Ring-O Activity•Sunni Allen•Education 356•1st grade• The books all range from reading levels of 1.5-2.5

Firefighters A-Z by Chris Demarest

Description from Scholastic.com:A is for Alarm that rings loud and clear. B is for Boots stowed in our bunker gear. From A to Z, volunteer firefighter and fine artist

Chris Demarest presents a day-in-the-life of firefighters whose job it is to answer the call to put out fires and save property and lives.

In a simple, informative text and with glowing realistic illustrations that thoroughly envelop the reader, the danger of fire and the courageous job firefighters do every day are brought to life for readers everywhere.

Activity When reading book, make sure that students state the

letter Discuss the roles of firefighters and police officers Discuss safety tips to be prepared for a fire Have students make up a fire escape plan for their own

houses Have students share their escape plans with the class Come up with a fire escape plan for the classroom Discuss the steps that you are supposed to take when

there is a fire◦ Crawl◦ Stop, drop, and roll◦ Check door knobs before opening the door

Discuss ways to prevent fires at home◦ Unplug electronics when not in use◦ Keep trash and fabrics away from heat◦ Do not play with matches or lighters

Cont… Practice the stop, drop, and roll technique Practice staying underneath the “smoke” Reread the book

◦ Standards Used: English 1.1.2 Identify letters, words, and sentences.

Science 1.1.1 Observe, describe, draw, and sort objects carefully to learn

about them.

◦ Gardner’s Intrapersonal Interpersonal Verbal Linguistics Bodily Kinesthetic Visual-Spatial

10 Minutes till Bedtime by Peggy Rathmann

Description from Scholastic.com: About This Book It's almost bedtime! At 1 Hoppin Place the

fun begins when a family of hamsters — with ten offspring wearing jerseys numbered from one to ten — arrives at the door. There are only ten minutes left, and there's still so much to do! But with the help of the Hamsters' 10-Minute Bedtime Tour (guided by his own pet hamster), the little boy is able to get his toys put away, his pajamas on, his teeth brushed, and his bedtime story read — all in the nick of time. This lively introduction to bedtime rituals and the concept of counting backwards will have young readers eagerly awaiting their own countdown to bedtime.

Activities Read story Review what students already know about time Discuss what time within the school setting

◦ What time lunch?◦ What time is recess?◦ What time does school let out?◦ Is lunch before or after math?◦ How much longer until recess?

Have students take turns to come up to the board and drawing “hands” on a clock that you have already drawn on the board

Discuss bedtime routines◦ Putting toys and books away◦ Brushing teeth◦ Pajamas◦ Bedtime story reading

Discuss the correct way to brush teeth

Cont…Standards used:

Math 1.5.6 Tell time to the nearest half-hour and relate

time to events (before/after, shorter/longer). English 1.7.8 Relate an important life event or personal

experience in a simple sequence.

Gardner’s: Interpersonal Intrapersonal Mathematical-Logical Verbal Linguistics

Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles, Think of That! By Leo& Diane Dillon

Description from Scholastic.com: About This Book Clap your hands and tip your hat as the

astonishing "Mr. Bojangles" gracefully leaps across each page and wins the hearts of people everywhere. With a simple rhyming text and bold, graceful illustrations, the Dillons have created a read-aloud picture book perfect for even the youngest children.

Readers will be clapping and tapping along as they follow the dancer through the streets of old New York. As they arrive at the last spread of the book, they'll learn the name of this great talent — Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, the groundbreaking African-American tap dancer who was one of the most popular entertainers of the early 20th century. The Dillons have also included an afterword so that readers can learn more about this legendary performer.

Activities Read story Have students clap or stomp their hands and feet to the

rhythm of the story How many claps/ stomps are in the phrase “Rap a Tap

Tap, think about that?” Have students say “Rap a Tap Tap, think about that”

when ever it is stated in the story Show students the clip from the “Little Colonel” of

Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson tap dancing on the stairs

Discuss other types of dancing Do any of the students know a certain kind of dance? Move desks for space in the center of the room, pair

students up, teach them a simple square dance (or simply allow students to make up their own dance moves to the music being played.)

Cont…◦Standards:

Dance1.1.1 Isolate various body parts through movement.

Science 1.2.1 Use whole numbers, up to 100, in counting,

identifying, measuring, and describing objects and experiences.

◦Gardner: Bodily- Kinesthetic Interpersonal Musical Verbal- Linguistic

Farm Life by Elizabeth SpurrDescription from Scholastic.com:About This BookIn this exuberant rhyming concept

book, barns of different colors hold surprises for young readers learning to count from one to ten. This farm is brimming with kittens, piglets, lambs, and many other barnyard animals. As Farmer Dan goes about his daily chores, readers get a special look at each barn and the creatures, crops, or equipment it holds. Preschoolers will have plenty of fun while learning numbers, colors, and animals.

ActivitiesRead storyHave students identify animals in illustrations while

reading or after readingCount the animals that are shown throughout the

bookDiscuss different animals that might live on a farmHave students draw a picture of a farm animal of

their own choiceAsk students if they have ever seen certain farm

animalsBefore class begins, find a video clip(s) of various

farm animals to show to studentsDiscuss how to take care and feed certain farm

animalsSing the “Farmer in the Dale”

Cont…Standards:

Science1.1.1 Observe, describe, draw, and sort objects carefully to

learn about them.

Math 1.2.1 Use whole numbers, up to 100, in counting,

identifying, measuring, and describing objects and experiences.

Gardner’s: Verbal- Linguistics Visual- Spatial Logical-Mathematical

More Parts by Ted ArnoldDescription from Scholastic.com:About This BookPeople say the strangest things: Give me a

hand. . . . Hold your tongue. . . . Scream your lungs out. . . . What if a kid wants to keep all of his body parts in place? Well then, he'll need to take some creative and side splittingly funny action.

In this knee-slapper of a follow-up to the award-winning Parts, Ted Arnold brings to visual life some of our very silliest figures of speech. But be careful, readers: This clever book just might make you laugh your heads off!

ActivityRead storyDiscuss the different parts of the bodySing and dance to the “Hokie Pokie”Before class collect one long paper for

every two students, allow them to work together in pairs to trace half of their bodies to make them into one figure. Draw a line down the middle of the figure and let them draw half of themselves labeling each body part.

Have them measure their legs and arms and then the height of their figures.

Cont…◦Standards:

Math 1.5.1 Measure the length of objects by repeating a

nonstandard unit or a standard unit.

◦Gardner’s: Visual- Spatial Logical-Mathematical Interpersonal Verbal-Linguistics Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic

Description from Scholastic.com: About This Book What I have waited for all year

long happens. Summer is here.

On an island, surrounded by water and light, a young boy waits for the sun to shine, and for his friends, the painters, to return: The landscape painter and the painter of flowers. The painter of still lifes and the painter of faces. They all come to the island to paint when the days are long and their dogs can run free. The young boy watches and learns. This summer he will try to do what he has never done before. He will try to paint the wind.

Newbery Medal-winning and bestselling author Patricia MacLachlan teams up with her daughter Emily for their first collaboration. Their delicate yet evocative prose is brought to life by the exquisite paintings of artist Katy Schneider. "Painting the Wind" is a beautiful story about holding on to those perfect moments that only summer in a place that you love can offer.

Painting the Wind by Patricia MacLachlan

ActivitiesRead book.Teach students the song “Let’s go fly a kite” from

Mary Poppins.Allow students to paint “the wind” on their own

sheet of paper.Discuss how the wind is seen, felt, and heardTalk about kites.Build a kite. One per student. Allow students to build

the kite however they wish, but show them examples/ pictures of kites so that they have an idea.

Play the song “Let’s go fly a kite” in the background.Take students outside to fly their kites.

(Directions to different paper kites on next few slides)

Directions for different kites:The Bumble BeeMaterials: Sheet of paper” sewing

thread. Stapler Hole punch.Now let's begin... Fold the sheet of paper in

half... Mark two points, A and B on

the folded edge of the paper. Point "A" should be 2.5 inches from the end, and point "B", 3.5 inches.

Fold the top corners of the page to point A and staple them in place. Do not crease the paper. Just bend it back.

Punch a hole at point B and attach your flying thread.

The Diamond KiteMaterials:• String• tape or glue• 1 sheet of strong paper

(102cm x 102cm)• 2 strong, straight wooden

sticks of bamboo • markers, paint or crayons

Cont…The Diamond Kite

Materials:• String• tape or glue• 1 sheet of strong paper

(102cm x 102cm)• 2 strong, straight wooden

sticks of bamboo • markers, paint or crayons

Steps:• Make a cross with the two

sticks, with the shorter stick placed horizontally across the longer stick.

Make sure that both sides of the cross piece is equal in width.

• Tie the two sticks together

with the string in such a way as to make sure that they are at right angles to each other. A good way to ensure that the joint is strong is to put a dab of glue to stick it in place.

• Cut a notch at each end of both sticks. Make it deep enough for the type of string you are using to fit in to.

• Cut a piece of string long enough to stretch all around the kite frame.

• Make a loop in the top notch and fasten it by wrapping the string around the stick. Stretch string equal length 90 cm stick.

Cont…• String the string through the

notch at one end of the cross-piece, and make another loop at the bottom.

• Stretch the string through the notch atone end of the loop at the bottom.

• Stretch the string through the notch at the other end of the cross-piece. Finish by wrapping the string a few times around the top of the stick and cutting off what you don't need. This string frame must be taut, but not so tight as to

warp the sticks.• Lay the sail material flat and

place the stick frame face down on top. Cut around it, leaving about 2-3cm for a margin. Fold these edges

over the string frame and tape or

glue it down so that the material is tight.

Paper Back view of kite• Cut a piece of string about 122

cm long and tie one end to the loop at the other end of the

string to the loop at the bottom. Tie another small loop in the string just above the intersection of the two cross pieces. This will be the kite's bridle, the string to which the

flying line is attached.• Make a tail by tying a small

ribbon roughly every 10cm along the length of string. Attach the tail to the loop at the bottom of the kite.

Cont…Standards

Math1.6.1 Choose the approach, materials, and

strategies to use in solving problems.

Gardner’s Verbal- Linguistics Visual- Spatial Bodily- Kinesthetic Intrapersonal Logical- Mathematical

Yesterday we had a Hurricane by Deirdre McLaughlin MercierDescription from Scholastic.com: About This Book Yesterday We Had A Hurricane re-tells the

experience of a hurricane as seen through the eyes of a young child. Young readers will learn all about these big storms that come from the ocean. They'll find out about the effects of wind and rain, as well as some of the more lighthearted and practical alternatives to doing without electricity.

Author/Illustrator Deirdre McLaughlin Mercier brings a deft touch and an understanding of her readers to the tale. Her colorful collage illustrations make hurricanes non-threatening and bring them down to "child size" making this book a wonderful resource for parents and schoolteachers. Each page of the story provides an opportunity to talk about the storm and the feelings associated with it.

ActivitiesRead storyDiscuss how the students think that the boy felt

throughout the storyDiscuss the wind and its affects on the weatherDiscuss the hurricane that occurred in New

Orleans, LO Discuss how a hurricane happensDiscuss what to do to stay safe during a hurricaneDiscuss the various things that the boy did without

electricityHave students write a story about what they would

do if they had to go without electricity for a while.

Cont…Standards:

Science1.2.7 Write brief informational descriptions of a

real object, person, place, or event using information from observations.

Gardner’s: Intrapersonal Interpersonal Verbal- Linguistics

The Bremen-Town Musicians by Ilis PlumeDescription from

Scholastic.com:About This BookBecause their owners plan to

get rid of them, four animals run away to become musicians in Bremen-town. When they frighten robbers from a house, they decide to cut their journey short by staying in the house.

ActivitiesRead StoryDiscuss the difference between the animals in the

story and real animals that we see in our lives◦ How animals in life don’t talk and the ones in the book

didDiscuss the different ways that the animals

moved in the story and then how animals move in real life◦ Can real animals really dance?

Allow students to write their own story about animals that can talk, sing, or dance.

Play some old folk music for students to listen to while they write.

Cont…Standards:

Science1.1.2 Investigate and make observations to seek answers to

questions about the world, such as "In what ways do animals move?"

Science1.4.1 Identify when stories give attributes to plants and animals,

such as the ability to speak, that they really do not have.

Gardner’s: Verbal- Linguistic Intrapersonal Interpersonal Musical

Grandpa’s Quilt by Betsy Franco-FeeneyDescription from Scholastic.com: About This Book Grandpa is ready for bed, but something is wrong:

his favorite quilt will not cover his feet! Grandpa's grandchildren make a plan to keep Grandpa's feet warm by cutting and reshaping Grandpa's quilt.

The text of this book was written from a bank of 62 words.

Rookie Readers® have provided entertaining, high-quality introductions to reading for more than a generation. Each title features full-color, often hilarious illustrations and engaging stories that always involve a young child figuring out concepts or solving problems on his or her own. Every new title contains a Word List and a color-coded reading-level key on the back cover.

Activities Materials needed:

◦ Construction paper◦ 4in poster board◦ Safety scissors◦ Glue◦ Rulers◦ Pencils◦ Makers

Read story Discuss the different shapes that can be found on a quilt Discuss the different problems that the children had to

solve Allow students to make “quilts” out of their paper scraps Tell students to try to use various geometric shapes

Instructions:•Cut the colored paper into 6- by 1-inch strips. •Then cut the strips into six 1-inch squares.•Next, snip most of the squares in half diagonally to create triangles.•Now experiment with various quilting patterns by arranging the pieces on top of the poster board square.•Then glue the pieces in place.

Cont… Standards:

Math1.4.1 Identify, describe, compare, sort, and draw triangles, rectangles, squares, and

circles.

Science1.1.4 Use tools, such as rulers and magnifiers, to investigate the world and make

observations.

Science 1.5.3 Observe and describe similar patterns, such as shapes, designs, and events

that may show up in nature, like honeycombs, sunflowers, or shells. See similar patterns in the things people make like quilts, baskets, or pottery.

Gardner’s: Bodily-Kinesthetic Verbal- Linguistic Mathematical-Logical Intrapersonal Visual- Spatial

Spring Has Sprung by Jennifer WatersDescription from

Scholastic.com:About This BookProvides information

about the spring season and looks at the effects of warmer weather on people, plants, and animals

Activities Materials needed:

◦ Styrofoam cups◦ Markers◦ Potting soil◦ Flower seeds

Read book Discuss how we know that it is spring time Discuss what happens to the earth when it turns into Spring Discuss what warms the earth, us, and the air Discuss the affects that the sun has on the planet Allow students to get into groups of three (3) and plant a flower

seed Allow students to decorate cups As a class discuss what needs to be done to grow the seed

properly Allow students to place the plant near an open window For experiments sake, place a plant away from the window to later

discuss the difference that this makes.

Cont…Standards:

Science 1.3.3 Investigate by observing and also measuring that the sun

warms the land, air and water.

Science 1.1.3 Recognize that and demonstrate how people can learn much

about plants and animals by observing them closely over a period of time. Recognize also that care must be taken to know the needs of living things and how to provide for them.

Gardner’s: Visual- Spatial Verbal- Linguistic Bodily- Kinesthetic