Knuffle Bunny; a Cautionary Tale, by Mo Williems

A trip to the Laundromat ends in disaster as Trixie looses her beloved Knuffle Bunny. Will she be able to find it?

Materials

A laundry basket or box

Facial expression cards

1 Small Knuffle bunnies and a role of masking tape

Knuffle bunny collage parts

Vocabulary

Laundromat (a place where you go to do your laundry if you do not have a washer at home)
Boneless (floppy like a wet noodle)

Before Reading the Story

Ask the children if they ever help their parents do chores at home. Give them a moment to talk about any experiences they might have. (I put the forks next to all the plates, I help take care of my baby, I put my toys away in the closet). Ask the children if they have ever helped with the laundry? If some say “yes”, ask if they do the laundry at home or at the special laundry washing place? Ask if they know the name (laundromat). Have all the children repeat this name. Explain that the story today is about a little girl who was helping her Daddy do the laundry at the laundromat. Let’s find out what happens, introduce the book.

Reading the Story

When you get to the page where Trixie realized something, stop and ask the children what they think Trixie realized. When you get to the page where her Daddy says, “That’s right, we’re going home” stop and look at Trixie’s face. Ask the children how they think Trixie is feeling right now? Notice Dad’s face as Trixie continues her temper tantrum.

Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions, and for other varied purposes. AND Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation;demonstrates progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from book sand experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story.

After Reading the Story

Talk to the children about when they were little how they did not have the words to tell people what they wanted but now they are big and can use their words to tell what they need, or if they are having a problem. Remind them that now they are big and they know how to use their words to tell what they want or need. Ask them what they should do if they are having a problem? Go over your strategies for problem-solving in the classroom.

Social & Emotional Development/Self Control; shows progress in expressing feelings, needs, and opinions in difficult situations and conflicts without harming themselves, others, or property.

Discovery

Put a globe or map of the United States into your center. Add a state map and a local map (can be found at a realtor’s office). On each map mark where your school is approximately located. Are there any geographical markers near your area such as mountains, rivers, or ocean that you can point out to the children?

Social & Emotional Development/Knowledge of Families & Communities; begins to express and understand concepts and language of geography in the contexts of the classroom, home, and community.

Music and Movement

Remind the children that in the story Trixie went boneless. Do they remember what boneless means? Ask them to demonstrate boneless. Tell them the opposite of boneless is rigid. Ask them if they can show you what ridgid would look like. Play Boneless/Rigid by calling them out and the children act out the appropriate definition.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; understands an increasingly complex and varied vocabulary.

The Washing Machine song is a fun song to let your children dance to.

Creative Arts/Movement; expresses through movement and dancing what is felt and heard in various musical tempos and styles.

Blocks

Make a map on the floor (with chalk-it will erase out of the carpet), with tape, or on a large piece of butcher paper. Encourage the children to build a community with homes, stores, a school, etc.

Social & Emotional Development/Knowledge of Families & Communities; begins to express and understand concepts and language of geography in the contexts of the classroom, home, and community. AND Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in hand-eye coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing shapes and patterns, stringing beads, and using scissors.

Art

Make a knuffle bunny collage using circle and ovals

Sand and Water;

Put water and a little soap intot he table today along with doll clothes. Children can pretend that they are the Laundromat. Hang a string over the table with clothes pins

Library and Writing;

Encourage the children to recall Trixies path to the Laundromat or draw a picture of your house with as many details as you can think of.

Encourage the children to make a map of from your classroom to the playground or another part of your center. Or, have them draw a map of how to get to school. What do you pass?

Dramatic Play;

Put the laundry basket or boxes into the center and let the children practice folding and hanging the dress up clothes. Sort by what you wear on your feet, head, legs, body.

Math and Manipulatives;

Play memory match with the facial cards of Trixie

Outdoor Play;

Play where’s the knuffle bunny?

Transitions;

Ask do you have a washer and dryer at home or do you go to the laundry mat? Have them write their name ofn the correct side of the graph

Trashy Town, by A.Zimmerman & D.Clemesha

Mr. Gilly has an important job to do. He collects the trash all about town and takes it to the dump. Children will enjoy repeating the “Dump it in” stance that runs throughout the story.

Materials

Recycled junk (ask the parents to send in donations: explain that you are going to use these for building 3 dimensional art work).
Several rolls of masking tape
2-3 fish nets or small sieves
Picture of a garbage can
Pictures of shapes to sort
Map around town 1-10

Vocabulary

Trash (another name for garbage and litter)
Trashman (someone whose job it is to collect the garbage from around the town).

Before Reading the Story

Explain to the children that you need them to help tell the story today. Recite the stance; “Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the Trashy Town!” Have the children practice reciting it back several times until it is familiar. Explain to the children that when you do a-thumbs up in the story, it will be their turn to recite the stance. As you read, give a thumbs-up at all the appropriate times and repeat the stance with the children.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple and multi-step directions. AND Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; chooses to participate in an increasing variety of tasks and activities.

Reading the Story

When you get to the page where Mr. Gilly puts on his heavy gloves, stop and ask the children why they think the trash man needs to wear heavy gloves? (He’s gonna get his hands dirty, Garbage is stinky!). After Mr. Gilly has cleaned-up all of Trashy Town, he goes home. When the story says there is only one more thing to clean, stop before turning the page and ask the children if they can guess what the last item that needs cleaning is. Ask the children if they can remember the places where Mr. Gilly picked up the trash. Then do one final reciting of the stance; “Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the Trashy Town”!

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; tpo act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story.

After Reading the Story

Tell the children that being a trashman is an important job. Ask the children to give examples of why (It keeps our town clean, so the flies do not come, because garbage smells, because the rats like garbage, because garbage is gross). Talk with them about the importance of keeping your centers neat. Do you label your selves for easy cleanup? If so, encourage the children to check the center shelves today and make sure they are putting everything away in its proper spot. Use this day to reorganize your shelves with the children’s help.

Literacy/Early Writing; develops understanding that writing is a way of communicating for a variety of purposes. AND Physical Health & Development; builds awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules such as fire safety, traffic and pedestrian safety, and responding appropriately to potentially harmful objects, substances, and activities.

Discovery

If your center recycles, have the children sort the paper products from the rest of the trash and put into a separate container.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows increasing abilities to match, sort, put in a series, and regroup objects according to one or two attributes such as shape or size.

Music and Movement

Teach the children the following poem,

After I eat I scrape, scrape, scrape

To get the food off my plate, plate, plate.

Sing Save the Cans to the tune of Row,Row, Row Your Boat

Save, save, save the cans

Throw them in the bin.

We can help save our earth,

If we all pitch in.

Save, save, save the paper/plastics/bottles

Science/Scientific Knowledge; shows increased awareness and beginning understanding of changes in materials and cause-effect relationships.

Blocks

Encourage the children to use the blocks today to build a road that they can drive toy vehicles across. Can they make a bridge to go over/under another part of the road? Can they make a tunnel to drive the vehicles through?

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, including trial and error, and interactions and discussions with peers and adults.

Art

Put out all the recycled junk that you have collected and show the children how to use strips of masking tape to hold the different pieces together making a sculpture of some kind. When the children have finished taping their sculpture, they can glue small beads, baubles, and such on to add more dimensions and then finally drip paint over the sculpture. This can become a 2-3 day project depending on how involved the children become. I have cut many 2-4 inch strips of masking tape and stuck around edge of table for children to have easier access for their building.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills;grows in hand-eye coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, stringing beads, reproducing shapes and patterns, and using scissors. And Approaches to Learning; Engagement & Persistence; grows in abilities to persist in and complete a variety of tasks, activities, projects, and experiences.

Sand and Water

Fill the table with water today and add objects that float and sink. Give the children fishnets and have them remove the ‘garbage’ from the water and sort it by things that float and things that sink.

Science/Scientific Methods & Skills; begins to use senses and a variety of tools and simple measuring devices to gather information, investigate materials, and observe processes and relationships.

Library and Writing

Give a child a copy of the map around town. Show the child how to use a pencil to follow the numbers 1-10 to get from beginning to end.

Mathematics/Number & Operation; begins to associate number concepts, vocabulary, quantities, and written numerals in meaningful ways. AND Literacy/Early Writing; experiments with a growing variety of writing tools and materials, such as pencils, crayons, and computers.

Dramatic Play

Add several pairs of gloves, boxes or small wastebaskets, and crumpled newspaper. The children can pretend to collect trash and dump it from one container to another. As your day progresses you could ask the children in the dramatic play center to come help with trash around the room. Maybe they could sweep the sand that fell on the floor and pick up any paper that is trash from the art area. If you have a small waste basket that has a foot peddle, these are fun for the children to use.

Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; develops increasing abilities to give and take in interactions; to take turns in games or using materials; and to interact without being overly submissive or directive.

You could tell the children that they are trash collectors as they clear their meal plates and throw them in the garbage. (Thank you trashman Lolly for keeping our room clean and safe).

Physical Health & Development; builds awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules such as fire safety, traffic and pedestrian safety, and responding appropriately to potentially harmful objects, substances, and activities.

Math and Manipulatives

Make a copy of 3 garbage cans. On each, draw a shape. Make one a circle, one a triangle, and one a square. The children then sort pictures onto the appropriate garbage can. When they are finished, help them name the shapes. For older children you might try using three-dimensional shapes and label the cans, cylinder, pyramid, and cube.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; shows growth in matching, sorting, putting in series, and regrouping objects according to one or two attributes such as color, shape, or size.

Outdoor Play

Make a path on the sidewalk; using chalk make 26 1×1 foot squares that connect like a chain. In the first square write the letter A and continue down the chain writing the letters in alphabetical order. The children can then jump from square to square as they sing/recite the alphabet song. If they miss a letter, name it for them and have them repeat it back to you. If they miss two, then they must go back to the beginning and start again.

Literacy/Alphabet Knowledge; identifies at least 10 letters of the alphabet, especially those in their own name.

Put out a trashcan and many balls of wadded up newspaper. The children can practice throwing the newspaper balls into the trashcan. As they make a shot, have them move back 2 steps and try from this new position.

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; demonstrates increasing abilities to coordinate movements in throwing, catching, kicking, bouncing balls, and using the slide and swing.

Transitions

Do riddles with the children today about a variety of jobs. Ask the children’s parents what they do for a career and try to incorporate these into riddles also. Is the child aware of what their parent does for a living?

I wear special clothes to protect me from fire and smoke. I spray water from a hose.
I help people who are hurt or sick. I ride in an ambulance.
I give people tickets who are not driving safely because my job is to keep everyone safe.
I plan fun things for my friends to do. I make sure that they are staying safe and learning new things.
I use a scanner to help people buy food. I use my math skills to give them back change.
I help people find good books to read. I put books back on the shelves when people bring them back.
I deliver letters to people’s homes. I have to make sure all the mail goes to the right address.
I ride in a truck and pick up every bodies garbage. I am strong because I lift the heavy cans.
I fix cars that are broken. I have a lift that picks the cars up so I can look underneath them.
I drive a big yellow vehicle. It takes children to and from school.

Social & Emotional Development/Knowledge of Families & Communities; develops growing awareness of jobs and what is required to perform them.

Resources

Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

Ella Sarah knows exactly what she wants to wear and will not be swayed. This story is a fun addition to a clothing theme as well as shows a little girl who is determined and thus dresses herself.

Materials

Sock pattern
Sheet
Patterned papers (newspaper, wrapping paper, wallpaper samples)

Vocabulary

Pattern (something that repeats itself over and over)
Polka dots (many small circle shapes on clothing)
Striped (many line shapes on clothing)

Before Reading the Story

Talk to the children about the clothing that they are wearing. Make mention of patterns that they may have on (I notice that Kerry has stripes on her shirt). Explain that the story today is about a little girl who had a favorite outfit that she wanted to wear. Ask the children if they have a favorite outfit or color that they like to wear.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials. AND Social & Emotional Development/Self-Concept; begins to develop and express awareness of self in terms of specific abilities, characteristics, and preferences.

Reading the Story

Have children repeat with Ella Sarah, “I want to wear my pink-polka-dot pants, my dress with orange and green flowers, my purple and blue striped socks, my yellow shoes, and my red hat!”

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows growing interest and involvement in listening to and discussing a variety of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

After Reading the Story

Close the book and ask the children to recall what color pants Ella Sarah wanted to wear. What color was her dress? What shape was on her dress? What color were her socks, shoes and hat? Bring in a sheet and have the children take turns hiding underneath it. When the child is under the sheet ask the class to remember what color an article of clothing was that that child is wearing.

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story. AND Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; shows growing capacity to maintain concentration over a task, question, set of directions or interactions, despite distractions and interruptions.

Discovery

Bring in a book of peoples from around the world. Look at the pictures with the children and discuss how others dress similar and different from us in the United States. As you look at the pictures, ask why they think different peoples wear different kinds of clothing. (Why do you think that man has one those great big boots, look at her hat-what might that tell you about the weather where she lives?)

Science/Scientific Knowledge; develops growing awareness of ideas and language related to attributes of time and temperature.

Music and Movement

Sing What Are You Wearing? This is a Hap Palmer CD and can be seen on YouTube.

Creative Arts/Music; participates with increasing interest and enjoyment in a variety of music activities, including listening, singing, finger plays, games, and performances.

Sing Jenny Jenkins.

Will you wear red, my dear my dear?

Will you wear red Jenny Jenkins?

No I won’t wear red, it’s the color of my bed

Roll, Jenny Jenkins, roll!

Will you wear blue…color of my shoe

Will you wear green…it makes me feel mean

Continue naming colors and verse that rhyme.

Literacy/Phonological Awareness;progresses in recognizing matching sounds and rhymes in familiar words, games, songs, stories, and poems.

Blocks

Ask the children to see if they can make a pattern using the blocks.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials.

Art

Bring in many patterned pieces of paper cut into shapes. The children can collage these.

Creative Arts/Art; gains ability in using different art media and materials in a variety of ways for creative expression and representation. AND Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials.

Library and Writing

Give each child a T-shirt shape and encourage them to make a pattern on it.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials. AND Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; grows in abilities to persist in and complete a variety of tasks and activities.

Sand and Water

Child choice today.

Math and Manipulatives

Make two sets of the sock patterns and color them the same to make matching sets. Cut them out and cover with contact paper. Put the socks into a bowl and mix them up. The children can then sort and match the socks.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials.

Dramatic Play

Make sure you have lots of fun and colorful dress-ups for the children to use. This would be a good day to bring in some new stuff to really catch their interest.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; develops growing strength, dexterity, and control needed to use tools such as scissors, paper punch, stapler, hammer.

Outdoor Play

In the story, Ella Sarah and her friends had a tea party. Encourage the children to make sand or dirt cakes so they too may have a tea party.

Creative Arts/Dramatic Play; shows growing creativity and imagination in using materials and in assuming different roles in dramatic play situations. AND Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; develops increasing abilities to give and take in interactions, to take turns in games and in using materials; and to interact without being overly submissive or directive.

Transitions

Excuse the children to the next activity by articles of clothing that they are wearing. (If you are wearing stripes, if you are wearing short sleeves, if you have a snap on your clothing).

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple and multi-step directions.