Winnie the Pooh's Bedtime Stories

by Bruce Talkington Illustrated by John Kurtz

A Knight to Remember

Piglet overcomes his fear when tasked to save Princess Kanga and enjoy life in the his adventures. This fantasy picturebook and a poem is filled with bright and warm colors and it rhymes. It teaches children to overcome their fears and dream big. But much to his surprise she was in no fright, friendships made. You will never how someone is until you take a closer look.

"Piglet fact:

Did you know that Winnie the Pooh remains to be something of a taboo in some countries? Pigs are considered unclean by the Islamic faith and Muslims are prohibited from consuming Pork. As a result, Piglet and the Winnie the Pooh stories are considered offensive to some members of the Islamic community (http://www.just-pooh.com/stories.html)."

Motivational games:

There are a lot of activities, games, coloring pages, and so forth on this website. (http://www.just-pooh.com/stories.html)

References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the Child 7edition. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Just-Pooh. (1998-2014). Retrieved from Just-Pooh: www.just-pooh.com/stories.html

Talkington, B. (1994). Winnie the Pooh's Bedtime Stories. New York: Disney Press.

The Nutcracker 

Retold by Mark A. Taylor

This is a wonderful, imaginative and very creative picturebook. The settings, the plot, and the climax of the Nutcracker soldier's fight is interesting and captivates the attention. The little girl finds the soldier and the mice fighting, fantasy. She is taken away to the castle and eventually rescued. This multicultural story is fascinating and it captivates my daughters attention. It is well thought out and very creative story of love, trust, and friendship.The Nutcracker, written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers and audiences for nearly two hundred years.

Motivational Activities:

1. We will watch The Nutcracker movie and dance to it's music. 

2. Retell the story with our very own picturebook that we created.

3. We will discover Christmas over the world and make story-time out of it.

4. We put together another picturebook to learn of other people cultures.

Classroom Questions:

1. Where did the Nutcracker come from in the story. 

2. How do your family celebrate Christmas?

3. If you don't celebrate Christmas, what do you celebrate?

References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the Child 7edition. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Taylor, M. A. (1995). The Nutcracker. Ashland: Landoll, Inc.

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? by Jean Fritz

This story is a historical fiction and biography because it gives a realistic account to the taxation history and tales of King George the Third life. It also could be multicultural because it discusses the taxation of America by England in 1765. This story tells the history of him becoming a king and ruling his kingdom and his decline in his health. This book is a very simple book with a simplistic style of art. It is valuable in helping to learn of the history.

 Motivational Activities:

1. The student will be introduced to historical fact finding note cards. They will put interesting facts on colorful cards.

2. Children will be given 2 maps of England and America (a before and after the split) to color and note the changes.

Questions:

1. Do you know why King George the III want tax the American people?

2. What happened due to the taxation of the people?

3. Did the people like the taxation? If not, why?

References

Fritz, J. (1977). Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? New York: Scholastic Inc.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the Child 7edition. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

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Little Bear's Special Wish By Gillian Lobel and illustrated by Gaby Hansen

     This is a fantasy picturebook about a bear trying to reach a star to give his mother. The pictures are very bright and colorful (holographic imaging) capturing the attention of the reader or child being read to. This bear talks to other animals to get help to rich a star. This is a really good story capturing the heart of a child who wants to do something special for his mother. It sounds realistic but we know that animals do not speak.

Creating vivid imaginations for little children.

Activities:
1. I will have the children design their own stars on a cardboard cutout and wrap them with foil. Next, I will hang them in the room, have them reach out to grab it, and then realize it is not possible.
2. We will take some legos or building blocks as high as possible to find out if they will be able to reach their stars.

Questions:

1. How high are the stars in the sky and can we reach them?

2. Do you know what the stars are made of and why they are so bright?

3. Would you like to give one to your mom or dad"

4. Would you like to know their names and how far they really are? 

References

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the Child 7edition. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Lobel, G. (2003). Little Bear's Special Wish. Wilton: Magi Publications.
 

DRITA, MY HOMEGIRL

DRITA, MY HOMEGIRL by Jenny Lombard

This book is about how the paths of two little girls from different cultures and race becomes friends (African-American and Kosovo). But the unusual relationship becomes a key element to healing in their lives. This story is a realistic fiction because it could possibly happen in the real world today and it does. It also could be considered a memoir from her (Lombard) experience as a teacher. America was becoming so diverse in its population that there was a need for more children books reflecting its multicultural diversity. So in 1975 Harriet Rohmer established the Children's Book Press. I feel that this book is an excellent way explore how nationalities are different only by what they believe and color should not be an issue. 

Motivational activities: We would explore nationalities and cultures from around the world by telling where they are from.
The next exercise would to explore the ways people celebrate holidays differently.

Questions:

1. What makes us different from one another?
2.  Should the race or nationality differences that we have be a reason to dislike or bully someone?
3. What has this experience taught you about the differences in the color of some one's skin? 

References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the Child 7edition. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Lombard, J. (2006). Drita, My Homegirl. New York: Scholastic Inc.

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit 

This is a story retold from the original story by Beatrix Potter. It is a story about some rabbits mainly Peter. It starts out that Mrs. Rabbit sends her three children out on a trip to pick blackberries. Her three children are named Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter. They are sent out to pick blackberries and instructed to not disturb Mr. McGregor's garden along the way. This is a simple instruction to give her children considering it was potential dangerous to enter his garden. Out of the bunch it is one who is naughty and went into the garden. While in the garden he began to feast on lettuce, beans, and radishes but got a tummy ache so he ate some parsley. Mr. McGregor caught him in the garden who began to chase him and yell at Peter for being in his garden. Peter frightened ran around forgetting his way out and lost his shoes and jacket. He tries to hide in the toolshed but his sneeze gave him away and the chase began again. He finally jumped out of the window only to see his jacket and shoes as a scare tactic or scarecrow. His fear made him run as fast as can be until he made it home safe. His mother put him to sleep wondering what happened to him and where was his clothes and shoes. All he had was some camomile tea  while his siblings ate blackberries and milk for dinner.

Classroom Instruction:

Discuss the importance of obedience through games and color activities. Have the class to discuss a time when they were disobedient and what happened to them. Explain the lesson the learned through that experience.

Sample Questions:

1. We would discuss the importance of obedience by asking what did Peter do wrong? 

2. We would discuss if Mr. McGregor was wrong for chasing Peter in his garden? ,

3. What are some things that Peter could have done differently to avoid getting chased?

4. Is it okay to bother or take someone else things? Why or why not?

5. Have you ever been in this situation before? How did it make you feel?

6. Why is it important to obey your parents, older people, and teachers?

7. Why is it important to follow instructions given to you?

http://www.peterrabbit.com/en/fun_and_games/games

http://www.peterrabbit.com/en/fun_and_games/colouring_activities

http://www.first-school.ws/activities/onlinestory/animals/peterrabbit.htm

http://www.wiredforbooks.org/kids.htm

Biography of Beatrix Potter

http://www.bpotter.com/Biography.aspx

References

Potter, Beatrix. 1988. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. China. Moonshadow Publishing, Inc.

www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14838

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/3456862787_5df8b04a29.jpg?v=0

Cinderella (First Readers)

This is the story retold for new readers and it is very colorful. The beginning of this book is devoted to helping your child to read and the importance of reading. It discusses how to share reading, build confidence, and reading alone, tools needed to build a healthy reading relationship with you and for the child. The words are simple, big, bold, and easy to follow for any age child. This book draws your attention and promotes a healthy attention span in my opinion. It retells the original story of Cinderella at a level for children to understand and love. Cinderella is overlooked by her step-mother and bullied by her step-sisters by doing all the housework. One day a Prince comes along and invites all the girls in the land to the ball. The step-sisters did not want her to go and Cinderella did not have any nice clothes to wear. This made her sad and she then had to help her step-sisters get ready for the ball. She did all she could to make them look pretty and they went to the ball leaving her home alone. While she was sad her fairy godmother showed up to tell her she will go to the ball. She was given a list of things to get to bring to her fairy godmother: a pumpkin, six mice, two rats, and a frog, okay. These things she would use so that Cinderella could go to the ball and at the wave of her magic wand she had everything she needed. Only thing missing was a beautiful dress for Cinderella to wear. She went to the ball, met and danced with the Prince, and had to hurry home by midnight. She lost her shoe in the process and everything turned back to the way they were before. The Prince looked everywhere until he found Cinderella (the only one who could wear the lost shoe) and he married her. They lived happily ever after. In the back of this book it have a Read and Say section to teach children words by utilizing the pictures and to find the words in the story. It is a great teaching aide for younger children. 

Classroom Instruction:

We will discuss the importance of treating people kind and fair. We will learn to point out new words that we learn within the story. We will discuss that true beauty comes from within the person. 

Questions:

1. Is it ever right to mistreat someone or be mean to them?

2. Would you want someone to treat you this way?

3. How will it make someone feel if you treat them mean or bad? 

4. What should you do if someone is being mean or treating you bad?

Resources for activities or games:

http://www.pinterest.com/snowteacher/cinderella-unit/

http://princess.disney.com/dress-up?group=cinderella

Reference:

Goldsack, Gaby. 2004. Cinderella First Readers. Bath BA1 1HE, Parragon Publishing.