens on the tree every morning. The night before winter break she leaves mittens for all the children on the tree. After the children get on the bus for school she walks home and sees a basket on her porch. It is a basket of yarn.
• story elements - title, author, genre, characters, setting, beginning, middle & end.
• visualize - what the big blue spruce tree looked like with all the mittens hanging on it.

I have created a packet to go along with this book which includes worksheets for each of the above mentioned skill and strategy. It also includes 3 math and 3 language arts  activities to use with this book {all of which are based on the Common Core Standards}.

Reading skill & strategy worksheet from the packet.

Math and Language Arts activities from the packet.

Happy teaching!

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