About this book
Subject Area: Language Arts, Social Studies
Book Summary
The ninth of Iza Trapani's classic nursery rhyme series. This story expands the tale of the sheep that teaches her barnyard companions a lesson about kindness and sharing. The end of the book includes the song's lyrics and music.
Objective
Children will recall information about the story sequence and engage in a discussion to understand the meaning of the story.
Before Reading
Show the group the book Baa Baa Black Sheep. Invite them to share what they already know about the character. Ask them to look at the cover illustration. What is the sheep holding? What do they think the story is going to be about?
Teaching Plan
Story Recall and Discussion
Activity
After the children have had the opportunity to listen to the story several times, ask the following questions:
- Who is the main character in the story?
- Does the story take place in a city or in the country?
- What season is it?
- What happens in the beginning of the story?
- Can they name what each animal wanted from the sheep?
- Why were the animals upset with the sheep?
- What did the animals learn about the sheep?
- What did the sheep make each animal?
- How does the story end?
- What were some of the gifts that the sheep received?
- What did you learn from the story?
- Does the story remind you of any other story?
Dramatize It!
Invite the children to retell and dramatize the story. Select children to play the different characters in the book. They can use their own words to retell the story or act out the scenes as you read the rhyming text.
Sing It!
Invite the class to sing the entire book to the tune of "Baa Baa Black Sheep."
Other Books About Sharing and Kindness
It's Mine
by Leo Lionni
The classic tale by this favorite author is about three quarrelling frogs that learn a special lesson when they are forced to share the same home after a storm.
The Last Chocolate Cookie
by Jamie Rix
A whimsical tale about a little boy whose mother tells him that he must offer the last cookie to everyone before he can eat it.
Clifford's Good Deeds
by Norman Bridwell
Clifford sets out to perform some good deeds, but learns that he may not be able to accomplish all he sets out to do.
Other Books By Iza Trapani
I'm a Little Teapot
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
Teaching plan written by Risa Young
- Subjects:Main Idea and Details, Literature, Plot, Character, Setting, Literature Appreciation, Animals, Early Reading, Farm and Ranch Life, Sharing and Taking Turns, Drama, Theater, Musicals, Manners and Conduct, Sharing, Friends and Friendship, Understanding Self and Others
- Skills:Development of Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension
