I am starting to get ready for some ideas together for fall and want to do an all-Pigeon story time. The problem is that it needs to be adaptable to large groups of 2 year-olds, in addition to preschoolers. Flannelboards are a great medium to bring these stories to life for the younger set.
I started off with the shortest Pigeon book currently checked in-The Pigeon Loves Things that Go. The simple lines of Mo's illustrations allow it to be easily redrawn or traced. In the parts below, I freehand drew the pictures with black crayon, then colored them in. While you can find similar colors to the illustrations, they won't be exact.
What this book really has going for it, other than a cute and funny story, is the literacy component. Many of Mo's illustrations have the word spelled out on the same page. For example, next to the bus picture is the word "BUS". I did something similar by pulling out a handful of velcro letters that I have with our story time stuff.
By having letters available after your programs, you are providing a place for kids to play with words. It is one of those literacy skills that they need before they can read. I wouldn't use the letters as part of the storytelling unless they were all on the same piece of paper/flannel (or I would need 8 hands to tell the story). This just gives you another option to take your program to the next level. I can also envision a magnetboard with words and pictures and kids have to match them together.
If you need a craft for your program, check out the Pigeon Presents! Himself! for how-to-draw instructions, a coloring page, and a door hanger.
Check out Shawn at Read, Rhyme, & Sing for this week's round-up. For more information on Flannel Friday, check out the offical blog.
I love Mo Willems, too! We don't have that book at my library. Is is a good one to share with a group?
ReplyDeleteHi Courtney-
ReplyDeleteIt would be a good one to share with toddlers. It has humor, but not a lot of words. I think by the time they are 3-4, it would be beneath them.