2005 Dr. Seuss Teaching Heart Contest!
Dr. Seuss Lesson Ideas to Match Various Books!

 

Picking six winners out of all the great entries was a very hard task. I even increased the number of winners to seven because I was having such a hard time picking from all the great ideas. I narrowed it down to the top seven lessons and placed the names of each author in a hat and drew a Grand Prize winner from the top seven. Each idea, lesson, printable, or picture on this page is wonderful and will surely be used by visitors of Teaching Heart. Thank you so much - to all the teachers who took time to share an idea, lesson, picture, or printable. This just proved that there are so many teachers with a Teaching Heart out there!!!

Teaching Heart hopes to have another contest on a different topic in the near future.

Our Grand Prize Winner is: Donna C./K/Connecticut
and our other winners are:
Cynthia S, Tricia G., Charla W.,
Reading Boost Staff K-2 Meadowbrook Elementary School, Marcia G., & Renee

All prizes will be sent via US mail at no cost to the winners. The prizes will be mailed on or before March 10, 2005. Congrats to all seven of our winners!!! If you are a winner and Teaching Heart has not contacted you; please email Colleen at cgallagher_1999@yahoo.com Please include your shipping address!

Below you will find the majority of lessons, ideas, printables, and pictures entered in the contest. I hope that these ideas will be put to good use in classrooms around the world!

Grand Prize Winner:

~Pattern - Various Seuss Books

Using the large picture cards attached, create various patterns for the children to complete in the pocket chart (ex. Lorax, Lorax, Grinch, Lorax, Lorax, Grinch.) After multiple samples are modeled, students can complete attached worksheet.

Click Here to Print Large Picture Cards and Worksheet by Donna

~Memory Word Center For Various Seuss Books

Center set-up : Include various Dr. Seuss books that have "popcorn" or sight words in their titles (The Cat in the Hat, Hop On Pop, etc.) Include some type of word windows or highlighting tape and challenge the kids to find all of the popcorn words they can find in the titles. Include the attached worksheet for the kids to be "word detectives" to find and write the popcorn word in each title.

Dr. Seuss Popcorn Worksheet by Donna C.

~Truffula Math

Using the large graphics in the attached document, make a pocket chart game in which the kids can match the truffula trees with either numerals or number words. A corresponding worksheet is included with two different versions to use for differentiating instruction. Enjoy!

Click Here to Download Donna's Truffula Math Sheet

~The Cat in the Hat

The attached document gives step by step directions and a recipe card for making a delicious donut hole Cat in the Hat snack. A picture of the finished product is included. Enjoy!

Click Here to Print Donna's Cat in the Hat Recipe Card

~Green Eggs and Ham

This is an activity created to use with Green Eggs and Ham. It is great for teaching rhyming words, word families, or onset and rime. Using the graphics found in the attached document, I first made picture cards of all of the rhyming pairs. Then, I displayed a card and used magnetic letters to spell the word. We talked about how you can change the first letter to make the word into another word that rhymes (ex. fox - box.) After modeling the first example, we continued using the remaining pairs of words. I spelled the first word, then a student removed the first letter and replaced it with a letter to produce the rhyming word. The attached document is a minibook that I then put in my "Word Center" for the children to complete independently. For children that needed assistance, I pulled a small group to complete the activity with guidance.

Click Here to Print and Use Donna's Mini Book - too cute!

Picture Cards of the Rhyming Pairs - modified by Colleen @ Teaching Heart

Letters - print on magnetic paper to use with the lesson - created by Colleen @ Teaching Heart to match Donna's lesson.

Donna C./K/Connecticut

Look at all the goodies the winner gets.

Dr. Seuss DVD
The Cat in the Hat
A Dr. Seuss Bag - Can be used as a take home bag.
Cat in the Hats Ready to use Center with Center Activity Sheet
Teaching Heart Magnet
Various Sample Teaching Heart Files from all four CDROMS and some packets. About 20 files!!

 

These 6 runner-ups win
a Teaching Heart Magnet,
a Sample Teachingheart CDROM with various files,
& a Teaching Heart Tote!

Enjoy and Congrats!!!!

 

Cynthia S./ 1st / Wisconsin

Cat In The Hat Activity-Grade 1
Materials Needed: Clipboards, pens or pencils,word tiles scissors(see attached file) and the book: The Cat inthe Hat

Since first grade students love to read Dr. Seuss books, I use this story to reinforce word generating and rhyming This is called: How many words can you make from The Cat in the Hat? You will see some students in the picture ti the left.
1. We brainstorm about The Cat in the Hat and share ideas first. (5-10 minutes)
2. I read the students the story. Many of them already know it and that is great! (10-15 minutes)
3. Using clipboards, paper and gel pens or pencils, I give them all the letters that you can find in the words: The Cat In The Hat (see attached file for all the letters needed for each child)They cut out all the word tiles first. -
(Click to Print Cynthia's Letter Tiles - modified by Colleen @ Teaching Heart)
4. I give the students 10-15 minutes to use the letters and make as many words as they can. (we have done activities like this before so they are familiar with how it works-but you mayneed to model for them) The words can be ones that rhyme with the title but they don't have to. We write these in lists using the worksheet or a blank piece of paper.
(Click to Print Cynthia's Worksheet - modified by Colleen @ Teaching Heart)
5. Once we are done, we share the list, make a list of all of our words we found. We try to make silly sentences that rhyme with the words we found.
6. Another activity as a spin off is to write about what you would say to your mother if she asked you what you did while she was away. We illustrate these and make a book out of it.
7. Cat in he Hat Treats as a follow up to this activity. Many of you may know this and it is not my own idea. Using Nilla wafers, white and red frosting, layer the Nilla wafers with alternating frosting colors until you make a hat. Have this as a snack after the activity as a fun way to celebrate the Cat!

 

Fox In Socks: As an extension, have "pink ink" (pink lemonade or cranberry w/ 7up) and "blue goo" (blue raspberry jello jigglers or blueberry yogurt tubes)

My Many Colored Days: After reading, we discuss how colors can reflect feelings. A chart is a good idea for language development and it's interesting to compare some ideas - red can be exciting but also cozy... I extend this with an easy center - "On ____(color) days I feel ____" and I make a class book from the results. - Click Here For Printable - Modified by Colleen at Teaching Heart

Bartholomew and the Oobleck: It's always fun when you make oobleck! I translated the questions we often use in exploration into a worksheet and added a cool extension - states of matter is a CA state standard for firsties so I have them use prior knowledge to vote if it's a liquid or solid. Then they take the oobleck home and have their families vote too! Click Here For Printable - Modified by Colleen at Teaching Heart

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish: I read this book during an ocean unit and my students had such astute observations of the differences in fiction and nonfiction that I wanted to extend their delight in just plain silliness Seussian style. So I created "The Fantastic Fishing Contest" as a sharing assignment. Besides being a great opportunity for oral speaking, it was really fun! - Click Here For Printable - Modified by Colleen at Teaching Heart

Tricia G./1st

 

I used this lesson when I was completing field work for my bachelor's degree and I plan to use it during the month of March with my own class to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. I used the poem "If We Didn't Have Birthdays" by Dr. Seuss. To begin, I created a mini-book for each student by typing two lines of the poem on each page. I read the poem aloud as the students followed along in their mini-book. Then, I read the poem again in segments having the children repeat after me. We looked for and highlighted the rhyming words. For a subsequent lesson, I created puppets using clipart from my Print Shop program for the fish, the toad, the doorknob, the baked potato, the green tomatoes, etc. Each child received a puppet and as I read the poem aloud to the class, the child would hold up their puppet when we reached that part of the poem. I also plan to allow the children to illustrate their mini-book while working in centers during our morning literacy rotation. They really seemed to enjoy the lessons and it was easy to hold their attention because all children love their birthdays.

Charla W.
1st/NC

Click Here For Printables - Modified By Colleen at Teaching Heart

 

We have designed and developed a special Dr. Seuss unit for Reading Boost, our second grade pullout reading program. "Dr. Seuss is on the Loose" is a four-week program, which compliments a balanced literacy blueprint incorporating the multiple learning modalities. During the four weeks we read the following Dr. Seuss favorites; The Cat In The Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Gerald McBoing Boing, Wacky Wednesday, The Lorax, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Each book that was shared incorporated a different skill, strategy, and standard, making this an exciting and fun leaning unit for all! Here are five of our favorite activities that were implemented during the unit:
1. Interactive reading incentive bulletin board (see picture). The main wall of our boost area became our bulletin board of focus and success. Children had their own laminated stovepipe hat from The Cat In The Hat. As an incentive for reading Dr. Seuss books nightly at home, a special sticker was rewarded and placed on their hat, for each completed book. The students were able to share their successes with the class when their hat was full (see picture).

2. To visually identify the skills emphasized during this unit, a large stovepipe hat became our focal pt. Skills such as rhythm and rhymes, comparing and contrasting, diphthongs, sequencing, and main idea were our objectives (see picture).

3. Using the 6 + 1 traits of writing, we created our own Dr. Seuss inspired poetry book. The poems incorporated the rhythm and rhyme that Seuss made famous.

 

 

4. When teaching our students about diphthongs, we used Dr. Seuss' Gerald McBoing Boing (published in 1950). We were able to help our readers learn and apply the rules governing diphthongs using this text.

5. Incorporating a list of twenty riddles, our students easily identified and placed the identified diphthongs on a "Boing-ee!" coil (see picture).

Happily Submitted By: Deb K., Anne H., Vernice P. - Reading Boost Staff K-2 Meadowbrook Elementary School Northbrook, IL

 

Green Eggs and Ham Lesson Plan by Marcia G.

(http://www.marcias-lesson-links.com)

This is a multi-component lesson. Choose which parts work best for you.

Materials: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

`Fun with GRRRRRRR ppt show - Click to download Power Point Show - by Marcia If you do not have powerpoint on your computer, you may download a free viewer from Microsoft. Click Here

`Chart tablet and marker

`Blank construction paper, scissors, crayons and

`pencils.

Goals: Students will brainstorm and express words that start with the diagraph gr.

Process:

Intro: Read Green Eggs and Ham with your students. Ask students if they know any words that start with the diagraph GR. Give them an example: GRASS

Tell the students they will be seeing a slideshow with words that fit this pattern. Ask them to remember as many of the words as they can.

Allow students to interact with the ppt., providing words as they discover them.

Step Two: Seat children on the rug or around the chart tablet or overhead projector screen.

Using the chart tablet ask students to share the words they remembered from the ppt. show. Write them on the chart tablet (or overhead screen) Then ask students to add any words they can think of that were not in the ppt. show. Discuss their discoveries.

Step Three: Explain to the students that they will be making their own FUN WITH GRRRR book. Model for the students how to fold their construction into quarters. Explain to students that they will write one GR word in each box. They will illustrate their booklets.

When students have illustrated their booklets (and they may use more than one piece of paper) model how to cut the sections of the paper. Staple and create their own booklets.

Allow students to share their booklet with neighbors at their table or put them on display for others to read at another time.

Modified by Colleen @ Teaching Heart - I took Marcia's idea above and created a printable to match it. It asks the students to do a few activities with GR words. When they are finished, they have a little book to take home and share with family.

ALTERNATIVE IDEA:

1. Have each student create a one-page illustration of a GR word.

Combine all the class illustrations for a class book.

2. Have students create their own illustration using Kid Pix or Paint. Combine student illustrations to create a unique slideshow.

Green Eggs And Ham ideas:

~~Before reading the book with your students, have them gather in front of the chart tablet. List students by name, then, ask them their favorite color. Do not tell them why you want to know.

~~Read Green Eggs and Ham. Provide template for students with the text…

I do not like __________ eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam I am….

Students will insert their favorite color solicited earlier. They then draw their face…as they eat eggs of their favorite color.

Modified by Colleen @ Teaching Heart - I took Marcia's idea above and created a printable to match it. The student fills in the blanks. _________ I am! I do like _______ eggs and ham. (Colleen I am! I do like pink eggs and ham!). The student writes their name in the first blank and their favorite color in the second blank. Then they color the picture to match the text. There is space on the right for the student to draw a picture of themselves. Another idea is to take a picture of the student profile style getting ready to take a big bite. Glue the picture to the page. You could bind these into a class book or place them on a bulletin board with the title: We Do Like Ham and Eggs! Click here to print the printable.

~~Cut pages in the shape of a fried egg, bind the stories and share as a class book.
Click Here to Print The GR Printable by Marcia - Modified by Colleen At Teaching Heart

 

One Fish, Two Fish

After reading the book we will do many center activities. (Some I have gotten from this web site.)

1. How big is my Fish? We will catch a fish from our fish pond (hula hoop). Color the fish on the worksheet the same color and write the color word. We will use color tiles to cover the fish (measurement unit - area) and count & record the number needed.

Click Here to Print Renee's Activity Sheet to match this.

2. How many fish do you have?
Students take turns rolling the dice and adding that number of fish to their fish bowls. The first one to fill their bowl wins. Game continues until all bowls are full. Count the number of fish you needed to fill the bowl and record.

Click Here to Print Renee's Activity sheet to match this

3.Put a gold fish cracker on top of each fish using one-to-one correspondence. Count the fish and glue the correct number word at the end of each row. Students can use the number line posted in the classroom if needed.

Another Activity Sheet Created by Renee - Count the fish in each row. Glue the correct number word in the box.

Renee/K/Arkansas

A Special Thanks to
Everyone who Shared a
Dr. Seuss idea, lesson, or printable... It was a hard task
to pick six winners when there were so many wonderful
ideas given. I am sure many teachers around the world
will be using the many ideas shared!! Thanks for taking the time to share with other teachers!!.
You have a Teaching Heart!!!

After reading "Oh, the Places You'll Go" I will use my digital camera to create a living word wall entitled: Oh, the Places You'll Go. First, the students will help me create a KWL chart. Then, I will take pictures of places around the school that the students want to learn how to spell (bathroom, playground, cafeteria, library, etc.) and put them into a slide show and on my bulletin board. The bulletin board will be bordered with the students' hand prints and footprints.

Anne A Boyd / OK / K / Oh, the Places You'll Go

We are going to have a pajama breakfast with the children and their parents. The meal will be green eggs and ham. A newscaster from our local channel will be there to read the book green eggs and ham, to the childrenn.

During reading month, everyday someone will be coming in to read a Dr. Seuss book and have their picture taken with the children and posted on our board.

Rosemary Sholtz / Green Eggs and Ham / Michigan / Preschool

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

I have asked the students to wear or bring their favorite hat on March 2nd. I am going to read The 500 Hats of B.C. aloud to them stopping periodically for predictions and discussion.

After we read the book together I will ask everyone to put their hats on and we will play I Spy using adjectives to describe someone's hat and they will take turns guessing.

The class will then return to their table groups and each group will create a fraction word problem based on the hats at their table. Ex. 3/4 of us are wearing baseball caps.

The class will create a graph of the various types of hats worn.

Then the teacher will distribute a set of hat cards and comparing circles and ask each group to create a sort using the hat cards and see if other groups can guess their sort. - Click Here to Print Kristen D's Hat Cards

For homework or additional reinforcement in class the studenst will complete the hats and fractions problems. - Click Here to Print Kristen D's Hat Fraction Worksheet

Kristen D. / 3 / Virginia

We run a photograph contest. We ask families to take a photograph of their child reading a Dr. Seuss book in the wackiest place they can think of reading. Pictures are numbered and grouped by classes and displayed in the hallway. Faculty and Staff vote on the most Seussian place to read for each class. The winner in each class gets a Dr. Seuss book.

Valerie Kowaluk / any / preK-2

First we talk about what we know about Dr. Seuss. Most of the children talk about how his books rhyme and have nonsense words. We talk about his pen names as well so they can look for books written by him using another name. I tell them the true story of how THE CAT IN THE HAT CAME TO BE See site - http://www.seuss.org/seuss/seuss.bio.html and I read it to them as his his first children's book. Then I talk about how he sadly died while he was writing what came to be his last book - HOORAY FOR DIFFENDOOFER DAY. He didn't get to finish it - but the ideas were all there. So friends of his and fellow authors/illustrators got together to finish it for him. I read the book and then using characters I printed from this website - http://www.seussville.com/ - I have the children create crazy characters using the parts from the sheet of Diffendoofer character parts on the Seussville site. Then they write their own rhyming story about their crazy character. Most years I've paired with an older class and done the activity. It works well as the older children really can help the youngers write a great story! We take LOTS of pictures when we pair with an older class!

Then we end the day with Parent's coming in to read on the rug with their child for 1/2 hour and they help their child make Seuss hats. We may or may not watch a Seuss video compilation to end the day completely.

Amy Keane / NJ / The Cat in the Hat AND Hooray for Diffendoofer Day / Grades 1 and 2

I wish I had saved my photos, but I plan to do this again for Read Across America. We read many Dr. Seuss books and I put the students in groups of 4. They chose their favorite Dr. Seuss book characters and drew life size models of the characters. We took digital photos of the principals, gym teacher, janitors, etc. and put their faces on the bodies of the Dr. Seuss characters. We wrote funny captions incorporating quotation marks into our writing. These are always huge at our school. Everyone is always stopping and commenting on our projects.

Kelly/ Kentucky / First

We celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2 with a "Green Eggs and Ham" breakfast with our guests, the local HeadStart group. The children are paired with a 5th grader, and spend the morning celebrating the work of Dr. Seuss. Around 10:00, green eggs and ham are served to our entire Lower School and more "Seuss" activities follow. This annual event has become somewhat a rite of passage for our 5th graders. Leadership and role modeling is very evident, as these young people share their morning with a preschooler.

Lorraine Haslee/ Green Eggs and Ham / Colorado

We read the book. Then we made turtles using styro bowls glued together adding feet, tail, head in green construction paper. We then piled up the turtles and counted how many we could pile up without tipping over. We covered our turtles with Tt's for practicing writing the Tt's. We could not believe all the turtles that can balance on each other.

patricia McSweeney / NJ / Yertle the Turtle / K

We are reading Dr. Seuss Cat in The Hat as a shared reading lesson during the week. We will also make striped hats with candy life savers at the end of the week. It will involve patterning in math class.

Kim Mahrer/K/ND

We are having guest readers to come in to read the students their favorite Dr. Suess Book. The students will be wearing their PJs to give the atmosphere a comfortable feel. All week we will be reading Dr. Seuss stories, and the students will chose their favorite books. We will graph their responses on a chart. We will also have a cake for Dr. Seuss.

Sonya Boyce/1st

Lesson Plans for the week:

Monday: Read “Oh the Places You’ll Go”

Talk about traveling and where the kids were born and have visited. Also talk about what they want to be when they grow up.

Tuesday: Talk more about Places you could visit. Make a big brown folder type suitcase Have each student tell you an item you will need to put in your suitcase write it On a post it and put it on the suitcase. Hang the suitcase on the wall in the hall.

Wednesday: Mrs. Heather comes( that is me) She will read “Green Eggs and Ham” Then we will make a graph of which students would like to try Green eggs and ham. Then cook green scrambled eggs and ham. Finish the graph by adding who tried it and who liked it. Place the graph on the Dr. Seuss wall in the Hall.

Thursday: Read “The Foot Book”  Make footprints to put on the floor in the hallway and

Also in the room to measure how long the room is in feet. The footprints In the hall have what each student wants to be when they grow up written on them we call them the Footprints of Success.

Friday: Read “The Cat in the Hat”  Make our own Hats using stamps in patterns. Also use the computer to play on the Dr. Seuss website. Play Dr. Seuss matching game. Finally discuss all the books we read and graph which one the Class liked the best.

Centers for the week include:

Art:-Make Cat in the Hat “Hats” and color pictures from Seuss’ books

Blocks:-Build a “Fox in Sox” house

Housekeeping: cook green eggs and ham and clean up the house after the cat came to visit

Math: Use patterns to design a cat in the hat “Hat”

Games: play matching games with a Dr. Seuss theme

Puzzles: do Dr. Seuss puzzles

Library: full of Dr. Seuss books to read

Music: listen to music from The Cat in the Hat movie


Library Center

Seuss Bulletin Board

Fox and Sox House

I am doing this for my daughter's teacher. She did give me permission. She is doing a "Week of Seuss" in her class. Her Name is Jackie Armtrong. She currently teaches: Pre-K.         

Before Reading:
Show the cover of the book to the students. Read the title and ask them what they think the book will be about. Write the predictions on the board. Do a picture walk with the students by showing them one page at a time and discuss what they see in each picture.
During Reading:
Read the story, stopping to check the predictions that were made. Read the story a second time, all the way through. The students might enjoy reading with you.
After Reading:
Have students take off one shoe and sit in a circle with the shoe in front of them on the floor. Use 2 to 3 hoola hoops for sorting the shoes. Students sit quietly while you take sort the shoes. No one talks. After you have sorted them ask the students to talk with a partner and try to figure out how you sorted them. When the correct answer is given check with the students to make certain the sorting categories are correct. Students then get their shoe back and place it in front of them on the floor. Repeat the sorting procedure using a different category. Some suggestions for sorting are: tie/slip-ons/buckles; colors; heels/no heels; boots/not boots; stripes/no stripes; left/right.

Barbara Jaszcz / The Foot Book / 1st / Michigan

Subject:
This lesson can be adapted for all subject areas, but is set up mainly for Grade 4 Science.

Learning Outcome(s): (these are from the Manitoba Science Curriculum)
-> 4-1-13
-> 4-1-14
-> 4-1-15
-> 4-1-17

Learning Resource(s):
-> copy of book "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss - ISBN # 0-394-82337-0.
-> overhead projector and screen.
-> coloured transparencies of the book "The Lorax".
-> tape player and prepared cassette tape.
-> costumes and props (Onceller, Lorax, lerkim, pail on a rope, nail, 15 cents, shell, whisper my phone - this can be a funnel wrapped in foil with a wire or string attached to it -, thneed, seed, stump).
-> chart paper and felt pens.
-> assistant to change the transparencies.
-> video version of "The Lorax" (optional)
-> seedlings from Manitoba Forestry (or other local wildlife conservation office).

Activating Strategies:
->Show the class the thneed (this could be a set of pajamas; we use a purple set) and have them talk about what they think it might be.

Acquiring Strategies:
-> Explain to the children that you will be reading a story about the environment and you would like a few students to act as you read. Select volunteers to play the role of the Onceller and the Lorax. Debrief them slightly.
-> Read the book, with an assistant to handle the overhead projector and the transparencies of scenes from the book. The students selected will dramatize as you read. Appropriate tunes will be played throughout the reading. (Example of using tunes: "I'm in a hurry to get things done" by Alabama for when the Onceller is working hard and fast to produce thneeds)
-> Have the student who is playing the Onceller give each student in the audience a seedling (Truffula Tree) to plant at home.

Applying Strategies:
-> Have the students discuss their overall perceptions of the story. Is there any moral here??
-> Have the students retell the story via drawings to make a class book.

Assessment: Working in groups, students will list (on chart paper) the environmental impacts of such unsustainable developments. Following this activity, they will include some possible solutions for their concerns. --ACTION!

Extension: (find a local environment conservation office)
-> Join the SEEDS Foundation Green School Program. Manitoba.
1-800-661-8751 or http://greenschools.ca/seeds
Adopt a piece of tall grass prairie.

Connections to other subjects:
-> In English Language Arts you could show the class the video version of "The Lorax". Following this the students could select roles, prepare costumes, scenery and props, pick music and perform the story for an Earth Day Celebration. In Math you could create an excellent problem solving scenario.

Different ways of Learning:
Word: reading roles for dramatization.
Picture: drawing for group book.
Body: dramatization of story.
Music: tunes throughout the book.
Naturalist: Green School Program.
People: drama and group assessment project.
Self: retell book.
Math: calculate dollars earned by the Onceller.

Source:
James Wollman
S. Margetts

James Wollman / The Lorax / 3-4

During my student teaching, we celebrated Dr. Suess week in March. I red the book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. After we read the book, we compiled a list of words the students remembered from the book. I cut out fish the day before doing this activity, and gave all the students 4 fish. One was colored red, one was colored blue, and the last two fish were colored red and blue. Then the students wrote down one word on each fish from our list, or any they remembered that we didn't mention. (They were to use different words on each fish).

I made 5 dowel fishing poles. I used yarn and glued and tied it to the end of the dowel. At the opposite end, I glued a small round magnet. Each fish had a small paper clip. The students were put into 5 groups, and began fishing for Dr. Suess words. I also used a very long piece of yarn, tied it, and this was their pond. It made a big circle, and the students put all their fish in the pond, and then fished for words. Each student had a turn. When they caught a fish, they had to say the word out loud. Then they would think of a sentence using that word. If a student didn't catch a fish on the first try, then they would give the fishing pole to the next student.

While they did this, I circulated the room, listend to their words and sentences, and I tallied points up for the groups that were playing the game using their inside voices and who were working together nicely. The group with the most points won Cat in the Hat bookmarks.

I do have pictures of the students doing this, but right now I don't have access to get them on here. I wish I could. The students loved doing this.

Renee /Florida / First

I ask all the children to bring in one of their favorite Dr. Seuss books(making sure their name is in the book). I have to explain to parents that just because a book has a small picture of Dr. Seuss on the front cover does not always mean that it is actually written by Dr. Seuss, I also tell them that Ted Gisel is another name that Dr. Seuss used when writing books.

I always have extras for those children who do not own a Dr. Seuss book. Then we go into the cafeteria or large open space and we make a large picture graph using the books to show what our favorite books are. We actually use the real books to make our graph! The kids love it.

I also have small photocopies of the book covers so that we can recreate the graph using large butch block paper and the cut outs. The children usually work together in groups of two or three to make their own pict-o-graph.

Mary/K/Oregon
Green Eggs and Ham

Objective: Matching upper case and lower case letters.

Activitiy: Create a frying pan shape from black poster board. Glue egg shapes onto the pan shape. On each egg shape write an upper case letter on the yolk. Have students match ham shapes with lower case letters to the corresponding egg shape.

Dana/Pre-K/ Louisiana

Horton Hatches the Egg

Create some new animals by retelling the story using two other animals then "crossing" two--What would you get if you crossed a donkey with a chicken? Maybe a parrot crossed with a pig, would a pig hatch a parrot’s egg? Make your own combinations and draw them like the one below.
Discuss the qualities that made Horton a good choice to sit on the egg. Make students aware that when they make a promise, they must keep it.

Click Here to Print Judy's Printable to match this idea

Judy S. / Pre-K/Texas

The Cat in The Hat

The fourth grade standards say that the children need to learn cause and effect; therefore, I will read to the class, the Dr. Seuss book, The Cat in the Hat. While I am reading, the children will tell me, based on the pictures and what the fish and cat say, what will happen next. The children will have to come up with the proper support to explain why this is so. After this exercise, the children will get into groups of 4 and develop an extension to the story with cause and effect elements. They will choose one writer, one speaker, and one drawer/colorer. They will complete this task in about fifteen minutes or less and present. They will explain what actions occurred within their story and the effects. Then the child with the picture will present his/her pictures that go along with the story. They must explain why they chose to include what they did on their picture. This activity will be challenging and fun. In addition to the activities, as the children speak, they should get to wear one of those goofy hats, like the cat in the book.

Leslie/California/4th

The Foot Book

I read The Foot Book and we discuss the opposite words used in the book. I cut out right and left feet from construction paper and I put opposite words on pairs of feet. Then we match them up as a full group. I later give each child a pair of feet and he/she writes an opposite pair we used or makes up a new pair. (This year I am making the left foot blue and the right foot red so that we can separate right feet from left feet easier.) I put the feet in a shoe box for the center. You may want to number or code the matching feet on the back for a self check. Or the kids can play it like a memory game where they have to turn over a right and a left and see if they are the opposites. Pictures, words or both can be used.

Donna/K/Missouri

Big Feet Center Printables - Created by Colleen @ Teaching Heart to match the idea above
Print, laminate, and cut. - Student must match the feet.

Feet, Feet, Feet Activity Sheet - Created by Colleen @ Teaching Heart
Independent activity for your students to complete after reading the story and working with the Big Feet Center.

Art Project
Read the Book - "My Many Colored Days"
Discuss Moods
Discuss Feelings and how we can tell how someone feels by looking at their face.

Construction Paper
Assorted Crayons
One black Crayon per child
A stick or scratch-art tool

Have the children color the entire sheet of paper with layers of crayons.
Crayons should be used on their sides with the paper removed. After many layers have been placed on the paper, have the children use the black crayon to cover the entire service.

The children will then use the tool so scratch their feelings onto the paper. Expressions will be discussed about how they feel.

Kathleen B/NJ/K-6

Objective: The learner will develop the ability to recognize and read sight words (high frequency words) found on the word wall.

Purpose: At the phonics center students will read for enjoyment and practice reading and writing sight words.

Activity: Wacky Word Wall Center

Anticipatory Set: Read Hop on Pop to the class and discuss that most, if not all of our word wall words are found in the books that Dr. Seuss has written. Then students are asked to recall some of the words they heard from the story that are found on our word wall. After a brief discussion students are sent to the four Dr. Seuss centers for the week.

One of the center groups will go to the Wacky Word Wall Center where they are able to read several Dr. Seuss books for ten minutes. Students may browse through any book of their choice silently or with a buddy.

At this center I have made fifteen red and white Cat in the Hat hats. The problem is that I wrote the word wall words wacky. The students need to unscramble the words written on the Cat in the Hat hats.

Set up: I place five hats on a top row of my pocket chart to correspond with the top row of the word wall. Then a place five hats in the middle of the pocket chart to correspond with the middle row of our word wall. Finally I place the last five hats on the bottom row of the pocket chart to go with the bottom row of our word wall. This helps the students organize their choices and helps narrow down the possibilities for the children who may have difficulty with this activity. Each hat is numbered to correspond with a number on their recording sheet. The children write their sight words on the recording sheet. If students finish early they can turn their paper over and draw more Cat in the Hat hats and create their own wacky word wall word by jumbling up word wall words of their choice.

Click to download the recording sheet!

Joann/NJ/1st

We have adopted the book " If I Ran the Circus" for Read Across America. We are having or very own school circus. This will include animals, animal trainers, vendors (which will sell ballons at the circus), tightrope walkers, clowns, and our principal will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Each grade will write or draw the response... If I Ran the Circus.

We are also creating our own circus train on one of the walls. Each student will draw an animal, either real or a Dr. Suess animal to ride on the train.

We are fortunate that this week comes the week before the real circus comes to town. The majority of the grades will be attending the circus.

Sherri / Tennessee

~Green Eggs and Ham

We cook green eggs and ham but I "forget" to bring green food coloring and only have blue. Surprise! When I add the blue food coloring to the yellow eggs, it turns green!

We make predictions before we try the green eggs and ham. Will we like it or not? Then we graph whether we liked them or not.

~Yertle the Turtle

I dye old socks green. Each child colors 2 paper plates (that I have stapled together ) to look like a turtle shett. I hot glue 2 white pompoms to the toe end of the sock and add a wiggle eye to each. The child slips his/her sock on their arm and then slides the paper plates on to look like the turtle shell.

Linda / K / Alabama

~ Hop on Pop or Cat in the Hat

Ryming Words (Word Families)the Cat in the Hat Way

I have my students work with a partner. Each pair is given a rime (_at, _all, _op, _an, _in, _it, -ink, _est, _ock, _up). They are asked to make as many rhyming words for that rime as possible. Pairs are then grouped with another pair to check each other's list for accuracy-for this project nonsense words are ruled out. Once each pair has list of rhyming words that has been check with another pair of students, I check the list for spelling accuracy. Finally, each pair of students uses a cut-out of a Cat in the Hat shaped hat and adds a stripe to the hat for each rhyming word. Each stripe contains one of the rhming words for the given onset. YOu can further challenge students by asking them to arrange their rhyming word stripes in ABC order.

ABCTEACH has a hat pattern that can be enlarged for this activty.
www.abcteach.com/Reading/suess/hat.htm

materials: scrap paper for listing rhyming words, 12X18" colored construction paper for making hat shapes, stripes of white paper (12"X1.5") for stripes, glue sticks.

Julie L. / K/1 / Washington

~ Various Dr. Seuss Books

On Dr. Seuss' birthday, we read many of his book and talk about them. After reading and discussing several of his books, the students will choose their favorite book and write a book report and illustrate a picture. Attached you will find the book report the students will use.

Click Here To Download the book report form by Erica D

Erica D / 2 / Ohio

Click to view The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Unit - Five days of lessons to match many books.

Resources to Match Lessons from above:

Click to view Dr. Seuss Journal

Click to view Dr. Seuss Info.

Click to view Comic Strip Frame

Click to View Stone Soup

Click to View Rubric For Lessons

Keri S./2-3 Spec. Ed. /

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