Ring-O ProjectKatie Meth

Includes:• 10 books with activities• Kindergarten Science, Math, and Language

Arts Standards• Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:

▫Verbal-Linguistic▫ Logical-Mathematical▫Visual-Spatial▫Bodily-Kinesthetic▫Musical▫ Interpersonal▫ Intrapersonal▫Naturalistic

Apple CountdownJoan Holub, Illustrated by Jan Smith• From Amazon.com

▫Field trip today - to the apple farm!  Count 20 name tags, 19 kids on the bus, 18 miles to the farm.  There are 14 cows and 13 ducks (10 white and 3 black), and 12 rows of apple trees.  Count the apples in your sack, count 3 pies to eat (divided into 20 pieces), and all too soon it's 2 o'clock, time to go!  But wait - Lee has a number 1 surprise. Joan Holub’s creative countdown, from 20 to 1, includes grouping and simple addition. Her multicultural students enjoy all that the apple farm has to offer, from counting the cows and ducks to picking different varieties of apples. The endpapers of this cheerful book are filled with apple facts.

Apple CountdownJoan Holub, Illustrated by Jan Smith

• Use the illustrations to practice counting up to 10 (the apples, ducks, train cars, cows, and bee hives). For numbers bigger than 10 split them up into two groups and model addition.

• Practice rhyming words used in the book.• This book also talks about the seasons and how

they affect apple trees. Discuss the seasons. Go outside and talk about what season it currently is.

• Science- K.2.1: Use whole numbers, up to 10, in counting, identifying, sorting, and describing objects and experiences.

• Language Arts- K.1.10: Say rhyming words in response to an oral prompt.

• Gardner’s- Naturalistic and Logical- Mathematical

The Tortoise and the JackrabbitSusan Lowell, Illustrated by Jim Harris• From School Library Journal

▫ Kindergarten-Grade 3?Lowell gives the familiar fable the same Southwestern spin she gave "The Three Little Pigs" in The Three Little Javelinas (Northland, 1992). Tortoise challenges Jackrabbit to a race across the desert; they pass saguaro cacti and mesquite trees, purple sand verbena and desert dandelions, and encounter creatures such as Elf Owl, Scorpion, Tarantula, and Javelina. The spare text is lively and begs to be read aloud. Pronunciation is given in parentheses after unfamiliar words, and while this is helpful, the placement is a little distracting. A note about endangered wildlife of the desert is appended. Harris's acrylic-and-watercolor paintings, reminiscent of Wallace Tripp's work, are full of humor and energy. Tortoise is a staid, elderly female with a hat, gloves, reticule, and lace-edged anklets. Jackrabbit sports green suspenders over a red plaid shirt that covers a slight paunch. The artist uses a range of muted colors that evokes the dry beauty of the area. Even libraries that already own collections of Aesop's fables or Janet Stevens's The Tortoise and the Hare (Holiday, 1984) will want to consider this version for its sprightly, fresh approach.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Tortoise and the JackrabbitSusan Lowell, Illustrated by Jim Harris•Read the story and emphasize how the

Tortoise moves slow and the Jackrabbit moves fast.

•Talk about why the Tortoise won even though it is slower than the Jackrabbit.

•Have students take turns in pairs moving slow like the Tortoise and fast like the Jackrabbit

• Science- K.3.2: Investigate that things move in different ways, such as fast, slow, etc.

• Language Arts- K.1.22: Listen to stories read aloud and use the vocabulary in those stories in oral language.

• Gardner’s-Interpersonal

Over in the Ocean: In a Coral ReefMarianne Berkes, Illustrated by Jeanette Canyon• September 2004 Review – Kirkus

▫ "Eye-popping artwork is the star of the show in Berkes' lively, oceanic counting book, based on the classic children's song "Over in the Meadow." In Berkes' version, creatures from the coral reef replace terrestrial fauna. She introduces a different animal in each full-bleed spread, but instead of bluebirds and muskrats, she highlights octopuses, pufferfish, and seahorses. Canyon uses polymer clay to create arresting visuals. In one spread, a sea anemone, its hot pink base crowned with rosy-tipped, lime-green tendrils, bursts from the page while mother clownfish darts after a trio of young ones. Their textured scales and vivid patterns stand out against a swirling blue background of coiled clay and small, bubble-like spheres. Young children will enjoy counting the offspring. Backmatter includes music and lyrics, further information about each animal, and an artists' note explaining how the illustrations were created. (Picture book. 4-8)"

Over in the Ocean: In a Coral ReefMarianne Berkes, Illustrated by Jeanette Canyon• Use the resources in the back of the book teach

the children the movements that go along with each animal, have them perform each animals movement while you read.▫Ex: Octopuses “squirt”: squeeze both hands as if

you are squirting something; Pufferfish “puff”: Touch fingertips together to make a ball and open and close.

• Science- K.3.2: Investigate that things move in different ways, such as fast, slow, etc.

• Language Arts- K.2.2: Use pictures and context to aid comprehension and to draw conclusions or make predictions about story content.

• Gardner’s-Bodily Kinesthetic

Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Wind BlowsMarianne Berkes, Illustrations by Jill Dubin

• From School Library Journal▫ PreSchool-Grade 1—Following Over in the Ocean (2004) and Over in the

Jungle (2007, both Dawn), this latest spin on the familiar "Over in the Meadow" rhyme takes readers on another adventure. Each page highlights a different animal, including a polar bear and her cub, an Arctic hare and her leverets, and a wolf and his pups. The last verse tells of 10 "surprise" animals hiding in the previous pages and invites children to go back to the beginning for a closer read. An author's note gives more information about the Arctic tundra and explains that while most of the details in the book are factual, the number of babies each animal would have according to the rhyme is not accurate. Spreads feature chunky cut-paper collages in a cool palette. An artist's note explains the process for creating the illustrations. Other interesting back matter includes tips for extended activities and notes for the traditional "Over in the Meadow" tune with the altered Arctic lyrics. This book serves as a useful introduction to the area.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Wind BlowsMarianne Berkes, Illustrations by Jill Dubin

•Making snow activity- Mix an equal amount of white glue and foam shaving cream in a plastic bowl; Use a small paintbrush or a Q-tip and make an Arctic snow picture on dark blue construction paper; When it has dried the shaving cream will be puffy just like real snow!

•Talk about snow and the animals featured in the book.

• Science- K.1.1: Raise questions about the natural world.• Language Arts- K.2.1: Locate the title and the name of the author of

a book.• Gardner’s- Visual-Spatial

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest RhymeMarianne Berkes, Illustrated by Jeanette Canyon

• From School Library Journal▫ PreSchool-Grade 3–Another variation on the familiar song, this one

enumerates some of the unusual fauna of the rain forest. It not only spotlights some of the animals–marmosets, parrots, honey bears, leaf cutter ants, etc.–but also offers pertinent information on the habitat. Berkes describes the different layers of the rainforest and its importance to our global ecology, and suggests movement activities for children to act out the rhyme. The unusual and colorful illustrations are made with polymer clay and then photographed, giving them a three-dimensional look. Each spread has the text and a number on the left against a dark-green leaf background, and shows one animal family with the correct number of babies as well as several other sets of indigenous flora or fauna to count. A long double page shows all the levels of the rain forest in cross section, and children are challenged to count the animals previously encountered and now hanging on the vines and hiding underneath the trees, etc. This is a handsome book on an important subject, and it can serve as recreational reading as well as an introduction to a basic unit on the rain forest.–Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest RhymeMarianne Berkes, Illustrated by Jeanette Canyon

•Familiarize the students with the tune of “Over the Meadow”. Explain to them that this book can be sung to that tune.

•Sing the words to the book and have the children repeat after you. Make sure all students understand one page before going on to the next.

• Science- K.4.1: Give examples of plants and animals.• Language Arts- K.1.4: Recognize that sentences in print are

made up of separate words. • Gardner’s- Musical

I.Q., It’s TimeMary Ann Fraser• From School Library Journal

▫ PreSchool-K–The classroom pet featured in I.Q. Goes to School (2002) and I.Q. Goes to the Library (2003, both Walker) is now helping Mrs. Furber's students prepare for Parents' Night. With a digital clock prominently displayed on each page, the endearing mouse takes readers along on an hour-by-hour journey as the children learn about hour and minute hands, counting by fives, and the number of seconds in a minute. I.Q. continues to keep time even after school lets out as he tries to finish his special project before Parents' Night begins at seven–a large clock with a stick figure by each hour telling what happens in the child's day at that time. An analog teaching clock, a wristwatch, and stopwatch are used throughout the story to show different ways of telling time, but the digital clock, instead of a conventional variety, is the main focus as I.Q. tells when it's time for lunch, stories, and recess. Nonetheless, the pencil, gouache, and pen-and-ink cartoons are inviting and children will enjoy this amusing look at a school day as seen through the eyes of a mouse.–Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

I.Q., It’s TimeMary Ann Fraser• Use this book to talk about what the kids in the

book to in the morning, afternoon, and evening.• Have students make up their own schedule and tell

you what they do in the morning, afternoon, and evening on both a school day and one day during the weekend. Have them illustrate their schedule.

• Math- K.5.2: Understand concepts of time: morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, month, & year. Understand that clocks and calendars are tools that measure time.

• Language Arts- K.5.1: Draw pictures and write words for a specific reason.

• Gardner’s- Intrapersonal

Ten PuppiesLynn Reiser• From School Library Journal

▫PreSchool-Grade 2-A lively concept book that tells an appealing story. Reiser presents 10 puppies adopted from an animal rescue center with a tally of their various physical features. "Eight had pointed noses. Two had flat noses./Seven had floppy ears. Three had perky ears." Some basic vocabulary is introduced, as well as some basic arithmetic. The action is kept short and sweet; the brightly colored watercolor illustrations are great fun. Youngsters will love this spirited tale, and will ask for it again and again.Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ten PuppiesLynn Reiser• While reading to the students make sure to

talk about all the comparisons in the book• After reading make a chart as a class with all

the different possible parts of the dog and include the number from the book

• Talk to about the chart and talk about how the dogs are similar and different.

• Science- K.6.1: Describe an object by saying how it is similar to or different from another object.

• Language Arts- K.1.22: Listen to stories read aloud and use the vocabulary in those stories in oral language.

• Gardner’s-Logical-Mathematical

Forest Friends’ Five SensesCristina Garelli, Illustrated by Francesca Chessa• From School Library Journal

▫ PreSchool-K-One night around the campfire, the forest friends get together to share their stories about the five senses. Each one has a problem and a tale to tell. For example, Hawk can't see very well until Owl, the forest doctor, gives him a pair of glasses. Rabbit has wax in his ears and can't hear his friends calling him. Again Owl comes to the rescue. Through these stories, the animals realize how important the senses are, and that they sometimes need a little help to function properly. The brightly colored paintings with heavy black outlines match the story to a tee. The creatures are not drawn to scale, but they are meant to be fun, not anatomically correct. This is a serviceable concept book and a good choice for read-aloud enjoyment.Karen Scott, Valley Intermediate School, Pelham, AL Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Forest Friends’ Five SensesCristina Garelli, Illustrated by Francesca Chessa•Read the story and discuss the 5 senses with

the students.•Have the students each write a short story

about one the their 5 senses to add to the story. Ask students to also illustrate their story. Have students share their story with the class.

• Science-K.1.2: Begin to demonstrate that everyone can do science. (observation: gaining information through the use of one or more of the senses)

• Language Arts- K.1.2: Follow words from left to right and from top to bottom on the printed page.

• Gardner’s- Verbal-Linguistic

The Big StormNancy Tafuri• From School Library Journal

▫ PreSchool-K—Youngsters will begin counting up to 10 immediately as the gathering clouds and wind force a bird to take cover in a hollow part of a hill. Next comes a mouse scampering for shelter, followed by a skittering squirrel. They are soon joined by a rabbit, a chipmunk, a fox, etc. In the morning, after the skies clear, the 10 small woodland critters continue to hear "a rumble and a grumble in the air" and realize that their cave was already occupied by two sleeping bears. Children can then count back down as the animals make a hasty exit. Characteristic of a beloved Tafuri tale, this title accomplishes much with simplicity. Repetitive words—"rumble" and "grumble"—add tension to the plot. Dramatic poses picture the animals' wariness of the storm ahead. They are drawn huddled together for the night as a cozy bunch. An autumn-colored palette with orange-and-yellow leaves swirling across a spread is rendered in watercolor and watercolor pencils. A large black font shows each numeral up to 10. This book could be used for remembering sequences and lessons in "What happened next?"—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Big StormNancy Tafuri• Ask for student volunteers to be an animal from the book

(have them hold up a picture of their animal or use stuff animals if available). Have students “enter the cave” in your classroom (this could just be a special corner in the room) when it is their turn (have each student move like their animal). Have 2 students be bears that are already in the cave. All other students will help by counting all the animals in the cave.

• Science- K.4.1: Give examples of plants and animals.• Language Arts- K.2.2: Use pictures and context to aid

comprehension and to draw conclusions or make predictions about story content.

• Gardner’s- Naturalistic

Little Rabbit’s First Time BookAlan Baker• From School Library Journal

▫ PreS-Three rabbits wake up, clean the house, shop, have lunch, prepare dinner for company, eat, and then say good-bye at the end of the day. Each spread has three levels of text, which are set apart by size, typeface, and placement on the pages. The most basic is the refrain, "Tick-tock, it's [#] o'clock." The second is the story, in which the bunnies do the things mentioned above. The third level shows the featured time, in both digital and standard clock-face format with clear instructions on how to change the moveable plastic hands on the clock at the back of the book. There are also a few questions about what readers do at that time ("What time do you wake up?"). Each spread shows the rabbits, a mouse, and a few boldly colored objects that correspond to highlighted activities-just enough to keep youngsters interested without cluttering the pages. The curved lines contribute to a soft, comforting mood. As only seven times are featured, all on the hour, this is a very basic introduction to telling time. Dan Harper's Telling Time with Big Mama Cat (Harcourt, 1998) is a more useful title for libraries.-Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL

Little Rabbit’s First Time BookAlan Baker•Use this book to introduce the basics concepts of

learning to tell time. Use the big clock in the book to show students the actual time. You can also talk about the different things the rabbits are doing at a certain time (talk about morning, afternoon, and evening).

• Math- K.5.2: Understand concepts of time: morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, month, & year. Understand that clocks and calendars are tools that measure time.

• Language Arts- K.1.1: Concepts about Print: Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.

• Gardner’s- Logical-Mathematical

Other Resources

•One Tractor ▫Alexandra Siy, Illustrated by Jacqueline

Rogers▫Counting Book

•One for Me, One For You ▫C.C Cameron, Illustrated by Grace Lin▫Counting and Sharing Book

•Gobble Gobble Crash: A Barnyard Counting Bash▫Julie Stiegemeyer, Illustrated by Valeri

Gorbachev

Other Resources Cont.

•Math Counts: Size▫Henry Pluckrose▫Uses comparisons to learn about size

•Minnie’s Dinner: A Multiplying Dinner▫Dayle Ann Dodds, Illustrated by John

Manders▫A fun book about multiplying

•Grandpa Gazillion’s Number Yard▫Laurie Keller▫Fun “uses” for numbers 1-20