RED APPLE READING APRIL 2016 LEARNING SUPPORT GUIDE
WWW.REDAPPLEREADING.COM
APRIL READER:
PANSIES AND PETUNIAS
8
EARTH DAY TIPS
TAKE READING OUTSIDE SPOTLIGHT ON...
NIM’S ISLAND
PLANTING
BOOKS
GARDENING AND A BOOK:
THE CURIOUS GARDEN
CONTENTS 04 TAKE READING OUTSIDE
7 ways to get your kiddos reading in the fresh spring air.
06 GARDENING AND A BOOK The Curious Garden – with yummy green soup and dessert!
08 BOOK REVIEWS:
PLANTING BOOKS These 6 books are sure to get you digging in the dirt.
10 EARTH DAY TIPS
Eight easy suggestions for being kinder to our planet.
11 STORY TIME!
Friends join in on some gardening fun in Pansies and Petunias.
12 LEVEL A - PANSIES AND PETUNIAS Best for reading out loud to pre-readers or for fluent reader practice – plus two pages of fun literacy activities.
23 LEVEL B - PANSIES AND PETUNIAS Simplified story text for emerging readers – two fun pages of literacy activities after.
34 LEVEL C - PANSIES AND PETUNIAS Early reader version of the story – followed by two fun pages of literacy activities.
45 COMPREHENSION SKILLS Check in with these story questions after reading Pansies and Petunias.
46 LITERACY LINEUP
Birthdays and special days for the month of April
49 SPOTLIGHT ON... NIM’S ISLAND
Review from a young and exuberant book critic
©2016 Red Apple Reading. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and any reproduction or redistribution of part or all of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited. For questions or inquiries please email support@redapplereading.com.
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Connect with us!
April is a great month for getting outdoors and celebrating all of the wondrous beauty of this earth, as well as taking the time to think about and teach our children how to take better care of it. In this issue you’ll find plenty of Earth Day activities and books for your children, including ways to encourage them to enjoy reading outdoors, a yummy green soup recipe with dirt cake for dessert, reviews of some fabulous children’s picture books that focus on gardening and plants, and Earth Day tips to help us remember to practice kindness toward our planet.
Pansies and Petunias is about some Red Apple Reading friends who join together to plant a garden. I hope you enjoy springtime, the outdoors, and especially enjoy any time you spend with your children. Don’t forget to make reading a priority and keep those kiddos reading regularly for the maximum benefit to their growing literacy! Kind regards,
Don’t forget to share this month’s leveled reader and literacy activities with your child!
Tammy Bennecke EDITOR IN CHIEF
tammybennecke@redapplereading.com
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
TAKE READING OUTSIDE Most people consider reading an indoors activity, but there’s nothing wrong with a little fresh air now and then! Unfortunately, while reading outside may seem like a fun idea to parents, it can be challenging to get your kiddos excited about it. Here are some tips for making outdoor reading a bit more fun.
SUGGEST IT Maybe the reason your kiddo never considered taking reading outside is because it never occurred to her to do so. Getting her outside with a book might be as easy as just giving her the idea.
MAKE A SPECIAL PLACE Designated reading areas work just as well outside as inside. Whether it’s a small tent, a blanket, a lawn chair, or just a shady tree, making a special reading area will keep your child comfy while reading
GET INTERACTIVE Transform time outside into an exciting, interactive activity by turning it into a scavenger hunt. Have your kiddo match the leaves and bugs in his nature book to the leaves and bugs in your yard.
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
MAKE IT A PICNIC
READ WHILE SHE PLAYS
It’s no secret that kids love snacks, so
Sometimes it’s difficult to get your
try combining their love of food with
child to sit still for story time. Try
a love of reading. Either bring out
reading aloud to her while she plays.
normal healthy snacks, or spice it up
Not only will she get a good dose of
by making cute treats that are related
outdoor activity, but also quality
to the book they’re reading. This is
reading time with you!
also a great opportunity for you to get involved and read aloud to them.
TURN IT INTO A PARTY Invite friends over to have a
GO ON A FIELD TRIP
day of outdoor fun and reading.
It’s understandable that your little ones
Everybody can bring a book to share,
might get a bit bored of their backyard
or everyone can bring a copy of
after a while, so mix it up by going
the same book to read and discuss
somewhere else. It doesn’t have to be
together. The more the merrier!
fancy. A local park can be a great place to read and play.
Reading and the outdoors are two great things that really do go well together! This month encourage your little reader to spend some time outside with a good book! 5
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
GARDENING AND A BOOK Is your family looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day together this year? We suggest gathering everyone around the table for a delicious meal and a book! The kiddos will especially “dig” this month’s dessert! ;) Serve this great read up as an appetizer:
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
W
hen little Liam discovers a neglected garden, he decides to give it a little
T.L.C. As he cares for the garden, it begins to
You may not always serve dessert after dinner,
grow throughout the whole town. Your family
but an Earth Day celebration deserves a proper
will love watching the transformation as the
treat – Dirt Cake! Don’t let this cake fool you
beautiful greenery spreads throughout the
though – it may look like dirt, but it’s actually a
city! It may even inspire your crew to get
delicious cookie/pudding treat. Not only is this
outside and do a little gardening themselves!
cake a super yummy dessert, it is also super simple to assemble, so be sure to include the
You’ll want to serve up something special for
kiddos in the making of this delectable dish from
your Earth Day dinner. Since green is the only
Big Oven!
way to go this month, check out this yummy
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Creamy Spinach Soup recipe from Chef in Training.
We know you will enjoy this month’s dinner and
Don’t assume that your little one will turn up her
a book selection! We hope it also motivates your
nose at this meal. My 11-year-old loves it so much
family to get outside and do some beautifying of
that he requested it for his birthday dinner!
your own!
SERIOUS LEARNING THAT’S SERIOUSY FUN!
www.RedAppleReading.com Help your child become a better reader with videos and games that make it fun to learn.
DID YOU KNOW APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH? Unscramble these rhyming word pairs. UNS
NFU
_________ _________
RTEE
EBE
_________ _________
NEEGR
NEACL
_________ _________
NAIR
LANEP
_________ _________
AEVW
SVAE
_________ _________
DEES
DEEN
_________ _________
TRID
TISHR
_________ _________
RTHEA
THRWO
_________ _________ 7
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
GARDENING
BOOKS
ONE WATERMELON SEED by Celia Lottridge Children can count along with Josephine and Max as they plant and harvest fruits and vegetables in their garden. Ages 4 to 7
COMPOST STEW by Mary McKenna Siddals This book uses rhyme and illustration to teach kids about composting. With an ingredient for every letter, you’ll learn how to make your own compost stew. Ages 3 to 7
SPLAT THE CAT: OOPSIE-DAIS by J.E. Bright Splat the Cat finds a seed, but doesn’t know what kind of seed it is. To find out, he plants it and watches it grow. Ages 4 to 8
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
WESLANDIA by Paul Fleischman While most children spend their summer goofing off, Wesley is working on a big project. He tends to strange flowering plants in his garden that provides him with everything he needs, making clothes, tools, and food from different parts of the unique crop. Ages 4 to 8
PLANTING THE TREES OF KENYA: THE STORY OF WANGARI MAATHAI by Claire Nivola This book tells the story of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai’s mission to return trees and gardens to Kenya. Ages 5 to 8
PLANTING THE WILD GARDEN by Kathryn O. Galbraith Humans aren’t the only ones planting in the Wild Garden. This book shows how animals and weather spread seeds to different places. Ages 3 to 7
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
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EARTH DAY TIPS
> TURN IT OFF Be sure to turn off lights, TVs, and other electronics when not in use to reduce energy use.
> SAVE SHOPPING BAGS Plastic shopping bags have many uses, and make particularly great trash bags for smaller trash cans. Save some of them instead of throwing them all away. Better yet, start taking reusable bags with you to the store!
> COMPOST If you have a garden, composting is a great way to keep your plants healthy! Compost apple cores, coffee grounds, and bread crusts instead of throwing them in the trash.
> UNPLUG CHARGERS Even when they’re not in use, chargers use electricity. Keep cellphone, laptop, and videogame chargers unplugged if they aren’t being used.
> DONATE Instead of throwing away old clothes and toys, donate items that are still in good condition to thrift shops or other organizations that take donations.
> RECYCLE Take advantage of a local recycling program to reduce the amount of waste in your garbage and landfills.
> WAIT UNTIL IT’S FULL Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine until they’re full.
> GO PAPERLESS These days, almost everything can be done digitally. Cut down on paper use by getting newspapers, magazines, bills and books online.
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
STORY TIME
PETUNIAS AND PANSIES!
3 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE SAME STORY! CHOOSE THE VERSION THAT’S BEST FOR YOUR YOUNG READER, THEN CLICK A LINK BELOW AND PRINT THE PAGES FOR REPEATED READING AND PRACTICE.
LEVEL A - STORY AND ACTIVITIES
PAGES 12 - 22
BEST FOR READING ALOUD TO PRE-READERS
LEVEL B - STORY AND ACTIVITIES
PAGES 23 - 33
EASY TEXT FOR EMERGING READERS
LEVEL C - STORY AND ACTIVITIES
PAGES 34 - 44
MORE COMPLEXITY FOR EARLY READERS
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
PAGE 45
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
PETUNIAS AND PANSIES! Level A
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Ellie and Roz were hanging out and looking for something fun to do. Then, along came Tess with a brilliant idea.
p. 1
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
“Do you want to help me plant my garden?” asked Tess. “Do we? Yes, of course!” said Roz and Ellie together, their eyes lighting up. They jumped up and followed Tess to her backyard.
p. 2
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Soon Dominic wandered over to see what they were doing. “Can I help, too?” he asked. “Sure,” said Tess, “we have a lot of flower seeds to plant.”
p. 3
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Tess said, “First, we need to dig little holes in the dirt and put the seeds in.� Roz was very good at digging, so she got right to work. Dominic dropped a seed into each hole that she dug.
p. 4
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
“Now we need to cover the seeds with dirt,” explained Tess. Ellie and Tess covered the seeds with dirt. “Finally, we need to water the seeds so they grow,” said Tess, sprinkling them with water from her watering can.
p. 5
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Ellie, Dominic, and Roz sat in the grass and waited. “How come they aren’t growing yet?” asked Roz. “They will grow soon,” said Tess.
p. 6
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
The next day, the friends checked on the seeds but they didn’t see any flowers. They watered the seeds for several days. On the fifth day they saw little green sprouts peeking out of the dirt!
p. 7
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
A few days later, the sprouts became stems with leaves and buds. Several more days after that, Tess had a garden full of beautiful pink, purple, and red petunias and pansies. “Hooray!� said the friends. They all giggled and ran off to play.
p. 8
SHORT VOWELS Say the name of each picture. Listen for the short vowel sound.
s__n
d__g
b__d
p__t
b__g
d__ck
b__rd
fr__g
n__st
l__g
g__rl
pl__nt
RED APPLE READING
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FLOWER COLORS p = pink
y = yellow
o = orange
r = red
g = green
p y
r
o
y
g g
g
o r
o g
p
g
TRY THIS
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RED APPLE READING
y g
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
PETUNIAS AND PANSIES! Level B
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Ellie and Roz wanted to find something fun to do. Then Tess came with a good idea.
p. 1
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
“Will you help me plant my garden?” asked Tess. “Yes!” said Roz and Ellie. They went with Tess to her yard.
p. 2
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Dominic came over to see them and asked to help. “Yes,” said Tess, “we have a lot of seeds to plant.”
p. 3
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Tess told the friends to dig holes in the dirt and put the seeds in. Roz was good at digging. She dug the holes and Dominic put a seed in each hole.
p. 4
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Next they covered the seeds with dirt. Last, they put water on the seeds and dirt so they will grow.
p. 5
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Ellie, Dominic, and Roz sat to wait. “How come they are not growing?” asked Roz. “They will grow soon,” said Tess.
p. 6
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
The next day, they checked on the seeds but there were no flowers. They watered the seeds for five days. Then they saw green coming out of the dirt!
p. 7
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Many days later, the green became stems with leaves and buds. And after more time, Tess had a garden full of pink, purple, and red flowers! The friends were very happy.
p. 8
SIGHT WORDS Say the name of each picture. Read the sight words. Draw a line to
Say the name of each picture. Read the sight words. Draw a line to Say the the name of each picture. Read the sight a line tosound. word thewith picture with thewords. sameDraw beginning connect the word and theand picture the same beginning sound. connect connect the word and the picture with the same beginning sound.
he
he he
saw
sawsaw
was read
like and
waswas read
read
like
like
and
and TRY THIS
TRY THAT
Call out a sight word and ask your child to spell it, a sight word and ask your child to spell it, TRY use Call then it in out a sentence. THIS then use it in a sentence. something that sounds like wheelbarrow. ” to spell it, Call out a sight word and ask your child RY“I spyPlay TPlay “I spy something that sounds like wheelbarrow. ” your child spyitsomething that starts with W like S thentouse in a sentence. I H TAsk childthe to spy something that starts with W like TRY Ask your wheelbarrow. Change letter and play again.
THAT
TRY THAT 32
wheelbarrow. Change the letter and play again.
Play “I spy something that sounds like wheelbarrow.” Ask your child to spy something that starts with W like wheelbarrow. Change the letter and play again. RED APPLE READING
SYLLABLES
RED APPLE READING
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
PETUNIAS AND PANSIES! Level C
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Ellie and Roz sat and tried to think of something fun to do. Then, along came Tess with a great idea.
p. 1
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
“Do you want to help me plant my garden?” asked Tess. “Do we? Yes!” said Roz and Ellie, as their eyes lit up. They followed Tess to her backyard.
p. 2
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Soon Dominic came over to see what they were doing. “Can I help, too?” he asked. “Sure,” said Tess, “we have a lot of flower seeds to plant.”
p. 3
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Tess said, “First, we need to dig little holes in the dirt and put the seeds in.� Roz was good at digging, so she got started. Dominic dropped a seed in each hole she dug.
p. 4
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
“Now we need to cover the seeds with dirt,” said Tess. Ellie and Tess covered the seeds. “Last, we need to water the seeds so they grow,” said Tess, sprinkling them with water from her watering can.
p. 5
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
Ellie, Dominic, and Roz sat in the grass and waited. “How come they are not growing?” asked Roz. “They will grow soon,” said Tess.
p. 6
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
The next day, the friends checked on the seeds but they did not see any flowers. They watered the seeds for many days. On the fifth day they saw little green sprouts peeking out of the dirt!
p. 7
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
A few days later, the sprouts became stems with leaves and buds. Several days after that, Tess had a garden full of pretty pink, purple, and red flowers! “Yay!� said the friends.
p. 8
EARTH DAY
RED APPLE READING
43
NATURE JOKES
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RED APPLE READING
W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
PETUNIAS AND PANSIES! 1
What was the idea that Tess had?
2
Who was good at digging holes for the seeds?
3
Did the seeds grow right away? Why or why not?
4
What did the friends do first, next, and last to make the garden?
5
What grew from the seeds?
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W W W. R E D A P P L E R E A D I N G . C O M
LITERACY TIME BLEND BRAINSTORM
Challenge your child to a blend word brainstorm. Give your child a piece of paper, a pencil, and a beginning blend (start with the sp- letter blend found in the word spring). Ask your child to write down as many words as possible that begin with that letter blend. For fun, set a timer and see how many words your child can write in three minutes. Then, announce a new letter blend and race the time again. Which letter blend brainstorm led to the most words? (Other blends to try: st-, br-, gl-, dr-, sl-)
8 SP RING T HING S!
Give your child a piece of paper. Fold it in half, then again, and one more time. When you open the paper, there should be 8 rectangle spaces on the page. Ask your child to go outside and observe 8 nouns (person, place, or thing) they see in springtime. Have them draw a picture of each item, one in each space on the paper. Then, help your child write the words to describe the pictures. For an extension activity ask your child identify a verb (action word) to tell what each noun does (e.g., the squirrel runs).
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RED APPLE READING
Build successful readers! INVENT A BUG
LETTER HOPSCOTCH
It’s springtime and the bugs are out! Talk about what kinds of bugs your child might see in the spring (e.g., ladybugs, spiders, ants, bees, grasshoppers). Encourage your child to imagine a new kind of bug. Ask your child to draw a picture of the imaginary bug, name it, and tell a short story about it. You can help write the story if you choose. Alternatively, give your child some collage materials (e.g., egg carton, pipe cleaners, yarn, cotton balls, googly eyes) and encourage him or her to build a bug.
Sidewalk chalk is a perfectly fun way to teach your child about letters! Instead of hopscotch with numbers, draw your board with letters. Or, help your child practice writing letters or words with chalk. Call out a letter and have your child jump to it! Or call out a letter and have your child balance on it with one leg while saying a word that begins with that letter.
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LITERACY LINEUP APRIL 2016 Monday
28
Tuesday
29
Wednesday
Thursday
APRIL FOOL’S DAY
4
5
MAYA ANGELOU
11
6
READ A ROAD MAP DAY
12
GRAEME BASE
SCRABBLE DAY
INT’L HAIKU POETRY DAY
25
EDUCATION & SHARING DAY
26
EEYORE’S BIRTHDAY
48
20
19
TEEN LITERATURE DAY
MARY HOFFMAN
JACQUELINE BRIGGS MARTIN
TAKE YOUR KIDS TO WORK DAY
RED APPLE READING
29
GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
30
RON ROY
3
FIND A RAINBOW DAY
DAVID A. ADLER
MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX
23
EARTH DAY
Sunday
10
16
22
28
LUDWIG BEMELMANS
CAROL CARRICK
HIGH FIVE DAY
INT’L CHILDREN’S BOOK DAY
9
15
21
27
NAT’L KIDS & PETS DAY
TIKI BARBER
14
13
DROP EVERYTHING AND READ!
18
8
7
Saturday
2
1
31
30
Friday
17
INT’L HAIKU POETRY DAY
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SPOTLIGHT ON…
Nim’s Island Written by Carley Bennecke, In-house book critic
No one forgets the first book they fell in love with. For me, it was Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr. I was nine years old and very excited to be at my school’s book fair. Looking around for a new book, I read many of the book covers, searching around for an exciting adventure. Then I saw the front cover of Nim’s Island. The cover illustration reminded me of myself: a pale, scraggly, brown curly-haired girl sitting high up on a palm tree. After purchasing the book, I read it over and over again.
Nim’s Island is a timeless story about a girl and her marine biologist father living on a remote and uncharted island. Her father leaves for what he thought would be a quick work trip, but his journey home is delayed due to his damaged ship from a powerful storm. Nim must face challenges on her own, but is guided with advice via email from her favorite author, Alex Rover. This story is great for any kid who wants to discover the daring adventures Nim must face on her own. It teaches the reader about independence, strength, and believing in the impossible.
RED APPLE READING
APRIL 2016
RED APPLE READING Serious Learning that’s Seriously Fun.
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