Source: School Library Media Activities Monthly, (6:4, December 1989)

Grade Levels: 1, 2, 3

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Reading

Curriculum (subject area) Objectives:
This set of activities may be used in connection with a reading or language arts unit about details in a plot.

Resources :
(The following books are examples of books which might be included on a list of reading for this exercise.)

Fiction Books Which Include Sweets or Candy in the Plot:

Adoff, Arnold. Chocolate Dreams . Lothrop, 1989.
Allard, Harry. I Will Not go to Market Today . Dial, 1981.
Anglund, Joan Walsh. Nibble Nibble Mousekin: A Tale of Hansel and Gretel .Harcourt, 1962.
Catling, Patrick. Chocolate Touch . Morrow, 1979.
Cook, Scott. Gingerbread Boy. Knopf , 1987.
Cutts, David. Gingerbread Boy . Troll, 1979.
Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . Knopf, 1964.
Degen, Bruce. Jamberry . Harper, 1985.
Douglass, Barbara. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest . Lothrop, 1985.
Galdone, Paul. The Gingerbread Boy. Houghton Mifflin, 1975.
Galdone, Paul. What's in Fox's Sack . Houghton, 1982.
Giff, Patricia. Candy Corn Contest . Dell, 1984.
Gwynne, Fred. Chocolate Moose for Dinner . Prentice-Hall, 1987.
Heide, Florence. Banana Twist . Holiday, 1983.
Hopkins, Lee B. Munching: Poems About Eating . Little, 1985.
Jarrell, Randall. Gingerbread Rabbit . Macmillan, 1964.
Joosse, Barbara. Jam Day . Harper, 1987.
Kahl, Virginia. The Duchess Bakes a Cake . Scribner's, 1955.
Kahl, Virginia. Plum Pudding for Christmas . Scribner's, 1956.
Kerr, Judith. The Tiger Who Came to Tea . Coward, 1968.
Lord, Jack. The Giant Jam Sandwich . Houghton Mifflin, 1973.
Marshall, James. Miss Dog's Christmas Treat . Houghton Mifflin, 1973.
Mayer, Mercer. There's an Alligator Under My Bed . Dial, 1987.
McInnes, John. The Chocolate Chip Mystery . Garrard, 1972.
Milne, A. A. Winnie the Pooh . Dutton, 1961.
Numeroff, Laura. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie . Harper, 1985.
Pinkwater, D. Fat Men from Space . Dodd, 1977.
Rayner, Mary. Garth Pig and the Ice Cream Lady . Macmillan, 1981.
Schmidt, Karen. Gingerbread Man . Scholastic, 1985.
Smith, Robert K. Chocolate Fever. Dell, 1978.
Van Woerkom, Dorothy. The Queen Who Couldn't Bake Gingerbread . Knopf,1975.
Watson, Clyde. Tom Fox and the Apple Pie . Crowell, 1972.
Westcott, Nadine. Peanut Butter and Jelly . Dutton, 1987.

Nonfiction Books about Candy and Sweets
Alexander, Noy. Let's Make Candy . Tuttle, 1965.
Cameron, Sheila. Homemade Ice Cream and Sherbert . Tuttle, 1969.
Candy. Silver Burdette, 1981.
Loeper, John. Mr. Marley's Main Street Confectionery: A History of Sweets and Treats . Atheneum, 1979.
Rice, Karen. Does Candy Grow on Trees ? Walker, 1984.

Games
Candy Land.

Instructional Roles:
The library media specialist may work with several classroom teachers to sponsor this game and competition during a two-week period.

Activities and Procedures for Completion :
The library media specialist may prepare for this activity be developing a list of books which relate to candy or sweets. If there are insufficient materials on this subject, holiday materials may be used as a supplement. The library media specialist must also borrow several Candy Land games. Advertisements may be made announcing an upcoming "Candy Land Competition and Tournament." The library media specialist and classroom teacher may explain that in order to enter the competition, the students must read as many books as possible from the reading list (sweets or holidays). The library media specialist may wish to set a minimum number of books to be read -- e.g., five. When the children have read a book, they must prepare answers to several questions about the book. The questions may be general so that they can be answered for most books. _____________________________

Tournament Questions

What is the title?
Who is the author?
What are the main events in the story (plot)?
Who are the main characters?
How is the subject ________ part of the book?
______________________________

After the students read the books, they must make a card for each. The cards must include the students' names. The tournament may be played with the Candy Land game, just as the rules of the game prescribe but with a new twist. In order to compete, the students must answer one of the questions based on their reading from the list of books. The list may be reproduced and the students may play the game according to the normal rules with one change: players must draw a regular game card along with a question card. They must answer a question about a book read after they draw both cards.

The question cards may be based on the questions listed above. The library media specialist may write one question on each card and make six or seven sets which may be shuffled before the beginning of the game. The library media specialist may set up a tournament chart listing the players.

Tournament times may be posted in the library media center, with final playoffs scheduled before the end of the month. Prizes may be given to the winners and certificates or awards may be given to all players in recognition of their reading efforts.

Evaluation :
The student will read books about a specific subject and identify the way that the subject functions as part of the plot of the books.

Follow-Up :

The students may:

 
• Identify various ways which a subject might function as part of a plot.
• Begin a computer database to identify the new titles related to the subject.