PUMPKIN CIRCLE: Book Review & Sequencing Activity

September has barely begun and in our area there is already a distinct crispness to the air. The insects can sense that changes are on their way. The hummingbirds have begun their yearly migration to warmer areas. It’s definitely time to prepare for autumn.

With the changes of the seasons at my doorstep, I thought I’d celebrate this transition with another book review and giveaway. The timing of this review and giveaway will allow the winner of the giveaway the chance to receive the treats before the month of tricks is upon us. So, without further delay, check out this month’s book review and giveaway times TWO!

Books available on Amazon.com

PUMPKIN CIRCLE by George Levenson & Shmuel Thaler

Where does life begin?  How does life evolve? When does life begin again? These are questions that children and adults seek answers to. In Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson and Shmuel Thaler, the circle of life is showcased through vividly detailed photos that are punctuated by the well-chosen words that dance across the pages.

The book begins with a cascade of pumpkins tumbling across a two page spread. The stage has now been set. Interest has been piqued. Immediately following this introduction, Levenson and Thaler lead the reader on a guided tour of a pumpkin patch that progresses from the long lazy days of summer to the crisp and fleeting days of fall. Leaves grow. Blossoms bloom. Pumpkins swell. Vines fade. Pumpkins are harvested. Yet, that is not the end of the story. Whether you are a curious child or an inquisitive adult, read this story to discover how the circle of life begins again.

As an added bonus, Levenson and Shmuel cleverly obscure the identity of the pumpkin farmer. By doing so, the reader is invited to place himself in the role of the gardener. So, go ahead— carve into that freshly harvested pumpkin. But don’t forget to save some of the seeds to start your own Pumpkin Circle next spring.

The Details:

Word count: 459 (excluding fact page at the end of the story)
Average words per page: 12
Recommended age range: 4-7
Extra value: breathtaking photography, rich vocabulary, fun subject material.

How Do You Grow a Pumpkin?

This simple sequencing activity is great for children ages 4 through 6. Simply print the images, cut out the 6 pictures, and conduct a quick lesson on how a pumpkin grows. For younger children, placing the images in order with a loosely guided discussion might be the best option. For children in first grade, creating simple sentences to accompany those images can make this not only a science lesson, but also a language arts activity, as well.

Have fun ‘growing’ your pumpkin with your little ones.

 

CHALLENGE: Where do you think this picture fits into the sequencing activity? There are many answers, provided the explanation is correct. J

 

Interested in adding this book to your child’s library? Register here for a book giveaway.*
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Like or Share on Facebook (click link)

*This giveaway will include a free copy of Pumpkin Circle (George Levenson & Shmuel Thaler), Pumpkin Jack (Will Hubbell), as well as another treat. The registration will last from the posting of this blog post until midnight, September 18, 2013. One winner will be randomly selected from all entries. The books and treat will be shipped from Amazon within approximately 2 weeks following the close of the giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States with a United State’s mailing address. The winner’s name will be posted on the blog, unless the winner chooses not to have his/her name posted.

 

This post was linked to the following blogs. Please check them out:

Fantastic Fun and Learning dot Com

KidsActivitiesBlog dot com

The Mom Maven dot com

No Time For Flashcards dot com

Rainy Day Mum dot CO dot UK

 Giveaway Update 09/19/13: Congratulations to the winners of Pumpkin Circle and Pumpkin Jack. So far, the winners are:

Katie B., Lynn N., Renee C., and Julie G.

I am awaiting a response from the other winners before posting their names.

Thank you for entering.

HOW TO CREATE A MINI-BOOKLET

It’s August! Summer activities are winding down. Preparations for the fall routine are winding up. If you’re like many parents, teachers, or homeschool co-op coordinators, you are probably being bombarded with educational ideas and resources. Basically, the very things meant to make education planning easier are having the opposite effect.

With the over-the-top school whirlwind in mind, this month will be light on posts, light on ideas, and light on materials. The only resource used—paper.

Paper is truly a wonderful resource:

It’s readily available.

It’s fairly inexpensive.

It’s incredibly versatile.

The idea for today is how to use a single sheet of paper to organize, retell, sequence, and review—all in one handy dandy pocket-sized mini-booklet.

HOW TO CREATE A MINI-BOOKLET

While this paper-based resource is not new, in our techno-gadget society, many of us have forgotten how utterly simple and amazingly useful paper is. Your children, students, and maybe even you will find this 8.5 x 11 creation a terrific alternative to tablets and computer screens.

MATERIALS:

A piece of blank paper (8.5 x 11 used for demonstration)

Scissors

INSTRUCTIONS:
Hint: The numbers were added to aid in the visual portion of the instructions.

1. Fold the paper in half, horizontally, scoring the fold with your fingernail. (2 sections created)

 

2. Fold the paper again, vertically, scoring the fold with your fingernail. (4 sections created)

3. Fold the paper again, vertically, scoring the fold with your fingernail. (8 sections created)

 

4. Open the paper to reveal the scored fold lines.

5. Refold the paper, horizontally, as in step 1. This will leave 4.25 x 11 strip of paper with 3 scored lines and 4 sections of paper, as shown. 

6. Using scissors cut the paper on the fold line between the first and third scored lines, as shown.

 

7. Carefully open the paper pulling the 2 middle score lines apart until the sections meet in the middle creation 4 individual sections, as shown.

 

8. Fold the paper into the finished booklet, as shown.

 

The finished product is mini-booklet with a cover and 6 interior pages.

Today’s post includes the eighth and final activity from the Sizzling Summer Snow Day Unit. While your children may be too old to complete the activity, they might be interested in helping out their younger siblings.

Please email me for a printable pdf of the snowmanpoem and worksheet.

ACTIVITY 8: SILLY SNOWMAN AND HIS SILLY SEASONS

This short activity is a great way to end the day of winter-in-the-summer play. It’s a quick reminder about how each season is different from the next, with a bit of overlap in between. The activity is intended for the younger children, but the older kids might have fun helping out.

Ages: 4-6

Time to complete: 15-20 minutes

Materials:

Copy of the Silly Snowman poem

Copy of the seasonal snowman sheet

Scissors and glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Read the poem to the children.

2. Discuss how each season is different in your area (or possibly similar).

3. Show the seasonal snowman sheet to the children and discuss how each season is represented.

4. Help the children match the season words to the correct seasonal snowman.

 

Two for Tuesday, Fun Activities to Keep the Kiddos Moving

The temps have dropped and the sun is out, what could be more perfect for a Terrific Tuesday? How about two activities that your kiddos can do with their neighborhood friends?

The post for today includes two simple activities that require little preparation and will keep your little ones (or even your not-so-little ones) moving and thinking during their break from school.

*These activities are the third and fourth items from the SizzlingSummer Snow Day Unit.

Activity 3—Round as a snowball, unique as a snowflake scavenger hunt

This activity is a great way to keep the kiddos happy, active, and thinking during the hot summer months.

Ages: 5-8

Time to complete: 30-45 minutes

Conduct a winter-themed scavenger hunt. Potential items to find in the home—an object that is a round sphere like a snowball, something that you use in the yard in the winter, something to keep you warm in the winter, something that you can use to measure the depth of the snow, something you can do inside when it is too cold to go outside, something a parent uses to clean the snow off things, something that has 6 sides like a snowflake, something that is as powdery as snow (flour, talc, cornstarch), etc.

ACTIVITY 4—MITTEN MATCH AND HAT RELAY

Ages: 4-8, with adult supervision

Time to complete: 30-45 minutes

The preparation for this activity is a wonderful way to get the neighborhood kids ready for the Sizzling Summer Snow Day. Have the kids bring their winter hat and mittens with them when they come to your home. Keep the reason for the mittens and hat a secret. This will definitely be a conversation starter when the kids arrive with their winter gear in hand.

MATERIALS:

1 pair of mittens or gloves for each child

1 winter hat for each child
Jingle bell or other device to signal the beginning of the relay
6 containers large enough to hold the mittens and hats

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prior to the activity, prepare the room for the activity:
            a. Clear an area of the room to provide about 12 feet of space for the children to participate in the relay. The area should be free of obstacles and sharp corners.
            b. Place all of the mittens in one container at the end of the relay track, making sure they are well mixed.
            c. Place the hats in another container at the end of the relay track.
            d. Place the remaining empty containers at the beginning of the relay track. These containers will be used to gather the hats and mittens when the child finishes their activity run.
2. Divide the children into two teams, having them sit in a line behind one of the empty containers.
3. Conduct the relay:
            a. Ring the jingle bell to start the relay.
            b. The first child in each team runs to the pair of full containers at the end of the relay track.
            c. The children then sort through the containers to locate their mittens and hat.

            d. The children put on the hat and mittens and run back to the beginning of the relay track.

            e. They take off the hat and mittens and place them into the container at the beginning of the relay  track.
            f. They tag the next child in line.
            g. Repeat steps 3b through 3f until one team finishes the relay.