Subject Area: Language Arts

Book Summary
This engaging, rhyming book tells the story of Rags, the Shy Scarecrow, who overcomes his fear of crows. Illustrations by Benrei Huang beautifully capture the emotions felt by the scared scarecrow.

Objective
Children will develop language and literacy skills when reading this high-interest story written in rhyming and emergent text.

Before Reading
Read the title of the story to the children. Invite them to predict what the story will be about. Encourage the children to discuss why being a shy scarecrow might be a problem.

Teaching Plan
Activities

The _______ Scarecrow: Using Descriptive Words

Materials

• Chart paper
• Markers
• Drawing paper, pencils, and crayons

1. On the top of a sheet of chart paper write The_____ Scarecrow. Engage the children in a brief discussion about the story The Shy Scarecrow. Ask the children to think of other words that could also describe the shy scarecrow. Then ask the children to think of words that describe the scarecrow after he got his new hat. Record their responses on chart paper. Tell the children that words which describe things and give us more information about things are called descriptive words (or adjectives), like shy or brave and tall and small.
2. Ask the children to close their eyes and imagine another type of scarecrow. What kind of scarecrow would it be? Invite the children to think of words to describe their scarecrow. Record their "descriptive words" on chart paper. Encourage the children to think of all the types of words that can describe their scarecrow like height, weight, color, emotions, behavior, etc. Review the descriptive word list with the children.
3. Explain to the children that they will each choose one or more of the descriptive words from their list and draw a picture of a scarecrow that matches their chosen words. Give the children the suggested art materials.
4. Provide the children with additional drawing paper or sentence strip paper to write or dictate information about their scarecrow. Ask the children to use descriptive words to tell about their scarecrow.
5. Invite all of the children to share their scarecrow drawings during group time. Encourage the children to work together to think of other words to describe each other's drawings.

Rhyme Time
Materials

• Chart paper and marker

1. Explain to the children that you will reread The Shy Scarecrow to identify all the rhyming word sets on each page of the story.
2. Write the rhyming word sets on a sheet of chart paper, leaving space in between each set.
3. After all of the sets has been identified, review the list with the children. Ask the children to think of other words that rhyme with each word set. Some children may enjoy making up silly words that rhyme. Record the children's rhyming words to expand each word set.
4. Review the list periodically to see if the children can think of more rhyming words to add.
5. Choose a few rhyming words and invite the children to try to write a short poem.

Other Books About Scarecrows
Scarecrow
By Cynthia Rylant
A peaceful and beautifully illustrated story about a scarecrow who appreciates his quiet life and relationship with nature.

The Lonely Scarecrow
By Tim Preston
The story depicts a gentle scarecrow who desires friends, but his frightening face scares everyone away. Not until a winter storm does his luck change when he is transformed into a jolly snowman. Will his luck remain?

The Little Scarecrow Boy
By Margaret Wise Brown
A heartfelt story about the loving relationship of a scarecrow family and the young scarecrow boy who wants to be like his father.

Other Books by Mary Packard
My Messy Room (My First Hello Reader! Series)
Fall Leaves (My First Hello Reader! Series)
I'm a Firefighter (My First Hello Reader! Series)

Teaching Plan written by Risa Young.