Duck and Goose inspires inquiry in Kindergarten

Today the Kindergarten students and I read Duck and Goose by Tad Hills. I love reading this book aloud. It's so much fun to act out the scenes with Duck and Goose. This book is not only a fabulously fun read aloud, it is a great way to build a bridge between neighborhoods in the library for these young students. We are wrapping up our initial exploration of the Picture Book Neighborhood and getting ready to open up a new neighborhood - the Wonder Wall or Nonfiction Neighborhood. The place to go to answer your wondering questions.

After reading and laughing about Duck and Goose, I share that I am wondering if duck and geese are friendly with each other in real life. I also share that I love the illustrations but wonder aloud if ducks have orange beaks and geese have black and yellow beaks.I then ask the students if they have wondering questions about ducks and geese. Let me tell you, they do. I've taught a version of this lesson before and it is astounding what deep thinkers these five-year-old students are. Inquiry comes so naturally to them.

Here's what my students were wondering today:

Why do they walk?
Why do they have webbed feet or stuff between their toes?
How do ducks lay eggs?
Why are ducks so similar to geese?
Why do ducks waddle when they walk?
Why do ducks have black eyes?
Why do they have black on them?
Why do they walk on the islands?
Why do they have feathers?
Why do ducks have sharp beaks?
How do ducks go to the bathroom?
Where do ducks sleep?
Where do they eat?
Where do they put their eggs when it is cold, very cold?
Where do ducks play?
Where do they find things?
What kind of water do they swim in?
Where do ducks swim?
Where do they play?
Where do they find food?
Are geese and duck friends?
Do geese make louder noises than ducks?
Where do ducks come from? How do they get alive?
Why do geese honk louder and ducks quack softer?
Do they have the same kind of feet?
Are ducks smaller than mice?
Why do ducks fly?
Why do ducks swim?
Why are geese white?
Why do ducks have green on them?
Why do they have so much yellow?

Next week, we'll be trying to answer these questions with books from our Wonder Wall.

On making connections with Rocket Learns To Read

The first graders are starting the Tad Hills' author/illustrator study.  This is a collaborative project with the classroom teachers. You can read about last year's project here and here.

Today we read, How Rocket Learned to Read.

We are using Tad Hill's Rocket books to model storytelling.  The books have messages and ideas that tie right into the reading and writing strands and align nicely to the common core.  I cringe a little bit saying this, but this is the reality: if I want teacher to collaborate and it is going to take time from their instructional day, then there needs to be real value, not always just a curriculum connection.  The Rocket books have real value. 

More importantly, the children love them.  I need only to turn to the title page and they are already in love with this special dog.

The Rocket books are fun and engaging and provide opportunities to explore language and practice visual literacy. The students used the illustrations to help determine the time of year that the story takes place and then supported that knowledge with text from the story - autumnal colors and leaves on the ground and then the teacher bird who will leave "when the weather turns." There were students who thought it was spring, so this was a good opportunity to reinforce a common understanding and model using the picture clues and text together.

The students then came up with words to describe how Rocket feels when the bird begins reading while he is trying to nap. It is interesting to watch them identify angry, frustrated, annoyed, mad, disturbed. I think it is freeing to talk about those emotions.

I tried not to stop the story often, but we had fun working through the word captivating.  

From here on, the students get caught up in the story and have fun working through the words that Rocket is learning how to spell.

What I really love about this book?  The fact that Rocket gets hooked on the story about a dog Buster and his bone that originally disturbed him.  He can't wait to find out how it ends.  Music to a reader's ears! I love sharing this message with the students.  Their eyes light up at the end of the book when they too finally find out what happened with Buster and his bone!

We'll be moving onto Rocket Writes a Story and then collecting words and writing our own stories.

The students will brainstorm ideas - just as the Little Yellow Bird helps Rocket to do:
~think about things you have seen
~think about things you have done
~think about things you are interested in
~think about places you have been

The students will collect words with this Word Tree:

Stay tuned!

And so it begins...

Inspired by Tad Hills' Rocket books, these first grade students have created their stories.  (See previous post: Rocket Inspired Stories)

The students are working on adding details to their stories.  Please feel free to comment on a story or ask questions.  We'll respond!

Ms. M's Students Write Their Story

Ms. F's Students Write Their Stories


Ms. T's Students Write Their Stories

Rocket Inspired Stories

The first graders are moving along in the Tad Hills' author/illustrator study.  

This project has gained quite a bit of energy and momentum.  The classroom teachers and I are developing additional storytelling and writing activities to tie into the next ELA unit because we've been having so much fun with this first part.  

I think this has been such a great collaboration because the books have messages and ideas that tie right into their reading and writing strands and align nicely to the common core.  I cringe a little bit saying this, but this is the reality: if I want teacher to collaborate and it is going to take time from their instructional day, then there needs to be real value, not always just a curriculum connection.  The Rocket books have real value. 

Here's what we have done so far:

We have read the books in library and the classroom:

The students brainstormed ideas - just as the Little Yellow Bird helps Rocket to do:
~think about things you have seen
~think about things you have done
~think about things you are interested in
~think about places you have beenOne of the first grade teachers created this Word Tree for collecting words for their stories:

They collected their words:

Some created a draft story picture:

The rocket and the bird

They came to the library and we introduced KidPix and game them time to explore the tools - including text boxes. We talked about using the appropriate tools for creating their pictures (no backgrounds, very few stamps, readable fonts).

They came back for a second visit and created their pictures.





Coming up next - the students as storytellers!  

"I really like that Tad Hills."

"I really like that Tad Hills."

I'm into the second lesson of a Tad Hills author/illustrator study with my first graders and that was the best comment of the day.  It was said as if the author was someone she had recently met. 

Let me just say that there is nothing more fun than watching students' faces light up when they are enjoying a story.  I didn't work with these students as kindergartners, so we are still getting to know each other.  This Tad Hills author study is giving me good insight as to who they are and great year that lies ahead of us.  I saw faces alight with joy and recognition, both today and last week.  These students are clearly identifying with the characters in the book and enjoying the journey with them.

Last week I read, Duck and Goose.  I needed to begin with a shorter story and this seemed the perfect place to start.  We read the book and started to frame our discussion.  Learning to talk meaningfully about books is a skill that we are just starting to practice.

When they came back to the library today, we recalled the previous week's story and reflected on it, then the students practiced having a conversation about the book.

Actual conversation today:

Student 1: "Have you read, Duck and Goose?"

Student 2: "Yes!"

Student 1: "Tell me about the book." 

Student 2: "It was hilarious.  I liked how Duck and Goose thought the egg was hatching, but it was really the bird kicking the ball."

Two other favorites were, "I think the full color illustrations bring you into the story," and "It's a story about friendship." Another student shared that he liked the juicy words in the story. Seriously, children are amazing and can often see the big picture, even when they are rooted in the literal.

After a few students modeling this, we read How Rocket Learned to Read.  They loved the scene where Rocket writes in the snow.  Funny.  I wonder if that scene would resonate with children from Florida?

After the story, we briefly reflected whole group. I decided to try out Voicethread and see how that changed their willingness or interest to share their thinking.  The line to my "recording studio" aka "the hallway" was out the door.  I understand why, but still want to find ways, beyond a think, pair, share and/or whole group share to empower more students to take risks and share what they are thinking.

I couldn't fit all the students into the time that I had, but you'll get the drift.  They loved the book.The conversations are in the order of my classes.  I must have read the book with a different emphasis the second time because a majority of the comments relate to when Rocket is left with the bone-related cliff hanger by the little bird. Interesting.

Also interesting for me is that more students wanted to share their thinking via Voicethread, but they were far less specific  or articulate using this tool.  I am eager to watch their growth using this and other tools to express their thinking.  


Have your students read the book?  We'd love them to join our conversation!