So, back to the Fall Break Bunny Tour. Several weeks ago I realized I did not have any bunny books. Now any normal person would just go and talk about the bunnies and let the kids pet them, but oh no, I have to make it complicated. It is one of best skills.
So, I read 7,000 bunny book reviews and decided on five. They arrive and I read all of them to Miss Bugg and let her pick which one I'll share with the class. She picks the very longest book, The Country Bunny and the Gold Shoes. I believe her choice was due to the gold shoes. That girl likes some bling.
It might surprise you to know that pre-first grade children are not my strong suit. I love those wee folk that belong to me and can, for a sustained amount of time, exercise great patience. However, when they aren't mine, well, different story.
So I wonder, " How I can make this story interesting to a pack of wiggling puppies, uh, I mean children." In the book, the little bunny assigns jobs to all of her twenty-one (have mercy) children. So I brought props so the little pup, er people could act out the parts. Still, never to be one to leave well enough alone, I sprayed some tiniest outgrown shoes with gold paint.
When I arrived at school, with all my loot, Bugg immediately snatched up the gold shoes to oooh and ahhh. She asked if those shoes had been hers. Later, she told the class that those shoes had belonged to her and her brother.
So, we set the wee folk down. I passed out props and they did a fabulous job listening and acting out their parts.
When I got home, I put the props in a basket with the book, so Miss Bugg can't act out the story again and again.
The children enjoyed petting Pippin and Merry and were gentle. Throughout the tour, kiddos were disappointed that they couldn't hold the bunny boys. That led to lesson about how bunnies are prey animals and being picked up is very frightening to them. I shared that I felt a responsibility to treat them kindly. After that, they were satisfied with just petting them. They are so very soft.
Three more classrooms to go.
I wish my grandchildren could have you as a teacher for just a little while. They all would have loved your bunny tour. Keeping the props for future playtime is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteYou are an awesome Grandmother as well as an awesome teacher. Must tell you I heard Melinda Gates interviewed the other day and she was talking about some of the excellent teachers out there -- and I immediately thought of you. You make education fun as well as educational.
ReplyDeleteWe do have a lot of fun in class. I just can't imagine doing it any other way. I would die of boredom along with my students if I couldn't do art and other hands-on activities.
ReplyDeleteUsing props! What an awesome way to extend the pleasure of a book! I'll have to try it with my grands, although I don't have any real bunnies.
ReplyDelete