Monkey Moves Emergent Reader Activity
BEFORE READING
Display the book. Then with children, take a picture walk through the book. Ask children to tell what the monkeys are doing on each page. Invite children to predict what the book is about. Point out the cover photo. Tell children that the photo gives clues about the book.
READING
Set a purpose for reading by telling children they will learn about some of the ways that monkeys move or act. Read the book aloud and invite children to follow along.
Use questions such as these to help children follow the story:
• Where do monkeys live?
• What part of their body helps them move?
• Do you think monkeys can move fast?
WORKSHEET & Sample PDF Activity
Sample PDF Activity
AFTER READING
Discuss what children learned from the book. Create a list that compares how monkeys move and how another kind of animal moves, such as a snake. Invite children to brainstorm action words for the list. When the list is complete, pantomime the actions and have children guess the animal move.
Response Activities
What a Monkey Can Do
Materials: drawing paper, crayons, chart paper, marker
On chart paper write: Monkeys __. Provide examples of action words that could complete the sentence, such as run, swing, and so on. Then invite children to think of other action words that could complete the sentence. Write their responses on chart paper. Ask children to choose one of the sentences and to copy it onto their drawing paper and then illustrate the action.
Action Pictures
Materials: old magazines, art paper, glue, scissors, stapler, marker
Review with children what action words are. Then have pairs of children look through old magazines to find action pictures. Tell children to cut out the pictures and to glue them onto art paper. Staple the action pictures to a blank wall area. With children label each picture with its action word.
PHONICS FOCUS
Recognizing Rhythmic Beats
Read aloud page 2 from Monkey Moves. Write the words on chart paper (monkeys, sit). Say the words aloud, emphasizing the beats in each word. Count the beats aloud (3). Ask children to clap out the beats as you read the sentence aloud. Then read the other sentences in the book aloud and ask children to clap the beats.
MINI LESSONS
• READING STRATEGY
Using Photos to Make Predictions
Display Monkey Moves. Point out the cover photo. Ask children to tell if the photo gave them a clue as to what the story was going to be about. Review the photos on the interior pages with the children. Ask children to make a prediction as to what the text says using each photo as a clue.
• LANGUAGE PATTERN
Recognizing Action Words
Refer to the action words in the story and list them on the board, such as sit, leap, climb, swing, eat, sleep, and hug. Read the words aloud. Explain that these words tell what monkeys do. With children list other action words, such as hop, run, jump, and dance. Then have children sort the actions to help create a new chart titled: Inside Actions, Outside Actions.
