The Tiny Little Seed Activity A The Tiny Little Seed Activity B

Activity A
Activity B
The Tiny Little Seed
The Tiny Little Seed
by Eric Carle
by Eric Carle
Book Summary: Carried aloft by the autumn wind, the
Book Summary: Carried aloft by the autumn wind, the
tiny seed, along with other bigger seeds, travels far over
the world. The journey is perilous: one of the bigger
seeds is burned by the sun; another falls into the ocean;
still another is eaten by a bird. Even after those that are
left have landed on fertile ground and begun to grow,
danger is near: one small plant is stepped on; one little flower is
picked; but the tiny seed keeps growing almost unnoticed.
tiny seed, along with other bigger seeds, travels far over
the world. The journey is perilous: one of the bigger
seeds is burned by the sun; another falls into the ocean;
still another is eaten by a bird. Even after those that are
left have landed on fertile ground and begun to grow,
danger is near: one small plant is stepped on; one little flower is
picked; but the tiny seed keeps growing almost unnoticed.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To recognize the left-to-right and top-to-bottom
Learning Objective: To understand and use words that describe the
seasons.
directionality of print.

In the Tiny Seed, text is not always in the same place. Let
children tell you where to start reading throughout the story. You
might say: Hmm…there is no text on this page, where I should
Target words: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn.

read next?
After reading, talk with the children about what happened in the
book when it was winter. Expand children’s comments, for
example: During winter there are some places that snow. Here in
Miami it does not snow during winter, but it can get really cold.

Repeat this as necessary.

With your finger track the text while you read.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K

Do the same for all target words.

Talk about what happened to the seed during the different
seasons.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Alphabet Under Construction
Alphabet Under Construction
by Denise Fleming
by Denise Fleming
Book Summary: Mouse is hard at work
Book Summary: Mouse is hard at work
constructing each letter of the alphabet. He dyes
the D, erases the E, and folds the F. Mouse
works his way right through to Z, constructing
an alphabet that is sure to please.
constructing each letter of the alphabet. He dyes
the D, erases the E, and folds the F. Mouse works
his way right through to Z, constructing an
alphabet that is sure to please.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To identify when two words share a rhyming
Learning Objective: To understand and use action words (verbs).
pattern.
Target words: carve, dye, tank

Before reading, review what a rhyme is and provide some
examples. You could say: Remember, words that rhyme sound

the same at the end, like snack, track, and back.


Say: Let’s play a game. I am going to say two words. You decide
if the two words rhyme. Use the target words as the first part of
the pair (e.g., glue, blue, game). Say each target word twice, one
time, providing a rhyming word and another time providing a
non-rhyming word (e.g., glue-blue, glue-game). Give every child
an opportunity to guess.
new words we heard in the book. We are going to learn three
new words.

Turn to the page that shows the first of your words (carves).
Read the text and then create a general definition that the
children can understand. You could say: This page says, ‘carves
the C.’ Carves is when you cut something into a shape that you
want. Let’s write the word carve on our new word list. Write the
word carve on the word list, and name each letter as you write
it.
Model the correct response

Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Place a paper so all the children can see it. At the top, write the
phrase: “New Words.” Tell the children: Let’s talk about some
Repeat this for all the target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Otis
Otis
by Janie Bynum
by Janie Bynum
Book Summary: Otis is a little pig with a big prob-
Book Summary: Otis is a little pig with a big prob-
lem. He doesn't like mud. His mama and papa are
convinced he will someday love the stuff, but Otis
isn't so sure. And in the meantime, he's lonely. It's
not easy being the only pig in the county who hates
getting dirty. Will Otis ever find a friend?
lem. He doesn't like mud. His mama and papa are
convinced he will someday love the stuff, but Otis
isn't so sure. And in the meantime, he's lonely. It's
not easy being the only pig in the county who hates
getting dirty. Will Otis ever find a friend?
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To combine words to make a compound word.
Learning Objective: To talk about the meaning of new words.
Target words: sidelines, buttercups, spotless
Target words: swamp, wallow, hooves, patches




Tell the children: I am going to say a word in a funny way and
you will listen carefully, so you can tell me what word I am trying
to say.
Say: side [pause] lines. What word am I trying to say? Side
[pause] lines.
While saying “side” put your right hand to the front, then say
“lines” and put your left had to the front. Then say “sidelines” and
clap.
 Read the book Otis. Stop to discuss each target word during the
reading. For instance, after reading “When his brothers played rugby
in the swamp…” Point to the picture of the swamp and ask children
Where are Otis’ brothers playing?
Wait for children’s answer and say: A swamp is like a lake, but it is
not that deep.
Repeat this for all target words, if they are too difficult, just point to
the picture.
Wait for children to respond then do the same for all target
words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Clifford Goes to Dog School
Clifford Goes to Dog School
by Norman Bridwell
by Norman Bridwell
Book Summary: Emily Elizabeth is taking Clifford to dog
Book Summary: Emily Elizabeth is taking Clifford to dog
school. His teacher tries to show Clifford how to heel. But
the leash is too short and she's swept off her feet. Then
she tells Clifford to sit. He sits-on top of a passing
stranger! Poor Clifford-he just can't get anything right! But
when Emily Elizabeth forgets to look both ways before
crossing the street, Clifford comes to her rescue. And Emily Elizabeth
realizes that, although he's not the most well-trained dog, he's perfect just
the way he is.
school. His teacher tries to show Clifford how to heel. But
the leash is too short and she's swept off her feet. Then
she tells Clifford to sit. He sits-on top of a passing
stranger! Poor Clifford-he just can't get anything right! But
when Emily Elizabeth forgets to look both ways before
crossing the street, Clifford comes to her rescue. And Emily Elizabeth
realizes that, although he's not the most well-trained dog, he's perfect just
the way he is.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use words for unfamiliar actions
(verbs).
Learning Oojective: To recognize that print carries meaning and to
distinguish print from pictures.
Target words: begging, heeling, walking, shaking, sitting
 Introduce the title. You could say: “The title of the book tells us the

Tell children: “Let’s talk about all the things that Clifford did in this
book.” Turn to the beginning of the book and open the first page.

Show children each page and ask: “What is Clifford doing?” Allow each
child to provide responses, reply to children’s comments using this
model: “Clifford is begging for food. Begging is what an animal does
when he wants something, like food. What is he doing here?” Repeat
their answer or say again: “He is begging for food.” Be sure to model
each target word and its meaning.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
name of the story.” Remember to point at each word.
 On the first page, point to the print and explain its function. You could
say: “Here are the words that tell us what is happening. Let’s read the
words to find out what is happening.”
 On every page, point to the words as you read them.

On the last page, ask an individual child to come up to the book by
saying: “Can you show me the words on this page?” You may repeat
this for selected children as necessary.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Book Summary: “A told B, and B told C, I’ll meet you
Book Summary: “A told B, and B told C, I’ll meet you
at the top of the coconut tree.” The lower-case letters
climb up a coconut tree in alphabetical order, until
the tree bends so much that the letters fall to the
ground. Capital letters (the older relatives of the
letters climbing the tree) come to help them.
at the top of the coconut tree.” The lower-case letters
climb up a coconut tree in alphabetical order, until
the tree bends so much that the letters fall to the
ground. Capital letters (the older relatives of the
letters climbing the tree) come to help them.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
Learning objective: To recognize letters when named.
After reading, go to the first page where all the letters are and
ask children to point at some letters: “[name of the child]\, let’s
see if you can point to the letter your name starts with. Your
name starts with what letter? Letter L, let’s see if we can find the
letter L.”


Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:


Do this with the letters of children’s names and the letter of your
name. Ask children if they can identify other letters.
You can also sing the ABC song while pointing to the letters as
you sing. Do this before other activities if you notice that children
do not know the letters.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Learning objective: To understand and use words which describe
things and actions (adjectives and adverbs).

After reading, tell the children: “Let’s talk about all the different
colors in the book. Let’s see if we can remember all of the color
names.”

Turn to each page of the book, and name some of the letters on
the page. You could say: “I see lots of red letters on this page.
Who can point to the color red on this page?”

During this activity, model how colors describe nouns to make
phrases, as in: “the purple L, the blue M.”
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
We are in a Book!
We are in a Book!
by Mo Williams
by Mo Williams
Book Summary: Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of
Book Summary: Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of
being read. Gerald and Piggie realize that they can
make the reader say whatever they want until they
realize the book ends. But what will happen when the
book ends?
being read. Gerald and Piggie realize that they can
make the reader say whatever they want until they
realize the book ends. But what will happen when the
book ends?
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
During reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: Demonstrate varied uses of language
(comments, problem-solving, etc.)

While reading stop to ask these questions:

Learning objective: To recognize the left-to-right and top-to-bottom
directionality of print.
 In the We are in a Book!, text is not always in the same place. Let
children tell you where to start reading throughout the story. You
might say: “Hmm…there is no text on this page, where should I
Page 7: “There are no words in this page, look at their
faces, what do you think they are trying to say?”

Gerald?”

read next?”
Page 11: “Who do you think is looking at Piggie and
Page 33: “What are some words that are funny to you?
 Talk about how you can draw bubbles to make characters talk. In
this book, words are inside of bubbles.
Do you think the word banana is funny?”

Explain why the text is in word bubbles or speech balloons. You
can say: “They are used in comic books, cartoons or books.
They tell the reader what the character is saying or thinking.”
 Repeat this as necessary.

With your finger, track the text while you read.
Expect children to talk about their own experiences.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
The Letters are Lost
The Letters are Lost
by Lisa Campbell Ernst
by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Book Summary: Once upon a time, all the letters of
Book Summary: Once upon a time, all the letters
the alphabet were together. But now they're lost!
One showed up in the Bath. There was one under a
Hat, another one on a Quilt, and even one in the
Sandbox. Where are the rest?
of the alphabet were together. But now they're
lost! One showed up in the Bath. There was one
under a Hat, another one on a Quilt, and even one
in the Sandbox. Where are the rest?
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To recognize letters when named.


Open the book where it says: “E found a home with some Eggs”.
Then ask children while pointing the letter E on the block”: Can
Learning objective: To understand and use new words
representing spatial concepts.
you point to the word that starts with the letter E? Yes, Eggs
starts with the letter E. Can you tell me another word that starts
with the Letter E?”

At the top of a paper, write the phrase: “Letter Hiding Places.”
Ask children to tell you where the letters were found in the book.
Do this exercise with other letters in the book. If a child can’t
come up with a word that starts with the letter you are pointing,
you can say the word and also write it on a piece of paper. If
there are objects in the classroom or area that you are sitting that
starts with the same letter, you can point to them too.

Show the pictures in the book to help children remember where
the letters were found. Model the prepositions into, under,
beside, over, above, and below when discussing the letters.
You could say: “Letter B was on the edge, and fell into the
water. [name of the child], what happened to letter B? “

Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Let children dictate what to write, but include the prepositions
into, under, beside, over, above, and below.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
It’s Okay to Be Different
It’s Okay to Be Different
by Todd Parr
by Todd Parr
Book Summary: It's Okay to Be Different cleverly
Book Summary: It's Okay to Be Different cleverly
delivers the important messages of acceptance,
understanding, and confidence in an accessible,
child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr's trademark
bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Targeted to young
children first beginning to read, this book will inspire
kids to celebrate their individuality through acceptance of others
and self-confidence. “It’s okay to need some help. It’s okay to talk
about your feelings. It’s okay to be a different color.”
delivers the important messages of acceptance,
understanding, and confidence in an accessible,
child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr's trademark
bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Targeted to young
children first beginning to read, this book will inspire
kids to celebrate their individuality through acceptance of others
and self-confidence. “It’s okay to need some help. It’s okay to talk
about your feelings. It’s okay to be a different color.”
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use the word different.
Learning objective: To identify when two words share the same
first sound.
Target word: different

After reading the book “It’s Okay to Be Different”, ask children:
“What makes you different, what makes you special?”

Say: “the book says: It’s okay to have different kinds of friends.”
Ask children “How many friends do you have, how are they dif-
ferent?”


Have children draw a picture of themselves on a piece of paper.
Keep in mind that the important portion of this lesson is to have a
conversation with children about the things that makes us different and special.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Target words: have/hair, bathtub/bad, pet/proud, something/
someone, mittens/mad, something/squirrel, nice/nuts


While reading note that there a words in the same pages that
share the same beginning sounds (target words).
Tell children: “Can you find two words that start with the same
letter?”

Allow children to point to the words and then say: “Yes, have and
hair start with the /h/ (breathing sound) sound. Hhhair,
hhhave.”

Repeat for all the target words and allow children time to make
the sounds.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
The Mitten
The Mitten
by Jan Brett
by Jan Brett
Book Summary: When Nicki drops his white
Book Summary: When Nicki drops his white
mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing
that it is missing. One by one, woodland animals
find the mitten and crawl in; first a curious mole,
then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one
larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is
followed in by a tiny brown mouse, and what happens next makes a
wonderfully funny climax.
mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing
that it is missing. One by one, woodland animals
find the mitten and crawl in; first a curious mole,
then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse, and what happens next makes a
wonderfully funny climax.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
During reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To identify when two words share the same
first sound.
Learning objective: To understand and use the words for
unfamiliar animals.
Target word: mole, mitten, mouse, fox, find
Target words: mole, hedgehog, badger
 Say: Today we are going to listen to the first sound in words.

Most words are made up of many sounds. See if you can hear the
first sound in these words.
 If children have difficulties with the concept first, use beginning
sound. Say the word mole, stretching out the first sound and
then tell children “mmm is the sound mmmole...mole begins
with . Repeat for mitten, mouse, fox, and find.”

talk about some new words we heard in our book.”

Turn to the page that shows the first of the words (mole). Create
a general definition that the children can understand. You could
say: “This page shows that the mole crawled into the mitten. A
mole is a small animal that digs tunnels and lives underground.”
Write the word mole on the word list, and name each letter as
you write it, as in: “Mole has four letters. This is the M, this is the
During reading, stop periodically when you see the target words
to emphasize on the beginning sound.
O, this is the L, this is the E…MOLE!”

Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
On a piece of paper write the phrase “New Words.” Say: “Let’s
Repeat this for all target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Rumble in the Jungle
Rumble in the Jungle
by Giles Andreae and David Woktowycz
by Giles Andreae and David Woktowycz
Book Summary: "There's a rumble in the jungle,
Book Summary: "There's a rumble in the jungle,
there's a whisper in the trees; the animals are waking
up and rustling the leaves!" This is a rhyming safari
were everyone is introduced, from the elphing
elephant to the gangly giraffe, and maybe even the
terrible tiger!
there's a whisper in the trees; the animals are waking
up and rustling the leaves!" This is a rhyming safari
were everyone is introduced, from the elphing
elephant to the gangly giraffe, and maybe even the
terrible tiger!
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
During reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use new words
representing time concepts.
Learning objective: To segment words into syllables and to blend
syllables into words.
Target word: before, after
Target words: hippopotamus, snake, chimpanzee, lion, elephant,
zebra, cubs, den


After reading say: “We are going to talk about all the things that
happened in the story.”

Pick a major event from the story and model the use of the
words before and after. For this particular book, there is not a
sequence of events across characters, but some of the characters
have a sequence of events in what they do. These include the
snake, crocodile, and lion. You could say: “After the snake
squashes his prey, he eats it.” Or you could say: “Before the


crocodile takes a drink, he watches the animals for a minute or
two.”

On the last page, again demonstrate the terms before and after.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Say: “Today we are going to listen for the parts of words. Some
words have a lot of parts, like the word hippopotamus.” (Clap
for each syllable in this word: hipp-o-pot-a-mus. Be sure to
clap as you say each syllable in the word, not before or after.)
“Some words have only one part, like the word snake.” (Clap for
the one syllable in the word.)
Model all the target words. Make sure children clap with you.
Give each child a turn to clap for the parts of words, using the
words you modeled. Some children will have difficulty, so model
the correct response for each word after the child has the
opportunity to clap for the parts of his/her word.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
The Recess Queen
The Recess Queen
by Alexis O’Neil and Laura Huliska-Beith
by Alexis O’Neil and Laura Huliska-Beith
Book Summary: Mean Jean was Recess Queen and
Book Summary: Mean Jean was Recess Queen and
nobody said any different. Nobody swung until Mean
Jean swung. Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked.
Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced. If kids ever
crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'em,
lollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'emkitz’ and
kajammer 'em. Until a new kid came to school! With her
irrepressible spirit, the new girl dethrones the reigning recess bully
by becoming her friend in this infectious playground romp.
nobody said any different. Nobody swung until Mean
Jean swung. Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked.
Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced. If kids ever
crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'em,
lollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'emkitz’ and
kajammer 'em. Until a new kid came to school! With her
irrepressible spirit, the new girl dethrones the reigning recess bully
by becoming her friend in this infectious playground romp.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To recognize that print carries meaning and to
distinguish print from pictures.


Show children the cover of the book. Point to each word of the
title as you read it.
Ask children: “How many words are in the title of this book?”
Read the title pointing to each word as you read. Then say:
“There are three words in the name of this book! The words tell
Learning objective: To understand and use words for unfamiliar
actions.
Target words: howled, gaped, romping

“Let’s talk about some new words we heard in the book. We are
going to learn three new words.”

Turn to the page that shows the word (howled). Read the text
and then create a general definition. Build off the definition using
the pictures. You could say: “This page says the Recess Queen
us what this book is about. What do you think it is about?”


During reading, point to the words on each page as you read.
Periodically stop to tell the children that you are reading the
words in the book and pointing to them as you read.
Note that the print is in different places and inside of callout
bubbles.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
howled at Katie Sue. Howl means to yell loudly. Look at the page
of Jean howling at Katie Sue. Does she look happy? When you
howl, you yell because you are mad.”


Ask children to give an example of when they might howl at
someone.
Repeat this process for all the target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Giggle, Giggle, Quack
Giggle, Giggle, Quack
by Doreen Cronin
by Doreen Cronin
Book Summary: Farmer Brown is going on
Book Summary: Farmer Brown is going on
vacation. He asks his brother, Bob, to take care of
the animals. But keep an eye on Duck. He's
trouble. Bob follows the instructions in Farmer
Brown's notes exactly. He orders pizza with
anchovies for the hens, bathes the pigs with
bubble bath, and lets the cows choose a movie.
vacation. He asks his brother, Bob, to take care of
the animals. But keep an eye on Duck. He's
trouble. Bob follows the instructions in Farmer
Brown's notes exactly. He orders pizza with
anchovies for the hens, bathes the pigs with
bubble bath, and lets the cows choose a movie.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
During reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To make text-to-self connections

Learning objective: To learn some uppercase letter names,
including in own name and those of some friends or family members.
Ask children to think about a time when they were left with someone
other than their parents or guardians. Let them swap stories with
partners about what things were different when they were with a
babysitter or caretaker. Ask questions like: “Have you ever acted like
 When you read the title of the book, and say: “There are three
words in the title of the book”, point to the words as you read
Duck when you are with someone else?”


Help children write pretend notes to a caretaker from the point of view
of a pet or from their own point of view. What kinds of directions would
a pet or child leave that an adult probably wouldn't?

The important part of this activity is to have open conversations witch
children about the situation presented in the book? You can ask
questions like: “How do you think farmer Brown felt when he had to cut
them.
Ask the children how many G’s they see. You could say: “I see
two uppercase letter G’s in our title. Giggle starts with letter G
(point to it). If children point to lowercase G’s, say Yes, those are
g’ too. They are lowercase g.”

Read the book and pause periodically to point out the uppercase
letter G. Allow children to help find some G on some pages.
his vacation short?”
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble
with Hally Tosis
Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble
with Hally Tosis
by Doreen Cronin
Book Summary: Hally, an exuberant dog whose bad
by Doreen Cronin
Book Summary: Hally, an exuberant dog whose bad
breath problem even keeps skunks away, finds his life
further complicated by a visit from Grandma Tosis and
his chaos-inducing attempts to say hello.
breath problem even keeps skunks away, finds his life
further complicated by a visit from Grandma Tosis and
his chaos-inducing attempts to say hello.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To make predictions and use text to confirm.
Learning objective: To understand and use words which describe
objects.

While reading stop to ask these questions:

Page 2: “What horrible things do you think happen when
Hally opens her mouth?”

Target words: one, two, three, four, five

Page 9: “How do you think the children will save their
dog from being given away?”


Page 21: “What miracle do you think will happen?”
Allow children time to answer the questions. Expand their
answers by asking more open-ended questions.


Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
While reading the book stop to discuss each target word during
reading. For instance, after reading… “They hoped that the
breathtaking view would take Hally’s breath away…” you could
say: “They thought the breathtaking view would take Hally’s
bad breath away. The children misunderstood! A breathtaking
view is a beautiful view! Something that is breathtaking is very,
very beautiful. It wouldn’t cure Hally’s breath!”
For ‘lose your breath’. You could say: “The children thought
Hally would ‘lose her breath’ on the roller coaster because that’s
what the sign said! But they misunderstood. Something that
makes you ‘lose your breath’ is something that scares you!”
Draw children’s attention to the target words, they all have the
word breath in them but they mean different things.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
A Color of His Own
A Color of His Own
by Leo Lionni
by Leo Lionni
Book Summary: Elephants are gray. Pigs are pink.
Tigers have black and orange stripes. Every
animal has its own distinctive color — except the
chameleon. Every time he moves, he changes
color! So, wanting nothing more than a color to
call his own, he decides to stay in one place forever: on the
greenest leaf he can find. At last the chameleon is happy until
autumn comes, and the leaf changes its color.
Book Summary: Elephants are gray. Pigs are pink.
Tigers have black and orange stripes. Every
animal has its own distinctive color — except the
chameleon. Every time he moves, he changes
color! So, wanting nothing more than a color to
call his own, he decides to stay in one place forever: on the
greenest leaf he can find. At last the chameleon is happy until
autumn comes, and the leaf changes its color.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use words that describe.
Target words: stripes, purple, yellow, green
 After reading, tell the children: “We saw that the chameleon
looked different wherever he went! That’s what is so special
about the chameleon. Who can remember some of the different
ways the chameleon looked?” Flip through the book, allowing the
Learning objective: To segment words into syllables and to blend
syllables into words.
Target words: parrot, elephant, chameleon, tiger, pig

children to describe the different chameleons. Extend their
answers as in: “That’s right! [name of the child] said the chamele-
on is striped. The chameleon had black and orange stripes when
he was on the tiger.

Give each child a piece of paper and put the crayons where
children can reach them. You can explain: “I want you to draw
your favorite chameleon.”
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K


Tell the children how to listen for the parts of words. You could
say: “Today we are going to listen for the parts of words. Some
words have a lot of parts, like the word parrot.” (Clap for each
syllable in this word: pa - rrot. Be sure to clap as you say each
syllable in the word, not before or after.) “Some words have only
one part, like the word pig. (Clap for the one syllable).”
Model all the target words. Make sure children clap with you.
Give each child a turn to clap for the parts of words, using the
words you modeled. Some children will have difficulty, so model
the correct response for each word after the child has the
opportunity to clap for the parts of his/her word.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Bunny Cakes
Bunny Cakes
by Rosemary Wells
Book Summary: It's Grandma's birthday, and both Max
by Rosemary Wells
Book Summary: It's Grandma's birthday, and both
Max and his bossy sister Ruby are making her a cake.
Ruby's cake will be a magnificent angel raspberry-fluff
creation — if Max will stop knocking the ingredients off
the table. Max's cake will be chock-full of earthworms
and Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters — if only Max can make the
grocer understand his shopping list.
and his bossy sister Ruby are making her a cake. Ruby's
cake will be a magnificent angel raspberry-fluff
creation — if Max will stop knocking the ingredients off
the table. Max's cake will be chock-full of earthworms
and Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters — if only Max can make the
grocer understand his shopping list.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To recognize the difference between letters
and words.
Learning objective: To understand and use new words
representing feelings.

Target words: frustrated, confused, satisfied
Write the phrase “Grocery List” at the top of a piece of paper. Tell
the children: “This says ‘Grocery List.’ As we read about Max’s
trips to the grocery store, we will keep a list of all the things he is
supposed to buy.”


bake their grandma a cake. They had to go through a lot! Let’s
talk about how the characters were feeling.” Open the book to
the 3rd page. Say: “Ruby told Max not to touch anything, but it
looks like he dropped the eggs! Ruby might have felt a little
frustrated. You feel frustrated when things don’t go just how
you thought they would.” Guide children’s use of the word by
During reading, pause at each of the grocery lists to read the
word(s) and write them on the large piece of paper. You could
say: “This list says ‘eggs.’ Let’s write the word eggs on our list.
Count the letters that make up the word eggs as I write. Four
letters make up the word eggs - it’s a pretty short word.” (Repeat
asking them about a time they felt frustrated. Let children share
their own experiences. Repeat with all target words.
for words as they appear on grocery lists throughout the book.

Let children judge if it is a ‘long’ or ‘short’ word).
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
After reading, tell the children: “Max and Ruby worked hard to

Let children show you their facial expression for the target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
The Biggest Snowman Ever
The Biggest Snowman Ever
by Steven Kroll
Book Summary: When the mayor of Mouseville
by Steven Kroll
Book Summary: When the mayor of Mouseville
announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and
Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest
snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is
hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just
aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the
contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the
biggest snowman.
announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and
Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest
snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is
hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just
aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the
contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the
biggest snowman.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use words which describe
things and actions (adjectives and adverbs).
Target words: floppy, perfect, huge

Place the large paper so all the children can see it. At the top,
write the phrase: “New Words.” Tell the children: “Let’s talk about
some new words we heard in the Snowman book. We are going
to learn three new words.”

Turn to the page that shows the first of the words (floppy). Read
the text and then create a general definition that the children can
understand. You could say: “This page says, ‘Clayton dropped a
floppy hat on the snowman’s head.’ Floppy is something that
cannot stand up straight on its own.”

Repeat this for the words perfect and huge.

Remember to point at the pictures in the book when teaching
new vocabulary.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Learning objective: To segment words into syllables and to blend
syllables into words.
Target words: snowman, biggest, winter, contest, princess,
together, chocolate

“Today we are going to listen for the parts of words. Some words
have 2 parts, like the word snowman.” Clap for each syllable in
this word: snow-man. “Some words have only one part, like the
word big.” Clap for the one syllable in this word: Big.

Now say: “I am going to divide some words into parts.” Say the
target words syllable by syllable with a 2-second pause between
the syllables: “Big-gest, when we put them together it is
Biggest.”
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Clifford for President
Clifford for President
by Acton Figueroa
Book Summary: Clifford is running for President of the
by Acton Figueroa
Book Summary: Clifford is running for President of the
Birdwell Island dog park! Emily Elizabeth needs to put
up a candidate for a class project, so of course she
nominates the Big Red Dog who's always a big winner!
Birdwell Island dog park! Emily Elizabeth needs to put
up a candidate for a class project, so of course she
nominates the Big Red Dog who's always a big winner!
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
Before and during reading:
Learning Objective: To recognize the difference between letters
and words.

Read the title, point to each word, and then say: “Our title has
three words (track each word as you say it): Clifford for
President.” Then, draw the children’s attention to the length of
the words. “I see two long words and one short word in our title.
(Name of the child), can you point to the short word? That’s right!
This word is for (track the word). It is made up of three letters
(point to each letter as you say). The words Clifford (track the
word) and President are much longer words. They have many
more letters.”

Now, play a quick game with the children before reading the
book. Tell the children: “I am going to call someone’s name.
When I call your name, I am going to say either letter or word.
If I say letter, I want you to touch a letter on the cover of this
book. If I say word, I want you to touch a word on the cover.
Let’s try it! “ Allow children to play this game. Help children to
track an entire word when you say word versus pointing to an
individual letter when you say letter to be sure they
During reading:
Learning Objective: To understand and use words for the names
of unfamiliar actions.
Target Words: compete, pledge, candidate, ballot

Read the book Clifford for President. Stop to discuss each target
word at least three times during reading. For example, you could
say: “Both the girls want their dog to be president. Now the dogs
will have to compete for the job. To compete means to try to
win.” To discuss the word pledge you could say: “The girls are
making signs about their dogs. A pledge is a promise to do
something to help someone or make something better.”

As you discuss key words, help the children to expand their
understanding of the target words through questioning.

Take a moment to write a pledge with your students about reading every day.
understand the two different concepts.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Over in the Meadow
Over in the Meadow
by Ezra Jack Keats
by Ezra Jack Keats
Book Summary: This nursery rhyme introduces
Book Summary: This nursery rhyme introduces
animals and the numbers one through ten.
“One turtle digs, two fish swim, three bluebirds
sing, four muskrats dive, and so on – all the
way up to ten fireflies shining in the night.”
animals and the numbers one through ten.
“One turtle digs, two fish swim, three bluebirds
sing, four muskrats dive, and so on – all the
way up to ten fireflies shining in the night.”
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use action words (verbs).
Target words: bask, burrowed, cawed

Say: “Let’s talk about some new words we heard in the book. We

Turn to the page that shows the first of your words (bask). Read
the text and then create a general definition that the children can
understand. You could say: “Bask means to enjoy sitting in a
are going to learn three new words.”
warm place. When you go to the beach, you bask in the sun.
Burrow means to dig, some animals like mice like to burrow into
the dirt. Cawed means a sharp, rough sound made by some
birds.”

Give children different examples of the use of the target words.
Show the picture where the target words are and use the pictures
to explain its meaning.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Learning objective: To differentiate between different animal
sounds.
Target words: bird, bee, crow, cricket, frog

After reading the book tell children: “We are going to play a

Encourage children to use gesture combined with sounds. When
the animal is guessed encourage conversations about the
animals. For example: birds, you can ask questions like: “Where
game. I am going to whisper in you ear the name of an animal
on the story and you will make the sound. Your partner will try to
guess what animal you are making the sound for.”
do birds live? What do they eat?”

Help children in making the right sound. Say: “Bees make this
sound zzzzz. Can you make the bee’s sound?” Allow children
time to make the sound with you.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Read Leaf, Yellow Leaf
Read Leaf, Yellow Leaf
by Lois Ehlert
by Lois Ehlert
Book Summary: This is the story of a sugar
Book Summary: This is the story of a sugar
maple tree and the child who planted it. As
they grow up together, the child watches the
tree through all the seasons.
maple tree and the child who planted it. As
they grow up together, the child watches the
tree through all the seasons.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
During reading:
Learning objective: To use words that describe.

Bring different leaves to the classroom or go with children and a
teacher on a “nature walk” to the playground.

Give or let children pick one or two leaves and ask them to talk
about the leaves they have. Ask them questions about their
color, their shape, and size.

Learning objective: To talk about the meaning of new words, including how words can have more than one meaning.
Target words: crown, fall

After reading, tell the children:
“Sometimes words can have more than one meaning. We have to
use clues in the book to figure out which meaning to think about.
Turn to the pages where the target word crown appears. Here
the book talks about how the crowns of the trees are full of
leaves. This word says crown. Crown can be something a king
or queen wears on his or her head. What do you think crown
means here? Why?” Help the children identify which definition of
Compare the leaves with the ones in the book. Ask children if
they can guess in which season of the year we are in by using the
colors of the leaves.
crown applies. Guide the children using the picture and text to
help.

Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Repeat this for the word fall.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
A Pocket for Corduroy
A Pocket for Corduroy
By Don Freeman
By Don Freeman
Book Summary: Pockets! Corduroy doesn't
Book Summary: Pockets! Corduroy doesn't
have any pockets! This furry bear searches for
a pocket of his own. As a result, Lisa and her
beloved bear become separated as Corduroy
ends up locked inside the Laundromat all night.
And what do bears do all night in places like
this? They ski in the soap flakes and nap in the baskets, of course!
Fortunately, Lisa returns early the next morning to reclaim her tired
little friend. Soon, Lisa is sewing Corduroy a pocket of his very own.
have any pockets! This furry bear searches for
a pocket of his own. As a result, Lisa and her
beloved bear become separated as Corduroy
ends up locked inside the Laundromat all night.
And what do bears do all night in places like
this? They ski in the soap flakes and nap in the baskets, of course!
Fortunately, Lisa returns early the next morning to reclaim her tired
little friend. Soon, Lisa is sewing Corduroy a pocket of his very own.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use words which describe
things (adjectives).
Learning objective: To blend (put together) a word if it is broken
up into smaller sounds.
Target words: hesitate, affectionate
Target words: chair, bear, cave, paint

Tell the children: “I am going to say a word in a funny way and

climbed inside the bag, which was filled with pieces of wet
laundry.” Point to the word hesitating. “If a person is afraid of
the dark, he or she will hesitate before going outside at night.
You might hesitate before crossing the street. It means that you
will think it over more before doing something.”
Say: “/Ch/ [pause] air. What word am I trying to say? /Ch/
[pause] air.”

Wait for children to respond then do the same for all target
words.
Do the same for the word affectionate (Penultimate page).

To learn how to accurately make the sounds, you can visit this
website: http://goo.gl/wazbzp

Tell the children: “Let’s talk about some new words we heard in

Turn to the page that shows the first of the words (hesitate
[ing]). You could say: This page says, “Without hesitating, he

the book.”
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
you will listen carefully, so you can tell me what word I am trying
to say.”
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Llama Llama Red Pajama
Llama Llama Red Pajama
by Anna Dewdney
by Anna Dewdney
Book Summary: Baby Llama turns bedtime into
Book Summary: Baby Llama turns bedtime into
an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his
mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying
when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers
turn to hollers when she doesn't come right back.
But just in time, Mama returns to set things right.
an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his
mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying
when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers
turn to hollers when she doesn't come right back.
But just in time, Mama returns to set things right.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand and use complex words.
Learning objective: To identify words that share a rhyming
pattern.
Target words: shout, moan, whimper

Place a paper so all the children can see it. At the top, write the
phrase: “New Words.” Tell the children: “Let’s talk about some
new words we heard in the book. We are going to learn three
new words.”

Turn to the page that shows the first of your words (shout).
Read the text and then create a general definition that the
children can understand. You could say: “shout is when someone
says something really loud, like yelling. Let’s write the word
shout on our new word list.” Write the word shout on the word
Target words: llama, mama, drama, pajama
1. Start by giving clues for each word: “This is the main character in
the book. He is brown and furry. This word begins with a /l/
sound” (llama).” Once children guess llama extend their
thinking by asking “Can you think of some other words from the
book that sounds like llama? “ You may give clues to help them
guess mama and drama. As children guess each word, show
them the corresponding picture from the book.
list, and name each letter as you write it.

Repeat this for all the target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Book, Book, Book!
Book, Book, Book!
by Deborah Bruss
by Deborah Bruss
Book Summary: When the children go back to
Book Summary: When the children go back to
school, the animals on the farm have nothing to
do. That is until they discover the library. But
when Cow, Pig, Horse, and Goat try to check out a
book, they are met with a very puzzled librarian.
Why can't she understand? It is only when Hen
gives it a try - "Book! Book! BOOK!" - that the
animals finally get what they want!
school, the animals on the farm have nothing to
do. That is until they discover the library. But
when Cow, Pig, Horse, and Goat try to check out a
book, they are met with a very puzzled librarian.
Why can't she understand? It is only when Hen
gives it a try - "Book! Book! BOOK!" - that the
animals finally get what they want!
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To identify when two words share the same
first sound.
Learning objective: To understand and use the words in past
tense.
Target words: hung, complained, grumbled, pouted, dozed,
heaved
Target words: hung, complained, grumbled, pouted

“Today we are going to listen to the first sound in words. Most
words are made up of many sounds. See if you can hear the first
sound in these words.” If children have difficulties with the
concept “first” try “beginning sound” instead.


Read the book. During reading, stop periodically when you see
the repeated sounds like in “the horse hung his head” or the
“duck dozed”.
Say the word hung, stretching out the first sound and then tell
children the sound that begins the word, as in: hhh-ung , hung
starts with the /h/ sound . Repeat for all target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
 Say: “Let’s talk about some new words we heard in the book. We
are going to learn three new words. “
 Turn to the page that shows the word (hung). Read the text and
then create a general definition that the children can understand.
Build off the definition using the pictures. You could say: “This
page says, In the bright morning sun, the horse hung his head.”
Hung his head means when a horse put his head down” (do the
motion with your neck and show the picture on the book).
 Repeat this process for all target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Countdown to Kindergarten
Countdown to Kindergarten
by Alison McGhee
by Alison McGhee
Book Summary: It's just ten days before
Book Summary: It's just ten days before
kindergarten, and this little girl has heard all there
is to know--from a first grader--about what it's
going to be like. You can't bring your cat, you
can't bring a stuffed animal, and the number one
rule? You can't ask anyone for help. Ever. So what
do you do when your shoes come untied, if you're
the only one in the class who doesn't know how
to tie them up again?
kindergarten, and this little girl has heard all there
is to know--from a first grader--about what it's
going to be like. You can't bring your cat, you can't
bring a stuffed animal, and the number one rule?
You can't ask anyone for help. Ever. So what do
you do when your shoes come untied, if you're the
only one in the class who doesn't know how to tie
them up again?
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To understand the meaning of new words.
Learning objective: To recognize and write their names.
Target words: rules, backwards, stuffed
 Read the book Countdown to Kindergarten. Stop to discuss each
target word during the reading. For instance, after reading “...they
have a lot of rules…” ask children “Do you know what rules are?”
 Expand children’s answer and say: “Rules tell you how you are
 Tell children that their name is special and it is the first step to
hand writing. They need to learn how to write their names, so they
can identify what is theirs in Kindergarten.
 Write children’s name on the top of a white paper and allow chil-
dren to write their names and draw a picture of themselves.
supposed to behave. You have rules for your classroom when you go
to Kindergarten, you will have different rules.”
 Explain children how to hold the
 Repeat this for all target words.
 Do not force a correct position, but
pencil correctly.
model it.
 Allow children to select whichever hand
they feel more comfortable using.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
by Joseph Slate
by Joseph Slate
Book Summary: It's the first day of kindergarten
Book Summary: It's the first day of kindergarten
and Miss Bindergarten is working hard getting the
classroom ready for her twenty-six new students.
Meanwhile, Adam Krupp wakes up, Brenda Heath
brushes her teeth, and Christopher Beaker finds
his sneaker. Miss Bindergarten puts the finishing
touches on the room just in time, and the
students arrive.
and Miss Bindergarten is working hard getting the
classroom ready for her twenty-six new students.
Meanwhile, Adam Krupp wakes up, Brenda Heath
brushes her teeth, and Christopher Beaker finds
his sneaker. Miss Bindergarten puts the finishing
touches on the room just in time, and the
students arrive.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To identify words that share a rhyming
pattern.
Learning objective: To understand and use unfamiliar words.
Target words: rush, pedal, sneak


Go to the second page of the book and point to the word Heath
and say: “Brenda Heath brushes her teeth. Heath and teeth
rhyme, they sound the same at the end.” Point to the words as
you read them.
Read Christopher Beaker finds his sneaker. Ask children: “What
word rhymes with beaker. Beaker –finds, Beaker –
sneaker?” (Point to the words). Allow children to see the
pattern in the book.
 Say: “Let’s talk about some new words we heard in the book. We
are going to learn three new words.”
 Turn to the page that shows the word rush. Read the text and
then create a general definition that the children can understand.
Build off the definition using the pictures. You could say: “This
page says Danny Hess rushes to dress. Rush means Danny was in
a hurry, he wanted to be fast. Look at the page of Danny rushing
to dress. He wanted to get dressed fast.”
 Ask the children to give an example of when they might rush into
something.

Do the same for some of the other pages on the book.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
 Repeat this process for all target words.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
A Tree for All Seasons
A Tree for All Seasons
by Robin Bernard
by Robin Bernard
Book Summary: By observing a maple tree over
Book Summary: By observing a maple tree over
time, children get a clear picture of what trees do
and how seasons change. In summer, the tree is
shown sunbathing and brimming with animal life.
With autumn comes the flowing sap that makes
maple syrup for pancakes. As winter approaches,
the tree's leaves begin to fall, and it becomes nearly dormant. The beautiful photographs and simple
text introduce young readers to the wonders of each season and
encourage them to look closer at the natural world around them.
time, children get a clear picture of what trees do
and how seasons change. In summer, the tree is
shown sunbathing and brimming with animal life.
With autumn comes the flowing sap that makes
maple syrup for pancakes. As winter approaches,
the tree's leaves begin to fall, and it becomes nearly dormant. The beautiful photographs and simple
text introduce young readers to the wonders of each season and
encourage them to look closer at the natural world around them.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To talk about the meaning of new words.
Learning objective: To identify words that share a rhyming
pattern.
Target words: season, sap, bud, bark, tap


Be aware that the book highlights some of the vocabulary words.
Make sure you point to the picture referring to the vocabulary
word.
For example: On page 4, the vocabulary words are sap and taps.
Point to the liquid coming out of the tap. You can say: “Sap is
water that has sugar and minerals in it. The sap is coming out of
a tap.”

Use the pictures to help you explain the different vocabulary
words in the book.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Target words: farmer, warmer, tap, sap, weather, summer, water,
shower
1. Start by giving clues for each word: “This is a person who works
at a farm, they collect sugar maple syrup. This word begins with
a /f/ sound” (farmer).” Once children guess farmer: extend their
thinking by asking “Can you remember some other words from
the book that sounds like farmer? “ You may give clues to help
them guess farmer — warmer. As the children guess each word,
show them the corresponding picture from the book.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
Homes Around the World
Homes Around the World
by Max Moore
by Max Moore
Book Summary: Homes Around the World looks at
Book Summary: Homes Around the World looks
some of the world's most unusual human
residences, including pueblos, floating homes, tree
houses, portable yurts and eco-friendly houses.
at some of the world's most unusual human
residences, including pueblos, floating homes, tree
houses, portable yurts and eco-friendly houses.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
After reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To talk about the meaning of new words.
Learning objective: To segment compound words.
Target words: unusual, adobe, boardwalk, igloo
Target words: treehouse, beehive, boardwalk, spaceship

Be aware that the book highlights some of the vocabulary words.
Make sure you point to the picture referring to the vocabulary
word.

“Today we are going to listen to some words that have two
different words in them. Some words have 2 parts, like the word
sunflower.” Clap for each word: sun - flower.

For example: On page 5, the vocabulary word is unusual. Ask
children: “What is a house? What does your house look like? “
Allow time for children to respond. Then say: “People live in

Use the above example for the target words. Remember to
always clap and pause between words.

Try this if the children find the first activity too easy. You can also
say: “I am going to say a word in a very funny way - sun [pause]
different types of houses, usually they are made of bricks. In the
book there were houses that were made of very unusual
materials like straw. What other unusual materials do you
remember from the book?”

flower. If I put these two words together, what word do I get?
Sunflower.“ Repeat with other target words.
Use the pictures to help you explain the different vocabulary
words in the book.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
The Farm
The Farm
by Gail Saunders-Smith
Book Summary: Text and photographs describe
by Gail Saunders-Smith
Book Summary: Text and photographs describe
places on the farm and what farmers do on farms,
including planting and harvesting crops, and raising animals and livestock.
places on the farm and what farmers do on farms,
including planting and harvesting crops, and raising animals and livestock.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
During reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To talk about the meaning of new words.
Learning objective: To make animal sounds, and using
the vowels e, i and o.
Target words: crops, harvest, plow, wool


On page 7, the vocabulary word is crops. Ask children: “What is
the name for plants that become food for people and animals?
Starts with the sound /c/. What do you call these?”
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a [cow] ,E-I-E-I-O
With a [moo-moo] here, and a [moo-moo] there
Here a [moo], there a [moo],
Everywhere a [moo-moo].
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
Point to the crops in the picture.

Use the pictures to help you explain the different vocabulary
words in the book.

Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Tell children: “We are going to sing a song called Old MacDonald
Had a Farm, do you know it?” If they don’t know the song, sing
it first and ask them to join you in the sounds.
Substitute the animal and the sounds with the examples below:
 Duck — quack
 Turkey — gobble
 Pig — oink
 Cat — meow
 Dog — woof — woof
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Activity A
Activity B
A Day in the Life of a Firefighter
A Day in the Life of a Firefighter
by Heather Adamson
Book Summary: Spend a day with Firefighter
by Heather Adamson
Book Summary: Spend a day with Firefighter
Mark. Go along with him as he drives a fire truck,
puts out a fire, and teaches kids about fire
safety.
Mark. Go along with him as he drives a fire truck,
puts out a fire, and teaches kids about fire
safety.
Before reading:
Before reading:

Introduce the title, author, and illustrator.

Introduce the title, author, and illustrator.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.

Show children the front, back, cover and spine of the book.
During reading:
After reading:
Learning objective: To talk about the meaning of the word
emergency .
Learning objective: To blend (put together) a word that has been
broken up into smaller sounds.
Target Words: emergency
Target words: fire, station, safe, mask, shift


Have an open conversation with the
children around the concept of
emergency. You can ask open-ended
question like: “Do you know what an
emergency is?” Make sure you write
down on a piece of paper what children
are saying.
Let children know they can call 9-1-1 at
any time if they think that one or more
people are in danger or are seriously
injured. For example, you could say: “If
you see someone lying on the ground
not moving, find an adult right away or
call 9-1-1. “


Say: “I am going to say a word in a funny way and you will listen

Say: “/f/ [pause] ire. What word am I trying to say? /f/ [pause]
ire.” Wait for the children to respond.

Do the same for all target words.

To learn how to accurately make the sounds, you can visit this
website: http://goo.gl/wazbzp
carefully, so you can tell me what word I am trying to say.”
Make sure to address that the number
1 needs to be pressed twice.
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K
Adapted from Read it Again Pre-K