Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose, Nursery Rhyme

Book: Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose, Nursery Rhyme: There was a Crooked Man, New York, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1985, page 24. Grades K-3

The crooked man was surrounded by all that was crooked including his house and cat who also caught crooked mice. This story is directed to attract a young child’s attention with its poetic and rhyming words and descriptive, colorful illustrations of the crooked man and his slightly unusual life.

Activity:

1. For an activity with young children I would read it with them and have them identify the words that rhyme. Then I would have them change the words around or find other rhyming words. They can even write another nursery rhyme about the crooked man or expand on this one. For example: What else could the crooked man have?

The Sleeping Lady

Retold by Ann Dixon, The Sleeping Lady, Elizabeth Johns, USA, Alaska Northwest Books, 1994, 30 pp. Alaska Folktale for Children, Grades K-3

Susitna and Nekatla are two young adults in love and in preparation to be married when their day is disrupted by a stranger who brings them news of bad people approaching their village along the shores of Cook Inlet Alaska. Because they only believed in peace and happiness Nekatla convinced his fellow villagers to go meet these people and offer a peace offering rather then wait for the violence to approach their village. This folktale is told in third person and in past tense shining the light on love and devotion and to describe the magnificent landscape of Susitna Mountain.

1. A great activity to do with children is have them think about something else in nature they can describe. First have them brainstorm ideas, teacher can write ideas on board. Then have students write their own, illustrate and share.

Little Red Riding Hood

Candice Ransom, Little Red Riding Hood, USA, Brighter Child, 2002, 32 pp. Children’s Story, Grades K-3

Little Red Riding Hood is a young girl who is sent to her grandmother’s house with a basket of goods. Along the way, through the forest, a big, bad Wolf sees her and dashes to the grandmother’s house to cause Little Red trouble. This story is told in third person point of view and with the use of childlike dialogue really brings it to life why it is so important for children to listen to their parents or otherwise may end up in an unsafe situation.

Response Activities:

1. A good activity to do with young children is to come up with a “safety plan” as a group. Teacher can lead a discussion on what children already know about safety and who they must go to when they are in trouble or who they should or should not talk to. Children can have group discussions and then come up with a master classroom plan.

2. Another activity to do would be to try and re-enact the story. Each student can be a character or two, props could be made from classroom materials, etc. Students would gain a better understanding while re-enacting the story.

Goodnight Moon

Margaret Wise Brown, Goodnight Moon, Clement Hurd, USA, Harper & Row, 1947, 32 pp. Children picture story book, Grades K-2.

In a time late evening a sleepless bunny is being put to bed by a lady in a rocking chair. Sensing the bunny’s hesitation to sleep, the lady says goodnight to all that surrounds them; even the moon in the starry night. The affectionate nature of the story is brought out through the bunny’s point of view, accepting the gentle rhyming and repeating of the words. The story brings out the essence of fear in the bunny with the colorful illustrations as it learns to accept and trust all that surrounds him.

Activity:

1. Teacher can lead a discussion with children on a time where they may have been fearful and who or what helped them overcome their fear. If children don’t have a personal story to share they may be encouraged to make a decision of what they may be able to do or who they can turn to. Some sort of ball may be tossed around to get each child attention in sharing.