This book I read within the first couple weeks of school.
It’s not just a “fun” book to read. Instead, this book is great to introduce the students (even kindergartners) some important reading skills.
I also introduce my fun reading skills props! Check them out on this post! 😉
Here is a list of things to teach the students and even get them thinking as “good readers.”
1. Introduce author and illustrator and what part they did. Talk about if 1 person or 2 people created the book together.
When I start to read the story. As we are reading reviews are really cool big large dollar glasses to clarifyAs we are reading reviews are really cool big large dollar glasses to clarify! The kids get to wear them when they can answer or help clarify something. We clarify what happens when the shark gets excited the ferry first time he gets excited in the story.
2. I introduce to my students again that a character is who is in the story. I ask my class if they can make a smart guess/prediction about WHO is the character in this story. They can easily guess shark and I always ask why they think that. I also informed them that the pictures are a huge help to us as readers as well as the words!
3. Next I asked my class where the story takes place which is a fancy word for that is the setting! They very quickly guess the ocean and they can justify that by saying they know sharks live in the ocean or that the picture looks like the ocean. I reread the title of the story don’t eat your teacherI reread the title of the story Don’t Eat your Teacher. I asked them if they can make any other predictions or smart guesses about where else the story might take place I asked them if they can make any other predictions or smart guesses about where else the story might take place! Someone will mention classroom and I have them justify why and can usually identify the title saying teacher. We have a good laugh that They don’t live with the teacher but instead they see their teacher at school. (It’s always an extra laugh when I have a child in my class and say that. 😉)
Then I begin reading!
Clarifying
One of the very first reading strategies we talk about is clarifying! We clarify using some very large glasses because when you clarify you look closer at the text and see things to better understand! When I student is going to help clarify or answer questions they get to wear these really fun glasses and if they don’t want to wear them they get to hold him which the kids love! I get instant volunteers! 🙌🏼 and when I make sure to congratulate him on being such a good readers!
At the beginning of the story we clarify what happens when the shark gets excited! (Crunch-bites!) I want to make sure that they understand this action because we will use it to help us be more confident as predictors. ❤️
Anytime the shark crunches we clarify what he crunched after I read that part. This gives more kids opportunity to wear the sunglasses and help them understand the story plus hear that vocabulary word!
PREDICTIONS
In the story, the author writes the words so there’s a… And you have to turn off please defined out what the shark is going to do. The kids know from clarifying that he bites when he gets excited but it’s a fantastic way to introduce what a prediction is! Each time the page says “Sammy opened his mouth and …” a student makes a prediction. Lots of success having them learn how to make a prediction. They are hearing that word prediction several times and seeing classmates make predictions and hold the prediction ball.
There is one page that they don’t get their prediction right. The students usually predict “eat the teacher” on the the crunches books page. This is perfect time to explain to them that we won’t always get the right prediction and that is OK! We don’t know everything! I, the teacher, don’t even know everything!
Involvement in reading
During music time, the teacher has them move like things in the ocean. While sitting, we do our movements. It is a fun idea!
At the end, Sammy’s mom asks you what Sammy learned at school. We make more predictions! I joke with them that we don’t learn to not eat things because we don’t usually eat stuff like Sammy!
Don’t Eat Your Teacher is a fun book to practice reading strategies (our school focuses on Recipicol Teaching so you’ll see those main strategies in any reading lessons so share.)
If you have time, (I’m half day kindergarten) it would be so fun to do a shark craftivity! EDITED: I decided to go for it! I used it also as fine motor skills and math activity. 🙌🏼
We cut and glued our sharks! We finished the teeth the next day because we ran out of time. AND I will NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!! 😂😂 just the teeth 😉
We had a great practice noticing our circle and triangle when cutting, but the teeth were way too hard for all of the kindergarteners 3 weeks into school! 😂
I’ll have those cut and ready by parent volunteers in the future!! (I will send home in my Parent Volunteer folder.)
Bitmoji obsessed 🤷🏻♀️ Sorry not sorry 😉
Many students need to learn how to hold scissors, turn the hand correctly, hold paper up and build hand muscles, so the shark was great practice! 🙌🏼
Then I gave the students 5 skittles. We did counting practice and then a few story problems. T
“The shark ate 3 skittles!” The students put 3 skittles on the mouth. I could walk around and help students and see how well they are doing with their counting.
We cleared off the mouth and did a new number. I did hold up number cards, so they had a visual. 😉 Sometimes I gave the number and other times they had to look at the card and try on their own.
Near the end of practice, I did a few addition problems which helped me see there were a couple that need a little more help when adding manipulatives.
I would say, “The shark has 2 skittles in its mouth.” PAUSE. “He ate 1 more skittle.” PAUSE. “How many skittles does he have in his mouth now? Let’s count the total. “
I enjoyed this book! We learned reading skills during reading, retelling and sharing our own opinion!! 🙌🏼 Then we practiced our fine motor skills and ended with a fun math practice!
Hit subscribe to stay in the loop when I share kindergarten ideas! ❤️❤️
I love sharing my Sheffield Method! 🥰 Make lessons memorable and engaging. Differentiate and hit as many learning styles as you can! Always believe and notice, truly notice, your students. ❤️ Wrap it all in your love!
