Bookbags, Backpacks, and Unique Containers: Literacy Activities To Do With Children.Literature-rich experiences for children should include a broad spectrum of authentic opportunities to enhance their understanding of, and response to, literature. Children can respond to memorable books in countless ways. Sometimes, a mere sigh or a jubilant outburst is an eloquent testimony to the power of a great book. The following literacy activities for children involve bookbags, backpacks, and unique containers. These fun-filled arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. ideas will nurture the prime goal of developing a lifetime love for reading. The suggested ideas also can be shared easily with parents and families, to encourage their support of children's connection to majestic books and literacy opportunities. Benefits of Bookbags, Backpacks, and Unique Container Activities 1. Enhance children's oral language competency by using story-related artifacts artifacts see specimen artifacts. to retell re·tell tr.v. re·told , re·tell·ing, re·tells 1. To relate or tell again or in a different form. 2. To count again. Verb 1. stories with creative expression. 2. Promote socialization socialization /so·cial·iza·tion/ (so?shal-i-za´shun) the process by which society integrates the individual and the individual learns to behave in socially acceptable ways. so·cial·i·za·tion n. skills through communicating and sharing products created or selected with classmates Classmates can refer to either:
3. Provide opportunities to use a variety of media, techniques, and story artifacts to heighten the excitement and spirit of the story. 4. Nurture children's self-esteem by using story-related artifacts as a springboard for literature sharing purposes. 5. Foster creative use of visuals to stimulate and supplement story content and action highlights. Literacy Activities Using Unique Containers * A Story, A Story, Who Has A Story? Bookbags, backpacks, and unique containers serve a variety of purposes. Miniature replicas of key objects found in a story may be placed in a special container that has been appropriately decorated. Children may enjoy retelling re·tell·ing n. A new account or an adaptation of a story: a retelling of a Roman myth. the story to a classmate or parent by using the objects. * 1001 Uses of Odd Containers Books having "odd" containers reflected in their titles are a challenging choice for the following activity. Before reading the book, ask children to identify the type of container that is reflected in the book title. Discuss what they think the container will be used for in the story. After the story is read, discuss and verify the success of their prediction. Examples of books that can be used for this activity are: Book Title Odd Container Miz Fannie Mae's Fine New Easter Hat Hat The Memory Box Box The Lemon Drop Jar Jar In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall Daddy's arms Ma Dear's Aprons Aprons A Pair of Red Sneakers Sneakers Is There Room on the Feather Bed? Bed * You Can't Judge a Box By Its Cover Provide opportunities for children to discover that a box/container can be converted to serve many purposes. Encourage them to use their creative thinking skills to create alternative objects from a selected container. For example, after reading the book Word Wizard by Cathryn Falwell, children may use imaginative powers, as the character Anna did, to create anagrams an·a·gram n. 1. A word or phrase formed by reordering the letters of another word or phrase, such as satin to stain. 2. anagrams (used with a sing. (words or phrases formed by reordering re·or·der v. re·or·dered, re·or·der·ing, re·or·ders v.tr. 1. To order (the same goods) again. 2. To straighten out or put in order again. 3. To rearrange. v. letters of another word). Have them design their own word bank container using materials of their choice. (For suggestions of materials, see list of "Potpourri of Arts and Craft Materials To Decorate Literacy Bags, Backpacks, and Unique Containers" on page 160-J.) Storybook sto·ry·book n. A book containing a collection of stories, usually for children. adj. Occurring in or resembling the style or content of a storybook: storybook characters; a storybook romance. Character Gifts In this activity, children consider an appropriate gift for a storybook character found in their favorite book. For example, a glue container wrapped in disguise is an ideal gift for Humpty Dumpty Humpty Dumpty arbitrarily gives his own meanings to words, and tolerates no objections. [Br. Lit.: Lewis Carroll Through the Looking-Glass] See : Arrogance Humpty Dumpty . (See "Unique Containers for School or Home Use" for suggestions.) Provide a sharing time to "bring and brag" about the book and explain why they think the gift is significant for the story character selected. * Character Sketches After reading a book, children may draw a picture of their favorite storybook character on the front of a paper bag, and write the title, author, and illustrator of the book. The back of the bag can be used to describe or list character traits. Other memorable story-related features could be written or drawn on the sides of the paper bag. * Gift Bag Crayon Resist After listening to or reading a good book, children create a crayon-resist picture of a scene in the book using crayon on a white, paper gift bag. A thin coat of blue or black watercolor may be used to paint over the crayon drawing the act or art of drawing with crayons; a drawing made with crayons. See also: Crayon , leaving a lovely and surprising effect. * Story Mapping: Just Follow the Yellow Brick Road Using paper bags to create story maps can support children's growth in sequencing skills and their ability to identify story events and settings. Story maps feature illustrations that describe plot elements. The route that Rosie took around the barn yard in the book Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins  This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.You can assist by [ editing it] now. , or the sequence of events that led to Grace achieving the role of Peter Pan in Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a well-known Christian hymn. The words were written late in 1772 by Englishman John Newton. They first appeared in print in Newton's Olney Hymns, 1779 that he worked on with William Cowper. by Mary Hoffman, are examples of good books See how to find a good computer book. to use. Children may write or draw story map legend cards describing story-related details or other story elements to insert in the bag. * It's Berry Picking Time When studying a unit on bears, have children read books with related themes, such as Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. Using small pails / buckets, children may pretend to gather blueberries (blue pom-poms can be substituted) from a large tub or pail in the classroom. Each handful of "blueberries" can be counted and graphed on a chart to determine the range of blueberries picked. Encourage children to enjoy their berry-picking time! Kurplunk, kurplunk, kurplunk! * Community Service At Its Best Children may go on a recycling outing in the community to find "trash to treasure." They can help the environment by collecting objects to be recycled, including paper, plastic items, and aluminum cans. A book bag or backpack from home is useful for collecting trash treasure objects. Afterwards, everyone will share and discuss his/her findings. Prepare children for the community service project by reading stories involving recycling, such as Lucy's Picture by Nicola Moon. Discuss the purpose, significance, and examples of recycled items. Unique Containers for School or Home Use * Book Bag * Plastic Pumpkin Pail * Flower Pot * Oatmeal Container * Canvas Bag * Gift Bag * Jewelry jewelry, personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion. The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. Box * Cereal Box * Corrugated cor·ru·gate v. cor·ru·gat·ed, cor·ru·gat·ing, cor·ru·gates v.tr. To shape into folds or parallel and alternating ridges and grooves. v.intr. Box * Fanny Pack * Plastic Bag * Apron With Multiple Pockets * File Box * Grass Seed Sack * Bucket * Tin or Plastic Canister * Detergent Box * Curler Bag * Laundry Bag / Basket * Storage Box * Shoe Box * Large Envelope * Clothes Basket * Shopping Bag * Sand Pail * Flower Pot * Grocery Bag * Tote Bag * Jumbo Can * Five-Gallon Ice Cream Container * Shoe Holder With Pockets * Box With Sectional Divider divider See European currency quotation. * Papier-Mache-Covered Box * Picnic Basket A picnic basket is a basket or other container intended to hold food and tableware for a picnic meal. The term usually refers to the contents of the container as well as the container itself. * Toy Suitcase * Plastic Tool Kit * Clothes Bag Potpourri of Arts and Craft Materials To Decorate Literacy Bags, Backpacks, and Unique Containers * Felt * Fabric Scraps * Moveable Eyes * Gift Wrap Paper * Markers * Curling Ribbon * Stickerstic Bag * Wallpaper * Beads * Buttons * Pom-Poms * Old Greeting Cards See e-card. * Puffy Paint * Lace * Glitter * Paints * Old Jewelry * Magazine Pictures * Colored Feathers * Yarn * Rick Rack * Contact Paper * Clip Art A set of canned images used to illustrate word processing and desktop publishing documents. * Crayons * Used Stamps * Dried Flowers * Food Coloring * Fabric Paper * Construction Paper * Various Shapes and Sizes of Beans and Pasta * Dippity Dye Paper/ Dye * Art Straws * Pipe Cleaners pipe cleaner, n a small, brushlike device used to clean the spaces between the teeth (used also for other purposes). It should not be inserted all the way between the teeth, but rather just far enough to massage the tissue and remove any plaque. Call for Idea-Sparkers Do you have a great idea that you would like to share? Do you know a colleague who has great idea? Please share the exciting things that are happening in your classroom. Send ideas via mail, fax, phone or E-mail. Photos and illustrations are welcome. Please include your name, address, where you have used this idea, and a description of the activity. Send your Idea-Sparkers to: Rose Merenda 258 Negansett Avenue Warwick, RI 02888 |
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