1-2-3 Come Do Some "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" Activities With Me

Do you read "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff? 

I absolutely love her "If You Give A..." series of stories.  So do my students.  They truly get a kick out of the endings, where things come full circle and then repeat. 

Glad that a publisher finally agreed, as that best-selling book was rejected 9 times!!!! Puts new meaning behind the words, "Try, try again." 

These books are perfect for sequencing!  With that in mind, I designed a storytelling flip booklet, as well as a slider craftivity. 

Both packets will help practice the "sequencing & retelling a story" standards, and make for a wonderful transition activity, after you're done reading the story.  

First up is the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" flip booklet. 

Fun for your kiddos and easy-peasy for you too, as it’s simply “Print & Go”. 

Simply run the mouse pattern off on construction paper or card stock.
Students color & trim. This becomes the sturdy “base” of their booklet.

Students color, cut & collate the pages into a little book, which is then glued to the base.

I purposely did not number the pages, so you can assess comprehension & ability to sequence correctly.

I've included black & white patterns, as well as colorful ones, so that you can quickly & easily make an example to share.

Because children absolutely love giving their opinion, the last page allows them a chance to rate the story with a thumbs up or down, as well as coloring in a star ranking.

To further check comprehension, I’ve included a “color, cut & glue” worksheet too.

As another way to assess comprehension, as well as include some writing practice, there’s also a “Here’s What Happened…” worksheet, which can be done as a whole group with younger children.

When everyone is done, have children pick a partner and take turns telling the story, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” to each other.
We sometimes do this sort of thing with our older reading buddies.

Afterwards, encourage students to share their mouse craft with their parents, once again retelling the story.

Next up is the slider.  There are several mouse options. I’ve included a large, full-page pattern for teachers, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern for your students.

Children color the story elements on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.

As they pull on the end of the “slider” the various pictures go through the cookie “window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their mouse home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.

I’ve included a “sequence the story” slider activity for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on the blank slider strip.

You also have the option to do the regular slider with the story graphics in the appropriate order, then assess comprehension afterwards, using the “Sequence the Story” worksheet.

I introduce the lesson by reading "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie", then share my completed "slider craftivity” with my students.

So that you can quickly, and easily make an example, I’ve included a full-color slider pattern.

After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my cookie mouse.
Have children guess which story element they think comes next before you pull the picture through the “window”.

My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making a Cookie Mouse story slider of their own.

As with the flip booklet, this packet also includes a "Here's What Happened..." worksheet, in black & white, as well as color, so that you can do this as a whole group discussion with little ones.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a fun little "back to school" icebreaker.

You can play this "get to know you game" with M&Ms or Skittles,   This activity works with a variety of ages and grade levels.  I hope you find it useful.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for popping in. 

Not sure about you, but my summer is going at the speed of light. 

Seems like we were all just cheering on the last day, and now we're getting ready for that exciting first week of school. 

Wishing you a blessed day free of stress, and those too long "To Do" lists.

"You do enough. You are enough. You've done enough. You have enough. Relax." - Unknown

1-2-3 Come Make Some Storytelling Sliders With Me 

Since the "Brown Bear What Do You See?" and Pete the Cat's "I Love My White Shoes" storytelling sliders that I designed this month, have been so popular, I decided to make one for"Polar Bear What Do You Hear?"

Special Note: If you're interested in purchasing the Pete Slider for $2.50 clink the link to e-mail me, as he is no longer available in my TpT shop.

While working on the polar bear this week, I had a request from Enadia in Michigan, for a sequencing craft for "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie". 

When I told her about the storytelling sliders, she loved the idea, and thought it would be perfect for her "kinder kids", thus "Cookie Mouse" was born. 

Today's blog features my newest sliders, along with a fun FREEBIE. 

First up is the "Polar Bear What Do You Hear?" storytelling slider.  It’s one of my students' all-time favorite stories and perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards, or introducing verbs and onomatopoeia to older students, as animals roar, hiss, snort and snarl.

I also use “Polar Bear What Do You Hear?” and “Brown Bear What Do You See?” when we’re studying the 5 senses.

If your kiddos are like mine, I know that they will enjoy making this hands-on craftivity, that will help them retell the story in the proper sequential order.

There are several bear options. I’ve included a large, full-page pattern for teachers, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern for your students.

Children color the story characters on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.

As they pull on the end of the “slider” the various pictures go through the bear’s “tummy window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their polar bear home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension. 
I’ve included a “sequence the story” slider worksheet for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on the blank strip.

I introduce the lesson by reading ”Polar Bear What Do You Hear?”, then share my completed "slider craftivity” with my students.
So that you can quickly, and easily make an example, I’ve included a full-color slider pattern.

After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider.
I have them guess which animal they think comes next before I pull the picture through the “window”.

My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making a Polar Bear story slider of their own.

I’ve also included a “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, as another way to check comprehension plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers or other transitions.  

"Cookie Mouse"  follows the same format as the polar bear slider packet, but I've also inlcuded another idea, that will be included in any new story telling sliders that I create. 

Besides assessing comprehension via making the "color, cut & glue" slider, or completing the "Here's What Happened" writing prompt, I designed a "Sequence the Story" worksheet. 

Children simply color, cut and glue the story element pictures to their worksheet in the correct order.  This way, teachers can read the story, have children make their slider, review the sequence with the craft, then assess comprehension with the worksheet.  

I'm currently working on a storytelling slider for The Very Busy Spider, and will be making one for "The Jacket I Wear In The Snow" as well.  I welcome requests for any other stories you'd like a slider for. They really are a super-fun way for students to practice those sequencing and retelling a story standards. 

In case you weren't aware of it, whenever I put something new in my shop, it's on sale for 40% off for the first 48 hours. Since most of my packets are just $3 this is a huge savings.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a sweet "My Selfie" packet.    Do you have your kiddos draw a self portrait during the first week of school?  Do you take a photograph of their first day?

Why not hop on the "selfie" rage and use these cute worksheets for your kiddos to do their work on.  They're sure to become a keepsake. Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board too.

Well that's it for today. I have a very long "to do" list of errands, so time to put my zoom-zoom hat on and get cracking!  Wishing you a productive day.

"The best way to predict your future is to create it!" -Abraham Lincoln

1-2-3 Come Do Some Super-Fun End-of-the-Year Stuff With Me

My students LOVE Laura Numeroff’s books: “If You Take A Mouse To School” and “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.”  With those stories in mind, I designed the “Nice Mice Advice” packet.

It will help you check off some “To Do” activities for next year, with the help of this year’s kiddos!

The packet is loaded with fun end-of the-year activities that will keep your students happily engaged, while helping you make some special things for the fall.

There are 4 class-made “Advice” booklets for you to choose from.  
Pick one and have your students write advice to the in-coming children.  Collect & collate.  

 This year’s kiddos can share their page when you read the book aloud, then tuck it away to share with your new class in the fall. 

My personal favorite is the circle-shaped Cookie Book. 

It's a perfect go-along with the "If You Give A Mouse a Cookie" story, and includes advice from the teacher, principal and each student.  For that finishing touch, add a school photo.  I've included a sample page to help explain things to your kiddos.

If you'd like each of your students to make a mini-advice booklet for your new students, then you'll like the small, advice- flip booklet, with 2 different cover options in black & white, plus color, with 4 inside writing-promt pages. 

The other two class book options feature the creative clip art of Scrappin Doodles and D. J. Inkers. 

As you can see there are plenty of options.  You can choose, or show the samples and have your students vote on which one they'd like to do. 

Since a lot of advice has to do with following the rules, this is an interesting and fun way to present them.

Check another thing off your list.  I've included a set of 25 "Advice Rules!" pocket chart cards that you can use as well, plus a blank set for you to program with whatever.

 I've also included an advice definition poster incase your students are not familiar with this word, along with a sweet "If you give a kid some advice, they should take it." poster to start things off.

Do you give your students a little treat on the first day?  Cross that off your list too because I’ve included several “treats” they can make as well. 

There is an assortment of bookmarks and a lollipop-nosed mouse: (“A sweet treat for someone they’d like to meet.”)
The bookmarks come in black and white, as well as full color.

There are several for this year's kiddos, as well as one for them to color and give to the in-coming cuties, along with a sweet "peek over" mouse bookmark that you can make and use as a pointer when you read Numeroff's stories.

The mouse, writing-prompt craftivity makes an adorable back-to-school bulletin board. so check that off your list as well. 

Simply run off the super-simple mouse pattern on a variety of colors of construction paper.

Students trim, fold the "head" section over and write some "nice mice advice" under the "flap". For that finishing touch, add some ears, wiggle eyes, a pom pom nose, and a yarn "tail".

The packet also includes:

• A “Hip Hip Hooray! We’ll follow the good advice each day” poster contract. Students feel important signing their name, which makes them more accountable too.
• A “Tips and Tidbits” poster.  Review what students have learned and jot down the highlights.
• 2 “If you take a mouse to school he’ll want to give you some advice!” posters. And . . .
  
• A mouse, reading pointer bookmark craft.

Finally, there's a "welcome card" that everyone signs. What fun ways to help your in-coming students feel special and chase away those first day jitters.

This 58-page packet is on sale in my TpT store for just $3.95.  Click on the link to pop on over to my shop.  I still can't believe that I have a little store.  Hopefully I'll make enough to help pay for all of the clip art and fonts that I buy!  That would definitely make my husband happy. 

And now for the FREEBIES  from this packet.  I've included the "Mice Advice" writing prompt mouse craft, several bookmarks, and a poster. Click on the link to grab them.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. It's going to be in the 80's this afternoon, so it's time to take my grandbabies swimming. 

Wishing you a delightful day filled with everything you enjoy the most. 

"Sometimes you never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." -Unknown