Bearsie Bear

Syllable Awareness Procedure 1. Read the book aloud, and point out the author’s language play, particularly the names of the characters . 2. Repeat the names of the characters . Encourage children to say them with you as you point to the animals in the illustrations . 3. Tell children that you have a collection of animals that would like to join the sleepover . Take one toy animal at a time out of a box or bag, and ask children to identify it . Start with animals that have one-syllable names, such as a duck, a bird, and a cat . 4. Ask children what name they think the author of the book would give the animal . Guide them to say Birdie Bird . (Birdsie Bird is also acceptable . Notice that both /zē/ as in Bearsie Bear and Cowsie Cow and /ē/ as in Foxie Fox and Piggie Pig are used by the author .) 5. Set the animal on the blanket, and select another animal from the box or bag . Ask children to identify and name it . Differentiate or Extend ▲ Place the animals in a centre with the book and a small blanket that is meant to serve as a bedspread . Invite children to use the props to reenact and elaborate on the story . Bearsie Bear Objective Students will add syllables to words and blend syllables . Overview In Bearsie Bear and the Surprise Sleepover Party, the author adds ending syllables to animals’ names, creating Bearsie Bear, Cowsie Cow, Foxie Fox, and others . The teacher points out the author’s play with language and asks children to use the author’s pattern to name several stuffed animals . Materials Bearsie Bear and the Surprise Sleepover Party by Bernard Waber (2002); small stuffed or plastic animals; small blanket or towel School-Home Connection Encourage children to bring toy animals from home . Let them share their animals and tell one another the animals’ names . Then, ask them what Bernard Waber, the author of the book, might have named their animals . sample sample 98

Syllable Awareness Bearsie Bear (cont.) sample