TEACHING
GUIDE
TEACHING
®
LET’S READ
TOGETHER
VOWEL
COMBINATIONS
1st Grade Reading Level
ISBN-10: 1-57565-256-0 Magenta
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-256-6
LETTER TO THE EDUCATOR
Dear Teacher,
Welcome, and thank you for choosing the Vowel Combination set from the Let’s Read
Together® series.
The instructional content, practice pages, and activities in this teaching guide support and
enhance each of the books in the Vowel Combination set. The teaching guide was developed
with the assistance of classroom teachers and leading educators in the field of literacy instruction.
During the writing process, special attention was paid to the importance of five essential skills in
early-education reading programs.
As defined by the National Institute for Literacy, the “Big Five” skills are:
Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear and identify the individual sounds in spoken words.
Phonics: The relationship between the sounds of spoken words and the individual letters or
groups of letters that represent those sounds in written words.
Fluency: The ability to read text accurately and smoothly with appropriate speed and
expression.
Vocabulary: The words that children know and choose in order to communicate effectively.
Comprehension: The ability to think about and gain meaning from what is read.
We believe that the materials in the Vowel Combination Teaching Guide will support your efforts
to increase your students’ reading skills and help them become lifelong readers.
Sincerely,
Joanne E. Kane
Publisher
Copyright © 2007 by The Kane Press
Permission is granted for reproduction of this printed material for
educational use only. All other rights reserved. Other than as
discussed above, no part of the Vowel Combination Teaching Guide
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher. For more information regarding permission, write
to The Kane Press, 240 West 35th Street, Suite 300, New York, NY
10001-2506.
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 6 — IG — 12 11 10 09 08 07
Books in the Vowel
Combination series include:
Wally Walrus
Marty Aardvark
Perky Otter
Rooney ’Roo
Bouncy Mouse
BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS
1. WHAT’S THAT VOWEL
SOUND?
Use this bulletin board to track the
targeted words in each book.
Keep an ongoing list of the short vowel,
long vowel, or vowel team words covered
in each set of books.You may wish to
enlarge and use the character cards (see
p. 6) from each set for column headings.
2. WHERE DID YOU FIND IT?
Introduce students to reference and
citation with this bulletin board.
©2007 The Kane Press
Write content questions about the
book you are reading in “The
Question” column.
Write the page number where students can find the answers to
the questions in “The Page”
column. Let the class find and
discuss their answers as you read
through the book.
Then, write the correct answer(s)
in “The Answer” column.
As students become familiar with the
exercise, give only the questions and let
students come up with the answers and
the page numbers.
For Your Reference
3
BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS (continued)
3. WORDS ARE FUN!
Increase children’s vocabulary with
this bulletin board.
Cover the board with index cards filled
out with words that fall into either category: Words… we really like or
Words… we want to know. You can do this
activity for one book, a group of five, or
the entire series.
4. WORDS TO HELP
YOU WRITE
Students can refer to this bulletin
board to improve their writing.
With the children’s input, write words
from the book you are reading in the correct columns.
Copy a section of one of the books onto
a piece of paper, leaving blank spaces
for some nouns, adjectives and verbs.
Ask the class to call out words from the
bulletin board by their parts of speech.
Fill in the blanks using their words.
Read the completed section back to
the class.
4
For Your Reference
©2007 The Kane Press
You can use the board to create a class
MAD LIBS! activity.
5. GUESS IT! PRESS IT!
Use this bulletin board for targeting
vowel sounds and spelling practice.
Enlarge and use character cards (see p. 6)
for column headings. Give each child or
group of children a pad of sticky notes.
Call out a vocabulary word that follows
the vowel sound being targeted. Give children time to sound out the word, or make
it with letter blocks (see p. 8).
Then ask children to write or draw the
word on a sticky note. Call on a volunteer
to spell the word aloud and stick it in the
correct column on the board. Continue
until all the vocabulary words are mounted in the correct columns on the board.
Make sure each child has an opportunity
to participate.
6. GET TO KNOW YOUR
BOOK! (KWL CHART)
©2007 The Kane Press
This bulletin board lets students
track their comprehension and gets
them involved in the story—even
before they begin reading!
Introduce a new book by scanning
through it with your students paying special attention to the cover and the illustrations. Encourage students to tell what
they notice. Write their comments on the
paper strips in the “We Know” column.
Before reading, ask students what questions they have about the book. Write
their questions in the “We Want to
Know” column.
After reading, have students think about
their questions and write their
answers in the “We Learned” column.
For Your Reference
5
CHARACTER CARDS
Have students color and cut out these cards.
Let students play a game of Memory or Go
Fish! or laminate the cards and let students trade
them. Students may want to record their favorite
words from each story on the back of their character cards.You can enlarge the cards to use on
a bulletin board, like What’s That Vowel Sound?
(see p. 3) or Guess It! Press It! (see p. 5). Be
creative and play your cards right!
6
For Your Reference
©2007 The Kane Press
DIRECTIONS:
©2007 The Kane Press
CHARACTER CARDS
For Your Reference
7
WORD GROUPING TOOLS
The Let’s Read Together® series highlights short vowels, long vowels, and vowel teams.You
may wish to use the following tools to help students learn these vowel combinations and
the vocabulary words that contain them. Word grouping tools help students:
✔ categorize and memorize words
✔ recognize spelling patterns
✔ recall words that rhyme
✔ locate and use new words in their writing
✔ make sentences that are progressively more complex
✔ study on their own, with parents, or with other students
FLIPBOOKS
Flipbooks help students recognize spelling patterns. Each flipbook should highlight a specific word family (or rime).
MAKING A FLIPBOOK: Lay a spiral-bound index-card
notepad in front of you with the spiral binding across the top.
Cut each index card into two equal parts—except for the first
and last card (to allow for a cover). Print single- and
double-letter onsets on each left card of the flipbook. Print
a word family or rime on the first right card of the flipbook.
You may wish to highlight vowel patterns in red, writing the
rest of the word in black. Remove any blank cards.
If you would like, print more than one rime on the right
cards of the flipbook, but keep the vowel sound consistent
(as in at, an and ap). This can lead to nonsense combinations
that may be fun for more advanced students.
WORD BLOCKS
Children may enjoy using these manipulatives to build words and sentences prior to writing
them.You can adapt most phonics activities in this guide to include the use of word blocks.
paper, or you can use wooden blocks. Write or paint letters (like vowels and consonants) or
groups of letters (like vowel combinations, onsets, and rimes) on the blocks.You may wish
to use ready-made interlocking letter blocks, such as ETA/Cuisenaire’s Reading Rods®,
which are available in a variety of categories.
8
For Your Reference
©2007 The Kane Press
MAKING WORD BLOCKS: You can make your own blocks from card stock or construction
WORD BANKS
Word banks give students easy access to vocabulary
words. Sight words, favorite words, new words, or difficult
words can be grouped according to their medial vowel
sounds.You can make a classroom set of word banks, or
students can make their own.
MAKING A WORD BANK: Find three small boxes,
18 index cards with tabs, and several regular index cards.
Label the boxes Short Vowels, Long Vowels, and Vowel
Teams. Label the tabs with the eighteen vowel sounds that
are targeted in the series. Finally, write each word that you would like to target on an
index card, and file the cards in the word bank.
You may want to color-code the tabs and cards. For example, for short vowels you
can make a word bank that contains ă words on pink cards, ĕ words on light blue
cards, ĭ words on orange cards, ŏ words on light green cards, and ŭ words on
yellow cards.
Have the index cards and word banks available for students to use at any time in
the classroom.
WORD WALLS
Word walls display words in an organized manner. They provide students with easy
access to words in specific word families or alphabetized vocabulary words.The
activity for Rooney ‘Roo on p. 16 utilizes a word wall.
MAKING A WORD WALL: Cut out several index card-sized pieces of
©2007 The Kane Press
construction paper. Using a dark marker, print each column heading and word you
wish to display.You can highlight vowels patterns by writing them in red. Laminate
and display the words under the proper column heading on the word wall.
For Your Reference
9
WALLY WALRUS
Broad O Sound, ô
I HEAR AW!
Phonemic Awareness: Listening for the Broad O Sound
READY! You will need a copy of Wally Walrus.
SET! Read Wally Walrus to the class.
GO! Now read the story a second time. Tell students to listen carefully for the broad ô
sound. When they hear a word with this sound, they should raise their hands, say the word
aloud, and explain what it means. Challenge other students to use the word correctly in a
complete sentence.
SAND WRITING FUN
Phonics: Practicing Writing Broad O Words
READY! You will need a disposable baking tray filled with sand for each child.
(Alternatively, you may use individual chalkboards, white boards, or notepads.)
SET! Remind children that the ô sound is made by the letters au, al, or aw.
GO! Call out a broad ô word from the story for children to “write” in their sand. Help
them write the word a second time if their first spelling is not correct. Finally, let them
“erase” both spellings and spell the word again correctly on their own. Continue the
activity with another broad ô word from the story.
SQUAWKY HUNT
Fluency: Gathering Meaning Through Close Reading
READY! Students will need Practice Makes Perfect, page 20, a pencil, and a copy of Wally
Walrus.
SET! Put students in groups and distribute page 20, one copy for each group.
GO! Tell students to read the story carefully to find the answers to the Squawky Hunt
©2007 The Kane Press
questions. (See Answer Key on back cover.) Give them this hint: most of the answers have
to do with the broad ô sound. As they finish the hunt, you may wish to reward students
with a cold treat, in tribute to the story’s chilly setting!
10
Fun While Reading: Wally Walrus
IT’S NOT STRANGE, IT’S CINQUAIN!
Vocabulary:Writing a Cinquain Poem Using Broad O Words
READY! Students will need paper, pencils, and markers.
SET! Display a list of broad ô words from the story. Show children
the cinquain and explain that a cinquain is a short poem with five lines.
Point out its diamond shape and the underlined broad ô words.
Wally
Shy, scared
Hauling, falling, launching
No more is he slow
Walrus
Explain the rules for writing a cinquain:
Line 1: One word that names the subject
Line 2: Two words that describe the subject
Line 3: Three words that tell what the subject does or express action about the subject
Line 4: Four or five words in a sentence or phrase that express a thought about
the subject
Line 5: One word that sums up, is the opposite of, or means the same thing as the subject.
GO! Have children write their own cinquain about Wally or another character in the story.
Challenge children to use broad ô words from the story. Have them illustrate their poems.
EVEN WALRUSES HAVE PROBLEMS
Comprehension: Mapping Events, Problems, and Solution
READY! Students will need a pencil and Practice Makes Perfect, page 21.
SET! Read Wally Walrus with the class. Distribute page 21.
GO! Have students complete page 21. For number 1, Wally’s Problem, review book pages 3
to 7. Ask: “What is Wally’s problem?” (Possible answers: Squawky Hawk scares Wally.
Squawky calls Wally slow.)
For number 2, Events, look back at book pages 8 to 30. Ask: “What events lead to the solution?” (Possible answers: Wally’s dad tells him how to deal with Squawky. Wally walks
to school. Wally slips and dives into the water. Squawky sees Wally go fast and apologizes
to him.)
©2007 The Kane Press
For number 3, The Solution, look back at book pages 26 to 29. Ask: “Was the problem
solved? How do you know?” (Possible answers: Wally is no longer scared of Squawky.
Squawky rides on Wally’s back.)
Fun While Reading: Wally Walrus
11
MARTY AARDVARK
AR Sound, ar
BAG IT!
Phonemic Awareness: Comparing Broad O and the
AR Sound
READY! You will need two bags (small shopping bags or paper
bags), index cards, scissors and magazines. Label one bag Marty’s AR
Beach Bag and the other bag Wally’s AW Book Bag. Paste pictures of
the words from the Word Bank on index cards, mix up the cards and
put them in a pile. (You may wish to have the children cut out and
paste the pictures.)
SET! Let each student pick a card from the pile.
GO! Help students decide what ar or broad ô word is illustrated on
WORD BANK
ar: bar, yard, farm, far,
park, spark, dark, cart,
shark, hard, lark, card,
warm, smart
ô: ball, yawn, fault, fall,
pause, sprawl, draw, calm,
squawk, haul, talk, call,
walk, swallow
their card. Then have them place the cards in the correct bag.
IS THAT MY WORD?
Phonics: Making a List of Words With the AR Sound
READY! You will need a copy of Marty Aardvark, index cards, and a marker.
Students will need paper and a pencil. Write each ar word from the story on an index card
(make one card for each child).
SET! Give each child a card.
GO! Tell children to listen closely while you read Marty Aardvark. When a child hears the word written
on his card, he should hold up the card and spell the word for the class to write down. Then have children look at the context clues around the word and guess what the word means. By the end of the story,
children should have a list of ar words to use in their own writing.
MARTY’S RADIO SHOW
Fluency: Using Sound Effects
READY! Students will need a copy of Marty Aardvark, paper, a pencil, a tape, and a tape recorder.
SET! Discuss the “sounds” the students “hear” as they read each stanza of Marty Aardvark.
GO! Have groups look back over the story. The directors should write down what sounds the soundeffects people are going to make and when. Have the directors take the readers through one practice
performance, and then a live recording. Remind them that the sound-effects people need to make the
sounds at the right time (“on cue”). Each group can play their own version of “Marty’s Radio Show”
for the rest of the class.
WHAT A CHARACTER!
Vocabulary: Writing a Character Poem Using AR Sound Words
READY! Children will need paper, pencils, and markers. Have available a list of ar words
from the story.
12
Fun While Reading: Marty Aardvark
©2007 The Kane Press
(Possible answers: car motor, water, guitar, ship’s bell, rain.) Put students into groups.
Each group should choose one or two readers, one or two sound-effects people, and one director.
SET! Display the list of ar words. Show children the
Character Poem about Marty Aardvark. Explain that
Character Poems briefly retell the character’s story in
short phrases and do not have to rhyme. Point out the
underlined ar words. Then, use the poem and the rules
below to demonstrate how to write a Character Poem.
Explain the rules for writing a Character Poem:
Line 1: What is the name of the character?
(Name; also the title)
Marty Aardvark
Working, planting, caring, wishing
Wants to see the sea
Goes to town, to the barge, to the sea
Sees a star, a storm, a shark
Is helped by a swimming marlin
Now, she wants to go home
Marty Aardvark
Line 2: What is that character like? (Four -ing words)
Line 3: What does the character want? (Wants to…)
Line 4: Where are some places the character goes?
(Goes to…)
Line 5: What are some things the character sees? (Sees…)
Line 6: Who helps the character? (Is helped by…)
Line 7: What does the character want at the end of the story? (Now, …)
Line 8: Write the name of the character again. (Name)
GO! Have children write their own Character Poems about Marty or another character
from the same or a different story. Challenge them to find and use ar words. Children
may wish to illustrate their poems.
SHOOT FOR THE STARS!
Comprehension: Setting Goals
READY! Students will need Practice Makes Perfect, page 22
and a pencil or markers.
SET! Introduce the subject of goal-setting. Ask questions such
as the following:
What are some goals you have set?
©2007 The Kane Press
What steps did you take to reach your goal?
Review pages 5-7 in the book. Ask students about Marty’s goal.
Students should guess that her goal is to go to sea.
GO! Distribute page 22. Explore with students how Marty
reaches her goal. (Possible answers: She saves money in a cookie
jar. She drives to town and talks with Parker Lark.)
Fun While Reading: Marty Aardvark
13
PERKY OTTER
ER Sound, ∂r
WHERE ER YOU?
Phonemic Awareness: Recognizing the ER Sound
READY! You will need index cards and a marker.
SET! Write each word from the Word Bank on an index card. Give one
card to each child and help them sound out the words.
GO! Encourage children to say their words with expression. Then have
each child find someone whose word has the same ending, or rime, as
their word. When all the children have found their “match,” challenge
each pair to put their words in a sentence or rhyming poem.
WORD BANK
jerk, clerk, swirl, girl,
twirl, whirl, scurry,
blurry, learn, yearn,
nurse, purse, faster,
master, hurt, blurt,
bird, third, shirt, dirt,
flirt, skirt, swerve,
nerve
CREEPY, CRAWLY WORDAPILLAR
Phonics: Organizing ER Sound Words
READY! Students will need a copy of Perky Otter, magazines, paper, pencils, scissors,
a circle pattern, construction paper, and markers.
SET! Ask students to find words in Perky Otter that contain the ∂r sound, spelled er, or,
ir or ur. Then ask students to look in magazines or other books for more words that fit
into these four ∂r categories. Have them write their ∂r words in four lists (er, or, ir and ur) and
choose their favorite list.
SEARCHING FOR A PERKY WORD
Fluency: Recognizing ER Sound Words
READY! Children will need a copy of Perky Otter, a pencil, Practice Makes Perfect, page 23,
graph or grid paper, construction paper, markers, and a laminator.
SET! Distribute a copy of page 23 to each child.
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Fun While Reading: Perky Otter
©2007 The Kane Press
GO! Give each child a circle pattern and construction paper. Have them trace and cut out
circles and write each ∂r word from their favorite list on a circle. They should punch two
holes on either side of each circle, and use string or yarn to join the circles together to make
ER Sound Wordapillars (caterpillars made of ∂r words). The children can also add a face,
tail, and legs to the Wordapillar.
GO! Have children find the ∂r words on page 23 and write sentences
using five of those words.
Ask them to search through the book and make a list of 5–10 ∂r words
to put in their own word search puzzle. Tell them to write each letter of
each word they have chosen in boxes on the graph paper—diagonally,
across, or down—within a 15" x 15" box area. Fill in blank boxes with
random letters.
Help children mount their word searches on construction paper and
illustrate them.You may want to laminate the puzzles so children can
exchange them several times.
THE POETRY OF A NAME
Vocabulary:Writing an Acrostic Poem Using ER Sound Words
READY! Students will need paper and pencils, markers, glue, and construction paper.
SET! Display a list of ∂r words from the story and the Acrostic Poem. Point
out that an Acrostic Poem begins each line with a letter in a character’s
name, does not have to rhyme, and tells about the character in short phrases.
Also point out the underlined vocabulary (in this case, long a) words.
GO! Help students write their own Acrostic Poems about Perky Otter, Bert
Beaver, or a character from another story. Challenge students to use ∂r words
from the story. When their poems are complete, have students glue their work
on construction paper. They may enjoy illustrating their poems.
Janey bakes
A lot of cakes
Nice and
Easy
Yeah!
Carrot cake
Raisin cake
Acorn cake
Now her friends
Eat them!
FREE TO BE PERKY AND ME!
Comprehension: Comparing and Contrasting With a Venn Diagram
READY! Children will need Practice Makes Perfect, page 24 and pencils.You will need a copy
of Perky Otter.
SET! Discuss the terms compare and contrast. To compare is to decide how things are alike.
©2007 The Kane Press
To contrast means to show how things are different. Read Perky Otter with the class. Then
hand out page 24.
GO! Guide children as they write Perky and Bert’s differences in the outer
circles. For example, Perky likes to play and Bert likes to work.
Then have them write similarities in the space where the two
circles intersect. For example, Perky and Bert both live
in houses.
Fun While Reading: Perky Otter
15
ROONEY ’ROO
—
Short OO, oo • Long OO, oo
SHORT OR LONG OO?
Phonemic Awareness: Comparing Short and Long OO
READY! Have available a copy of Rooney ’Roo, a picture of a book, and a picture of a
boot. Students will need Practice Makes Perfect, page 25.
SET! Display both pictures. Draw a short arrow under the book and a long arrow under
the boot. Then point out the short oo sound in book, and the long oo sound in boot. The
difference is subtle, but present. Short oo is pronounced in the back of the mouth and
throat and long oo is pronounced in the front of the mouth and lips.
—
GO! As you read the story, have students raise their hands when they hear an oo or oo
word. Compare that word to book and boot. Does it have the short oo or long oo sound?
Then distribute and have students complete page 25. You may wish to review the page
with students ahead of time. (Answer Key on back cover)
OO’S CLUES
Phonics: Spelling with a Word Wall
READY! You will need index cards and a marker. Children will need paper and pencils.
Begin a word wall (see page 9) with the following word-family headings; -ood, -ook, -oom,
-oon, -oop, -oup, and -ue. Put words from the exercise below in columns under the correct
headings. Add other long and short oo words.
SET! Point out the words and word families on the word wall. Then have children number
their papers from 1 to 12.
GO! Read the clues below and have children write down their answers, using the word
wall as needed.
This word starts with:
1. g and rhymes with wood. (good)
6. m and rhymes with noon. (moon)
2. b and rhymes with hook. (book)
7. dr and rhymes with goop. (droop)
3. br and rhymes with hook. (brook)
8. sw and rhymes with goop. (swoop)
4. z and rhymes with boom. (zoom)
9. gr and rhymes with soup. (group)
5. s and rhymes with noon. (soon)
10. fl and rhymes with Sue. (flue)
BONUS: This word starts with after and rhymes with moon. (afternoon)
HOW DOES THE STORY GO?
Fluency: Putting A Story in Sequential Order
READY! You will need a copy of Rooney ’Roo, markers, and construction paper.
Write each stanza of Rooney ’Roo on a large piece of construction paper.
Allow space for children to illustrate.
16
Fun While Reading: Rooney ’Roo
©2007 The Kane Press
11. tr and rhymes with Sue. (true)
SET! Read Rooney ’Roo to the class.
GO! Give each student a stanza to illustrate. Then have them stand in the order in which
their stanzas appear in the story. They should do this from memory by quietly discussing
and working with classmates. Read the book aloud again and see if students are in the correct sequence. If they are not, give them time to rearrange themselves as you read. Finally,
encourage students to read their stanzas aloud in the correct order.
HAIKU ’ROO
Vocabulary:Writing a Haiku Using OO Words
READY! Children will need paper and pencils, markers, glue, and construction paper.
— words from the story. Show children the
SET! Compile and display a list of oo and oo
haiku below. Explain that haiku is a very old Japanese poetic tradition. It conveys emotion
while describing a small scene in nature. Haiku does not have to rhyme. Point out the
underlined long oo word.
Explain the rules for writing haiku:
Line 1: 5 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Raindrop on a leaf—
Warm breeze sends it to the earth.
Roots will drink the gift.
Line 3: 5 syllables
GO! Look at book page 7 with the class and review
the poem to the right. Compare the nature illustrations
and the poem. Discuss the feelings the poem conveys
(ex: calm) and the emotions it evokes (ex: loneliness).
Now ask children to find a nature scene in the book and
write a haiku about it. Have them illustrate their poems.
Rooney by the brook—
Water rushes, mother calls.
But he hears nothing.
READING MAKES SENSE!
Comprehension: Using the Five Senses
READY! You will need a copy of Rooney ’Roo. Students will need
Practice Makes Perfect, page 26 and pencils.
SET! Discuss the five senses—sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
©2007 The Kane Press
Ask students to “use their senses” as you read Rooney ’Roo.
GO! Distribute page 26. Encourage students to write what they saw,
heard, tasted, felt, and smelled when you read Rooney ’Roo. Encourage
them to share their “sense” experiences with the class.
Fun While Reading: Rooney ’Roo
17
OU Dipthong, ou
OI Dipthong, oi
BOUNCY MOUSE
OW! HOT POTATO!
Phonemic Awareness: Comparing OU and OI
READY! You will need a copy of Bouncy Mouse and a ball or beanbag to use as a “hot potato.” Review the words in the
Word Bank.
SET! Read Bouncy Mouse to the class, introducing the ou and oi
sounds. Have children sit in a circle. Give one child the “hot potato.”
GO! Tell everyone to listen carefully as you read words from the
Word Bank. When they hear the ou sound, as in mouse, they pass
the hot potato to the right. When they hear the oi sound, as in
noise, they pass the potato to the left.
You may also wish to do this activity using vocabulary words from
the other books. Remind children not to pass the potato if they
don’t hear the ou or oi sound. Encourage them to identify the
vowel sound they hear.
WORD BANK
ou: mouse, loud, crowd,
how, bounce, shout,
now, house, out, howl,
pound, proud, around,
sound, town, mouth,
pout, blouse, round,
ground, couch, pouch,
brown, cow
oi: noise, choice, join, toy,
voice, oil, boil, spoil,
broil, coin, point, moist,
boy, joy
A LOUD AND NOISY FOREST
Phonics: Using Word Families to Write OU and OI
Words
READY! Students will need construction paper, Bouncy
Mouse and other books, and markers.
SET! Put students in groups and assign each group a word
family (words that end in -oice, -oil, -oin, -oise, -oy, -oud,
-ounce, -ound, -ouse, -out, -ow, -owl, or -own).
GO! Have groups make a list of words in their word family.
Then each group should draw or make a large tree, writing
their word family on its trunk and the words from their list on
its branches. (See illustration.)
Have groups present their trees. Display all the trees in the
classroom to create a “Loud and Noisy Forest.”
Fluency: Using Props to Tell a Story
READY! Have available a drum, a guitar, a trombone (or horn of some kind), a
violin (or string instrument of some kind), and balloons.You will also need a picture
or drawing of an owl and a microphone.
SET! Place the objects in the order in which they appear in the story. Then read
Bouncy Mouse aloud.
GO! Have volunteers use the objects to retell the story in their own words. Then,
change the order of the objects and have children tell a new story. To extend the activity,
you may wish to have children bring in five objects from home and make up their own
story to share with the class.
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Fun While Reading: Bouncy Mouse
©2007 The Kane Press
IS THAT PROPER?
CLERI-WHO?
Vocabulary:Writing a Clerihew Poem Using OU and OI Words
READY! Students will need paper, pencils, and markers.
SET! Display a list of ou and oi words from the story and the clerihew below.
Explain that a clerihew is a funny rhyme about a person.
Be sure to point out the underlined dipthongs in the poem.
Explain the rules for writing a clerihew:
1. They are four lines long.
2. They should be funny.
3. The first line names the person the poem is about.
The little drummer, Bouncy Mouse
Loved to jump around the house.
The band he played in sure was neat,
But, boy, did he have stinky feet!
4. The first and second lines rhyme with each other.
5. The third and fourth lines rhyme with each other.
GO! Have students write a clerihew about one of the characters
in Bouncy Mouse. Students can use words from the “Loud and Noisy
Forest” to help their poem rhyme. (See preceding phonics activity.)
Let students illustrate their poem.
WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?
Comprehension: Identifying the Main Events
READY! Children will need Practice Makes
Perfect, page 27, and pencils or markers.
©2007 The Kane Press
SET! Read Bouncy Mouse to the class. Discuss
the events in the story. (Bouncy bounces and
plays drums. Bouncy’s dad sends him outside.
Bouncy finds Howie, who howls and plays a guitar. They find Brownie Cow, who plays the blues
with a trombone. And so forth.)
GO! Have children identify the four main events
in the story and write or draw them in sequential
order on page 27. (Possible answers: Bouncy’s
father sends him outside to play drums. Bouncy
finds a band. The band plays in town. The band
becomes famous.)
Fun While Reading: Bouncy Mouse
19
SQUAWKY HUNT
Name:
1. When Wally Walrus wakes up he blinks and ________________.
2. You might have a teddy bear or blanket you sleep with.
What does Wally have? ________________
3. What word on page 6 probably means the
same as cry? ________________
4. What part of Squawky Hawk scares Wally? ________________
5. You have to comb your hair in the morning.
What does Wally have to comb? ________________
*Extra point: What is another word for this? ________________
6. What do Wally and his father wear out in the
cold to stay warm? ________________
7. What mean name does Squawky Hawk
call Wally on page 16? ________________
8. What word on page 17 could mean the same as
walks or carries? ________________
9. What word on page 19 could mean the same
thing as stop? ________________
10. What word on page 20 could mean the same thing
as blasts off? ________________
12. What word on page 26 could mean the same thing
as say you’re sorry? ________________
13. Look at the picture on page 24. What do you think the word
applaud means? ________________
14. What does Wally Walrus do at the end of the book
in front of his friends? ________________
15. How many people in your group can do a somersault? _________
20
Practice Makes Perfect: Wally Walrus
©2007 The Kane Press
11. Look at page 21. What is a somersault? ________________
Name:
©2007 The Kane Press
PROBLEMS, EVENTS,
SOLUTIONS
Practice Makes Perfect: Wally Walrus
21
Name:
©2007 The Kane Press
TAKING STEPS TO
REACH A GOAL
22
Practice Makes Perfect: Marty Aardvark
PERKY’S
WORD SEARCH
Name:
FIND EACH OF
THE FOLLOWING
WORDS
WORD
BANK
PERKY
WORM
LABOR
SCURRY
NEVER
DIRT
DOCTOR
BIRD
HURT
EARLY
SKIRT
LADDER
WORK
OTTER
©2007 The Kane Press
Write five sentences about Perky Otter using five of the words
you found in the word search.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Practice Makes Perfect: Perky Otter
23
Name:
©2007 The Kane Press
VENN DIAGRAM
24
Practice Makes Perfect: Perky Otter
SHORT OR LONG OO?
Name:
Practice Makes Perfect: Rooney ’Roo
25
Taste
USE YOUR SENSES
26
Practice Makes Perfect: Rooney ’Roo
Name:
FIND THE MAIN
EVENTS: SEQUENCING
Name:
Practice Makes Perfect: Bouncy Mouse
27
ANSWER KEY
SQUAWKY HUNT
Practice Makes Perfect, page 20
1. yawns
2. a fish
3. bawl
4. claws
5. his snout (extra point: nose)
6. scarf and hat
7. Slow-poke
8. hauls
9. halt
10. launches
11. a tumble
12. apologize
13. clap, cheer
14. takes a bow
15. answers will vary
PERKY’S WORD SEARCH
Practice Makes Perfect, page 23
See page 15.
SHORT OR LONG OO?
Practice Makes Perfect, page 25
Children should circle the short line for
book, hood, look, cook, wood, and brook.
Children should circle the long
line for boot, zoo, kangaroo,
school, tooth, soup,
moo, moose, broom,
and goose.