Nina Barbaresi

Summary:

This book is the traditional version of the three little pigs. They all decide to build their own houses, each one has a different idea of what material to use. One day a wolf comes and decides to try to huff and puff and blow the houses down. The first two pigs houses made form sticks and straw were blown down and they were eaten. The third piggies house built from bricks could not be blown down so the wolf tried to climb down the chimney. The last pig was ready with a pot and cooked that wolf for dinner.

My response:
This story was very good at teaching children to be good thinkers. You always have decisions but this teaching them to make the right one.

Classroom Extensions:
1. This would be a great book to read before creative drama. You can bring in outdoor items and have them create their own story with leaves, sticks, or rocks.
2. This would be a great story to read before a creative writing assignment. Have the students make their own twist on this old classic.… (meer)

Summary: This book was given to me when I was little and has seen better days! Its a fairy tale about three little pigs who move out of their mothers houses and out on their own. They have to learn how to take care of themselves. The pigs have to build themselves houses and the first two pigs take the easy way out making their houses of straw and sticks. A wicked bad wolf is watching them and comes along and asks to be let into their homes. They tell him no and so he huffs, and puffs and blows their houses down so that he may eat them. The third pig takes his time and slowly builds himself a brick home. The wolf happens upon his house and asks to be let in. The pig denies him entry and so the wolf huffs, and puffs but is unable to blow the house down. The wolf then tries to climb down the chimney but then ends up landing inside the the large pot. The pig puts the lid on the pot and cooks the wolf.

Personal Reaction: A classic tale that I grew up reading, but now as a adult I find it to be a bit violent. Especially the illustration of the wolfs feet sticking out of the big pot on the fire. It does have a good lesson about taking your time and doing things correctly the first time however.

Classroom Extension: The class can act out the story.

You can have the class write a story about their favorite part

We could then read "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs " and have the kids talk about if the wolf could possibly be innocent. Why or why not. They could write the wolf a letter perhaps.… (meer)

Summary: This book has 20 short poems in it. The majority of them involved an animal or rodent. The best examples would be "Three Blind mice" and "Old Mother Hubbard". These are poems that have been around for many years. There was even Wee Willie Winkie which is a poem about childrens bedtimes.

Personal Refection: I enjoy this particular book because it has poems that i grew up with. These were a normal part of play when i was in elementary school. There were only a few that i did not hear or play with in my childhood such as "Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat" and "Pussy Cat Ate the Dumplings". The remainder were an active part of recess time and everyday play among myself and my friends. I have even heard some of them in recent times. I need to take the time to introduce my own children to these wonderful poems.

Extentions:
1) Could read them to the students and then as a class write your own poem involving people or places familiar to you as a group.
2) Class discussion about poems and/or stories the students have heard and why they are important.… (meer)