Read about pumpkins in English or Spanish on BigUniverse.com.
What feeds the rumor mill? Well, sadly, just about anything. Often rumors are linked to people’s common fears, making them sound plausible even though they may be an oversimplification of the truth or downright fabrications.
As of late, the rumor of a pumpkin shortage has been broadcast far and wide. It’s October, so this of course feeds into everyone’s imagination. No pumpkins! No jack-o-lanterns! No pumpkin pie! Halloween and Thanksgiving are cancelled! Oh the humanity!
While some farmers did experience vine crop loss this year because of catastrophic flooding and uncooperative weather, losses did not stretch from Canada to Mexico or the East Coast to California. Some “cucurbits” growers did fine, so local shortages are being remedied by our marvelous transportation system. Produce stands are getting their supplies from neighboring patches – perhaps even out-of-state farms – a common occurrence in our commerce system. A pumpkin may cost a wee bit more at the grocery, but I doubt many tykes will go without.
One thing’s for sure. BigUniverse.com didn’t suffer a pumpkin shortage. We have plenty to go around – thanks to the beauty of the 24×7 eBook! We carry the English language variety, “Pumpkins” by author Jacqueline Farmer and illustrator Phyllis Limbacher Tildes. There’s a Spanish version too, titled “Calabazas.” Both picture books from Charlesbridge Publishing are leveled for kindergarten through Grade 3 and include an online reading comprehension quiz.
Charlesbridge has also posted a picture book on Big Universe, titled “Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch.” It’s a poetic tale of porkers plotting a peculiar path during a romp through the barnyard. It has strong picture and text support, directional words, figurative language and provides the opportunity for vocabulary and mapping skills development, as well as exposure to life science, organisms and their environments.
Pumpkins have shown up in literature for a long time. Remember Cinderella’s coach? How about Peter, the pumpkin eater? And, of course, a pumpkin plays an important role in Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
The 1901 edition of "Mother Goose" featured this William Wallace Denslow illustration with the "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" nursery rhyme.
Mother Goose Rhyme
Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but couldn’t keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.
Mr. Pumpkin
(Same tune as “Where is Thumpkin?”)
Mr. Pumpkin, Mr. Pumpkin,
Eyes so round. Eyes so round.
Halloween is coming. Halloween is coming.
To my town. To my town.
I’m an Orange Pumpkin
(Same tune as “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little pumpkin
Orange and round.
Here is my stem,
There is the ground.
When I get all cut up,
Don’t you shout!
Just open me up
And scoop me out!
Pumpkin Poem
One day I found two pumpkin seeds.
I planted one and pulled the weeds.
It sprouted roots and a big, long vine.
A pumpkin grew; I called it mine.
The pumpkin was quite round and fat.
(I really am quite proud of that.)
But there is something I’ll admit
That has me worried just a bit.
I ate the other seed, you see.
Now will it grow inside of me?
(I’m so relieved since I have found
That pumpkins only grow in the ground!)
Other Pumpkin Unit Enrichment Links
**NOTE: While the great “pumpkin shortage of 2011” may be easy to remedy, real-life rumors, gossip and slander may not be so easy to handle. PBSKids.org has some online material that may be useful if this is an issue in your classroom. (Just click the link provided.) Words are powerful. Use them wisely.
Many students struggle to read fluently. Fortunately, we can give prompts to readers that will provide them with opportunities to learn various reading strategies and tools for successful reading. The prompts below have helped my struggling students get back on track towards reading achievement!
Support Students to Self-correct
“You are almost right. Try again.”
“Something wasn’t quite right.”
“You made a mistake. Can you find it?”
“Point and slide through the whole word.”
Support Students to Search
“Use the picture to help you.”
“What letter would you see at the beginning?”
“Does that look right?”
“Does that sound right?”
“Does that make sense?”
Support Students to Cross-check
“Look for parts you know.”
“Check that. Does it look right and sound right?”
“Try that again and think about what would make sense instead.”
“Get your mouth ready to say the sound of the ___ letter.”
Support Students to Self-monitor
“You said _____, but does it make sense?” or ”…does it sound right?” or ”…does it look right?”
“Were you right? How do you know?”
“Try that again.”
“It could be____, but look at ______.”
Earlier this week, I came across Critical Components of Reading: Comprehension Activities. (I know that is sounds like a fancy, hard-to-read article. but really it is not.) At the top of that page, it talks about how using Visualizing can be a helpful comprehension activity:
Teach students to make a visual picture in their mind of what is occurring in the story. Have students stop at the end of each page, close their eyes, and visualize what has happened in the story so far. Encourage students to discuss what they are visualizing about the story so that any misconceptions can be corrected. Students may benefit from hearing someone else describe what they have been reading.
I am a visual learner and when I remember things I “see them” in my head (I form pictures in mind), so I can see how this strategy could help with comprehension.
I started searching the internet for other ideas about ways to use the Visualizing Strategy for Comprehension:
- Into the Book lists Visualizing as a teaching tip for reading and understanding fiction books
- ReadWriteThink provides an activity using Visualizing to strengthen comprehension skills.
- The Reading Lady provide a lesson plan called “Visualizing from a Vivid Piece of Text”
- The Inspired Classroom has a blog post about Visualization in Reading and Music stating that visualization is a huge key to comprehension.
- Reading.org calls Visualization the missing piece between reading and writing
What are some ways children can use the visualizing skill along with the reading and writing that happens on BigUniverse?
image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/68676385@N00/290412819/
Did you know on Big Universe users can look for books by …
- Lexile level?
- Fountas and Pinnell rating?
- DRA level?
- Accelerated Reading (AR) reading levels?
- Grade Level?
- Topic?
- Language?
Did you know you could combine some of the above searches by using various search combinations in the Advanced Search area?
Did you know on Big Universe there are books for all the main subjects (Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science)?
Did you know users can find picture books, read-aloud books, chapter books, and many other types of books on Big Universe?
I am sure (well, almost sure) that I have those types of books in my classroom library. However, I can’t search through all my books according to the levels listed above (I do have some of them marked AR but that is about it). I know that I don’t have many books in my library for math and science. I really enjoy reading books aloud. I have my own special books that I read aloud from. I try to keep these away from students, but students often want to read their own copy of book after the book has been read aloud to the class. If I used books from BigUniverse to read aloud, I would not have to worry about students losing or tearing up my books when they want to read the story on their own …
Even though I asked many questions to start this post, I think I have found a possible answer for expanding … and possibly replacing my classroom library collection.
Posted on May 10, 2011 by Suzan Woodard in Personal Experiences, Reading Lists, Uncategorized.
Tags: Brain Drain, Bug Books, Cicadas, Insect Books for Children, Ladybugs, Reading Loss, Summer Fun for Kids, summer reading, Summer Setback, Summer Writing
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Big Universe has children's picture books about ladybugs, cicadas, bees, crickets and more.
Summer is on its way and like it or not, so are the bugs. Most adults have lost their fascination with insects and other creepy-crawlies, but don’t underestimate the power of a six-legger to keep a child occupied.
I recently attended a high school track meet – one that lasted a long time. There was a delay in the action, so I watched a charming little girl play nearby. She was not holding an electronic device or the latest plastic plaything from Toys R Us. Nope. That 3-year-old was playing happily with a ladybug. It occupied her for THREE HOURS!
She did not whine to go home. She did not beg for candy. Nor did she pull a “Grace Van Cutsem,” when the crowd cheered loudly for the relay runners on the track. She simply let her ladybug crawl up one arm and down the next, making a bug-friendly bridge with her chubby, but gentle, index fingers.
I am inclined to think she would enjoy the two online picture books about ladybugs that Big Universe offers. The website has an amazing assortment of fact-filled bug books for junior entomologists. The pictures are exquisite, so pre-readers can enjoy the books on their own or alongside a grownup.
The Big Universe Author Tool provides another way for kids to process what they find in their own backyard. They can write about the bugs they discover in the flowerpots on their deck or crawling in the lawn. The writing tool can be used to create a field notebook to record life cycles, feeding habits and other observations. The website’s “Insect” clipart lets children illustrate their writing easily.
Reading bug books, going on a scientific bug hunt, and writing about it on a computer are a fun combo to ward off summer setback – or “brain drain.” (Experts say reading a minimum of six books is enough to keep children from losing literacy gains made during the previous school year.) The physical activity will keep their bodies healthy, too.
Children’s Books About Bugs
Other BU Blogs About Summer Reading:
Summer Reading Lists: Cats, Dogs and Horses
Batter Up! Baseball Stories for Summer Reading
The ABCs of Car Games: Part One
The ABCs of Car Games: Part Two
The ABCs of Car Games: Part Three
Fight Summer Setback with Free Books
Top 10 List: Golden Opportunities of Summer
Children, Books and Summer Vacation
Reading in the Summer
Have you heard of graphic novels? I will be honest and admit that I do not know very much about them.
Here is what I have found:
Graphic novels are expressed through many frames of pictures and words. They are similar to comic books in appearance but have the depth of novels. Graphic novels are important to introduce students to for many reasons. Students are given opportunities to analyze many forms of literature. Some of these are poetry, fiction, and non fiction. Graphic novels are often not taught at all by teachers. They can be an excellent resource though. Students who may not respond well to some literature might love graphic novels.
I recently found a LiveBinder (online 3 ring binder) dealing with Graphic Novels which helped me understand and appreciate this type of story a bit more: Graphic Novel Webliography.
Here are a few things I learned from the Graphic Novel Webliography:
- Graphic novels appeal to both experienced readers and reluctant readers
- Graphic novels can be used with students of all ages (elementary through adult)
- Graphic novels can be used to build vocabulary
The webliography also provides links for parents and educators to learn more about Graphic Novels in general and recommends specific ones. I really like the “No Flying, No Tights: Super Hero Soup” tab. I know my classroom library tended to have more options for the girls to choose (I did not plan it that way … it just happened). I can see Graphic Novels appealing to both girls and boys.
I was also pleased to find that when you do an Advanced Search in Big Universe, one of the categories is Graphic Novels. When you do a search for Graphic Novels on Big Universe, you can find illustrated classics, biographies, history, nonfiction, and just really good stories!
image from Franklin Park Library and found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/88488351@N00/2624664037/
Big Universe's "Tornadoes" picture book will help answer kids' questions about these powerful storms. (NOAA photo)
Children’s minds are a wonderful realm – a place where the road is paved with Who’s and How’s and Why’s, leading all the way to the kingdom of knowledge.
With questions, children seek to answer the great mysteries of life and slay the dragons that threaten. They try to make sense of their environment and gain some independence.
Last week, the questions might have been “Who invented Brussels sprouts?” or “How do ocean tides move in and out?” This week, I suspect thousands of children are asking, “Why do tornadoes happen?”
In light of current events, the tornado question might be a very hard one to answer. Sometimes books can help. There are many kid-focused websites that put this weather phenomenon into terms they can grasp. One way or another, these questions need to be answered. Take the time to work this one out.
BigUniverse.com offers several weather books, and I’ve tracked down a few websites with lesson plans about tornadoes.
10 Places to Find Out About Tornadoes
- “Tornadoes” (book) (Reading Level Q. Interest Age: 3-12)
- “Investigating Storms” (book), pages 14-17, (Reading Level R. Interest Age: 9-12)
- “Rourke’s World of Science Encyclopedia, Volume 4: Earth Science” (book), page 45, (Interest Age: Grades 3-8)
- “Our Powerful Planet: The Curious Kid’s Guide to Tornadoes, Earthquakes and Other Phenomena” (book), pages 16-17, (Interest Age: Grades 2 and up.)
- WeatherWhizKids (website)
- KidStorm SkyDiary (website)
- TornadoWordTwister quiz (website)
- Create a Tornado experiment (website)
- National Geographic: Eye in the Sky—Tornadoes (website)
- FEMA Tornadoes: A Kid’s Guide (website)
To learn more about using current events as an educational resource in the classroom, read these Big Universe Blogs by Suzan Woodard.
“10 Ways to Use Current Events in the Classroom”
“Add Life to Your Teaching with Current Events”
“Dealing with Death Through Books”
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside! Cue the Weather Books”
“Mark Civil Rights Anniversary with Rosa Parks Bio”
Big Universe provides a wealth of both fiction and nonfiction stories to read. In my classroom, I often read fiction books with my students either as read alouds or in guided/independent reading time. We have end of the year test that use mostly pieces of nonfiction to assess reading skills.. Realizing that difference, I think we need to help our children understand there are different ways to tackle reading a fiction story and a nonfiction story. The nonfiction books on Big Universe are a great place to start.
I have some questions that I use to think about the ways to approach reading these different genres. (I don’t necessarily use these questions exactly as they are worded here when I use them to talk to students.)
- What is that author’s goal when writing a fictional story?
- What is a reader’s goal when reading a fictional story?
- What is the author’s goal when writing a piece of nonfiction?
- What is the reader’s goal when reading a piece of nonfiction?
- What evidence or data does an author need to support the information provided in a fictional story?
- What evidence or data does an author need to support the information provided in a piece of nonfiction?
- Are there concepts and ideas that a reader needs to understand before reading a fictional a story?
- Are there concepts and ideas that a reader needs to understand before reading a piece of nonfiction?
- How can knowing about these concepts and ideas help a reader’s understanding/comprehension?
- How can not knowing about these concepts and ideas hurt a reader’s understanding/comprehension?
- What assumptions does a reader have concerning reading a fictional story?
- What assumptions does a reader have concerning reading a piece of nonfiction?
- What assumptions do writers make when choosing to write a certain genre?
- What assumptions do readers make when choosing to read a certain genre?
(These questions are based on Dr. Richard Paul’s Model of Critical Thinking)
I am a big fan of using graphic organizers with students especially when they are encountering new information. Instead of calling them graphic organizers, I would call them thinking sheets or a silly name (like brain page) for students to show me what they are thinking. I would tell students that since I can’t cut open their heads and see what is going on in there, they need to show me on paper.
To me, literacy is more than just reading and writing … it also involves thinking and asking questions.
I like the idea of KWL charts (What I KNOW, What I WANT to know, What I LEARNED). The information shared in a KWL chart can provide information on the background knowledge the child has before reading/encountering the text.
The first column provides a window into the child’s background knowledge about the topic of the text. Most of the time having some background knowledge about a topic does help, but there are times when the background knowledge may be wrong information that could get in the way of understanding.
From looking at the middle column, I can see the prediction abilities of the child and whether or not he/she is going in the right direction. After seeing these two columns, I can tell if I need to provide more support and background information for the child to understand and hopefully comprehend the text he/she is going to read. The last column should be completed either while reading or shortly after. The information in this column provides insights about what has been understood and what has been misunderstood by the child. That information helps point me in the correct direction to discover what information needs to be covered more. In the past, students have used the information on the KWL charts to complete a variety of book projects as well.
I have recently found several variations of the traditional KWL chart that add in some interesting parts … or interesting ways of thinking.
- KWL Chart (know, want, learned)
- KWLS Chart (know, want, learned, still need to learn)
- KWL affective Chart (know, want, learned, I find interesting)
- KWL Paragraph Frame (illustration, template, place to write paragraph)
- KWLQ Chart (know, want, learned, questions)
- KWWL Chart (know, want, where to find, learned)
A slight variation on the KWL chart is the FQR chart. My 4th grade students enjoyed working with this kind of chart. While you can have a printed chart (like the one listed below), in class we often just folded a piece of notebook paper to make three columns. (We turned the notebook paper sideways and then folded the paper so the outside holes lined up with the middle hole.)
In the first column of the FQR Chart, children put facts they encounter as they read the text (this works especially in Social Studies and Science). In the second column, children put questions they have about what they are reading and questions they think of as they are reading. In the last column, children respond to the text they have read. This can be done by telling what they found interesting, telling what they did not understand, possibly answering some of the questions in the Q column, or even the things they thought of as they read the text.
According to Reading Rockets, Good readers:
- Draw on background knowledge as they read
- Make predictions as they read
- Visualize the events of a text as they read
- Recognize confusion as they read
- Recognize a text’s structure/organization as they read
- Identify/recognize a purpose for reading
- Monitor their strategy use according to the purpose for reading the text
In other words, students need to think while they are reading. The first time I read Alice and Greta by Steven J. Simmons, I immediately started thinking of questions a parent or teacher could ask to help a child “think aloud” while reading this book. Paying attention to the illustrations on each page really contributes to the meaning of the story.
- Pages 6-7: The story says that “although they both looked out the same view, they saw thing differently.” A child could be asked why they think Alice and Greta saw things differently. (The illustrations on this page really help emphasize those differences.)
- Pages 8-9: Why do you think the witches wear those outfits and colors?
- Pages 12-13: What do you think it means that Alice’s spells were enchanting while Greta’s were diabolical?
- Pages 14-15: What did Greta miss? What do you think will happen? Do you think it is important that she missed that lesson?
- Pages 16-19: What did you notice about the witches’spells?
- Pages 20-23: What did you notices about the witches’ spells this time? What happened?
- Pages 24-25: What do you think is going to happen?
- Pages 26-27: What did happen? What do you wish would happen?
- Pages 28-35: What did you think about the story? What was your favorite part? Who would you want to be in this story? Why?
Notice that these questions are open ended ones asking for more than just a “yes” or “no” answer. A few of the questions asked for details from the story, but most of the questions asked for details from the thinking taking place inside the child’s mind. I tried to be careful and not break up the storyline by asking questions at the wrong times since I did not want asking the questions to interrupt the thinking that was taking place.
