Craft Lesson 2: Nutrition

Resources: Pinkalicious, plastic food (veggies and junk foods), a food pyramid.

Description: In today’s society eating healthy is a big issue. A lot of children do not get the nutrition that they need. Elementary schools and preschools really emphasize the importance of nutrition’s because it has a big impact on a student’s performance in school.

How ToTeach it: Today I am going to read Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. (Read story). It is very important to make sure that we eat healthy foods. We will not really turn pink from eating too many cupcakes, but it can make us sick. So, today we are going to talk about what healthy food is and what junk food is and the differences between them. I have a basket full of pretend food and we are going to go through them one at a time and decide if it is healthy or not, and what makes it that way. The color of a food has a lot to do with its nutrients. When eating, it is good to have a very colorful plate to get all of the nutrients you need. Now that you know what foods are healthy you will be able to make better choices. It is okay to eat junk food every once in a while but you shouldn’t eat too much or you will not be able to run and play or do well in school. If you eat healthy you will grow up to be big and strong.

Craft lesson 1: The Five Senses

Resource Material: Buzz by Janet Wong, a shoe box with different items, blindfold,
item to taste, item to smell.

Discussion: It is very important for children to learn the five senses and how they are used in your everyday life. They have to use senses all the time to listen, play activities, and eat lunch. In this lesson, students will have many opportunities to practice what senses are being used.


How to Teach it: Today we are going to read the story called BUZZ by Janet Wong. Listen to the words in the story and touch your nose every time that you hear the sound buzz. (Read the whole story). While I was reading this story you were using one of your five senses. Does anyone know which one it was? It was hearing. What do you have to use to be able to hear? You’re absolutely right: your ears. Let’s make a chart and list things that we hear everyday, like the little boy in this book. Now, we are going to learn about our other senses. In this box there are many different items that you can touch. You will get to guess what item you are touching, one at a time. (Let each child have a turn). Let’s make a list of things that we touch everyday. What do you have to use in order to touch? Correct, you have to use your hands. Now we will try out another one of our senses. In my hand I have a cup of juice. With your eyes closed, I want each one of you to smell the juice and guess what flavor it is. What do we use to smell? Right: we use our nose. Let’s make a list of all of the things that we smell everyday. Next, I want you to take a drink of your juice. What do you taste? What did you use to taste the juice? Let’s make a list of things we taste everyday. Last, I am going to show you a picture. What do you see? What do you have to use to see? Let’s make a list of all of the things that you see.

Everyday we use our five senses. Sometimes we think about it, and sometimes we use our senses and don’t even know it. For the rest of the day I want to you think about when you are using you senses.

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

The Talented Clementine was such a cute book about a little girl who doesn't think she has any talent. So many children and grown up's could relate to this because it is hard to find your talent. Thoughout this story Clementine's family help's her realize that she has so many talents, but Clementine just wants to learn a talented from her friend Margaret, who is good at everything. When the big night comes everyone has their talent ready but Clementine. Instead of performing Clementine just watches and ends up running the whole show, which is the best talent of all. This book would be a very inspiration story for children to read. It would show all students that they are good at something, sometimes it just take a little help to figure it out.

Made You Look by Diane Roberts

This was a very fun book to read. I was interested in knowing what happened that I read it really quick. This would be a great book to have in a 2nd-4th grade classroom. It would be very fun to do as a read-aloud in a 2nd grade class. Students would really enjoy this book. Anyone would be able to relate to this book whether it's family, friends, vacations, or just having a dream of something that you have always wanted to do. I actually learned a lot of things reading this book because of all the trivia Jason mother and friend, Freddy used to practice for the big day.

Pinkalicious By Victoria & Elizabeth Kann

Video Booktalk

View my book review at bn.com.

Upside Down and Backwards By: Diane Bertrand

Upside Down and Backwards is a very comical, yet short read. It if broken up into different short stories and different characters in each one. I think children would enjoy this book because if you don't like one story there is another you can read. I think that is very unique how the author made this book bilingual. It gives you a chance to read the book in either English or Spanish with neither one being the dominate language.

When I Heard the learn'd astronomer By: Walt Whitman

The only thing that I like about the book is the illustrations, I think that the words are to hard to follow. When the book starts out the boy seems so excited to be there, until he enters the lecture hall. The little boy probably couldn't follow what the astronomer was saying. He wanted to explore the stars on his own. The illustration are so beautiful in this story, I think that it would be neat to just show students the pictures and let them make up their own story.

Los Gotos Black on Halloween By Marisa Montes

I think that there are some great things in the book that could be used in the classroom, as long as you are not "stepping on any one's toes", which could be possible. I think that it would be very important to talk to the parents before reading any type of topic that might be controversial. The illustration in this book are very detailed and original. I love the use of Spanish and English put in the story where a child could figure out the words using context clues. This is a great way to incorporate another language that would help make it more fun for the children. It would just be very important for the teacher to remind the students that this book in not real so that none of the student are scared, kinda like I was the first time I read it.

I Love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada

This is a great story about a little girl and her diverse families. This story would be useful in the classroom today because there are so many children from different cultural background. With our country becoming so much more diverse this book could help children who may be having a hard time or educated the children that do not know as much about different cultures. I love how it tells about her grandparents parents and where they came from. This story will really encourage students to research their own cultural backgrounds and help students be proud of where they came from.

My Name is Maria Isabel By Alma Flor Ada

I think this book would be very useful in the classroom to help students recognize the importance of someones name. This book would also be very good for teachers to read. Teacher's have to remember that every child in their classroom is an individual. I like how Maria is able to relate to the book she is reading, Charlotte's Web, to help her with her own feelings. Not only is Maria at a new school but she is given a new name which is the only thing that she still has from her past. Finally, when Maria builds the courage to write about how much her name means to her and her family all of her wishes come true.

The Name Jar By Yangsook Choi

I think that at a young age it is very important to learn about all of the different cultures. In the story, The Name Jar, Unhei is embarrassed of her name because it is so different from all of the other children. I love the story because the students were all willing to help her find a name that she wants, although most of all she wanted her real name. I think that it is a great book to share with children so that they can see how important it is to consider others feeling. Also, it is a great lesson on accepting others and yourself and being proud of who you are as an individual.