Carol Gordon Ekster
Author and Educator
Author and Educator
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Book Activities
Above is the one of the first sketches I saw for Ruth The Sleuth and The Messy Room.
Thanks Kimberly Soderberg, illustrator extraordinaire!
Compare and contrast this picture to the one in the book. You can print this out for your child to color.
Questions and activities for teachers to use with:
Where Am I Sleeping Tonight?- A Story of Divorce
Download Where Am I Sleeping Tonight?.. Wordsearch
Language arts:
-Have students talk or write about Mark's problem. What do you think he can do?
-Have students write a goal they want to set. How can they meet that goal?
-Have a discussion about why it's important to have friends you can count on.
Ask for specific examples.
-The
boys in the story woke up to music. Music can affect your mood. Ask
students to write or discuss how it can affect their mood and what
music they listen to.
-To cover state standards on figurative language, there are many examples in the book. Find the examples in the story. Brainstorm other figurative expressions that could be used instead.
-To cover state standards on figurative language, there are many examples in the book. Find the examples in the story. Brainstorm other figurative expressions that could be used instead.
Math:
-Mark went to school by bus. Survey the class to make a graph of ways they come to school. (bus, walk, bicycle, car)
-Discuss fractions. If Mark and Evan have pizza three nights, what fraction of the week do they have pizza?
Creative arts:
-Ask students to draw/paint what they'd wish for if it was their birthday.
-Mark was learning to be responsible. That's a positive character trait. Draw students' silhouettes, using the overhead, and inside the silhouette, have students list positive traits about themselves from A - Z.
-Ask students to make a sketch of their favorite part of the book and have them tell why it was their favorite part.
-Dramatic play: Use a flashlight and make hand shadows pretending they are Mark and Evan. What conversation might they be having? Younger children might want to act out a playground scene.
-Dramatic play: Use a flashlight and make hand shadows pretending they are Mark and Evan. What conversation might they be having? Younger children might want to act out a playground scene.
Questions and activities for teachers to use with:
Download Ruth The Sleuth.. Wordsearch
Language arts:
-Have students talk or write about their room. Each student can describe their bedroom in detail. Then pass out descriptions so you get another student’s paper. Now draw the room using the description. Write names on back and line up the pictures so that names can’t be seen. See if students can find their own room. Discuss what they learned from the activity.
-Discuss or write about why you think Ruth will or will not continue to keep her room neat and organized. Do you think it’s important to be organized? Why or why not?
-Using strong verbs rather than an overused verb and an adverb (like shuffled, rather than walked slowly) is a way to improve your writing. There are many strong verbs in Ruth the Sleuth. See if you can find examples in the book. Can you find examples in your own writing where you can make your verbs stronger?
-Imagine Ruth invites you over to her house to play in her room. Tell us about what happens.
-Discuss the role of sequence in a fiction story. Brainstorm sequence words (first, then, next, etc.) and then go back to the story and try to find them all.
Math:
-Ruth wrote with a crayon in the book. Survey the class to make a graph of their favorite writing tool. (crayon, pencil, pen, marker,keyboard)
-Note the appearance of the cat on many pages. What's your favorite pet? Survey the class and make a class graph of favorite pets.
-The genre of this picture book is realistic fiction. What's your favorite genre? Survey the class and make a graph. (realistic fiction, biography, mystery, fantasy, nonfiction)
-In this story Ruth's mom is making chocolate chip cookies. Survey the class and make a graph of their favorite cookie.
-Discuss fractions. If there were 24 chocolate chip cookies on the cookie sheet, and she made little batches of 3, each batch would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? If she made little batches of 4, each would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? If she made little batches of 6, each would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? If she made little batches of 8, each would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? Can you reduce those fractions to simplest terms?
-If there were 24 chocolate chip cookies on the cookie sheet, how many kids could share the batch if each child had 2? If each child had 3? If each child had 4? If each child had 6? If each child had 8?
Creative arts:
-Ask students to draw/paint what they'd wish for in their bedroom.
-Ruth was learning to be organized. That's a positive character trait. Draw students' silhouettes, using the overhead, and inside the silhouette, have students list positive traits about themselves from A - Z.
-Ask students to make a sketch of their favorite part of the book and have them tell why it was their favorite part.
-Dramatic play: Use a flashlight and make hand shadows pretending they're Ruth and Zack. What conversation might they be having? Younger children might want to act out a scene...perhaps one that might happen in the future.
Gross Motor Activities: -Have students talk or write about their room. Each student can describe their bedroom in detail. Then pass out descriptions so you get another student’s paper. Now draw the room using the description. Write names on back and line up the pictures so that names can’t be seen. See if students can find their own room. Discuss what they learned from the activity.
-Discuss or write about why you think Ruth will or will not continue to keep her room neat and organized. Do you think it’s important to be organized? Why or why not?
-Using strong verbs rather than an overused verb and an adverb (like shuffled, rather than walked slowly) is a way to improve your writing. There are many strong verbs in Ruth the Sleuth. See if you can find examples in the book. Can you find examples in your own writing where you can make your verbs stronger?
-Imagine Ruth invites you over to her house to play in her room. Tell us about what happens.
-Discuss the role of sequence in a fiction story. Brainstorm sequence words (first, then, next, etc.) and then go back to the story and try to find them all.
Math:
-Ruth wrote with a crayon in the book. Survey the class to make a graph of their favorite writing tool. (crayon, pencil, pen, marker,keyboard)
-Note the appearance of the cat on many pages. What's your favorite pet? Survey the class and make a class graph of favorite pets.
-The genre of this picture book is realistic fiction. What's your favorite genre? Survey the class and make a graph. (realistic fiction, biography, mystery, fantasy, nonfiction)
-In this story Ruth's mom is making chocolate chip cookies. Survey the class and make a graph of their favorite cookie.
-Discuss fractions. If there were 24 chocolate chip cookies on the cookie sheet, and she made little batches of 3, each batch would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? If she made little batches of 4, each would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? If she made little batches of 6, each would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? If she made little batches of 8, each would be what fraction of the entire number of cookies made? Can you reduce those fractions to simplest terms?
-If there were 24 chocolate chip cookies on the cookie sheet, how many kids could share the batch if each child had 2? If each child had 3? If each child had 4? If each child had 6? If each child had 8?
Creative arts:
-Ask students to draw/paint what they'd wish for in their bedroom.
-Ruth was learning to be organized. That's a positive character trait. Draw students' silhouettes, using the overhead, and inside the silhouette, have students list positive traits about themselves from A - Z.
-Ask students to make a sketch of their favorite part of the book and have them tell why it was their favorite part.
-Dramatic play: Use a flashlight and make hand shadows pretending they're Ruth and Zack. What conversation might they be having? Younger children might want to act out a scene...perhaps one that might happen in the future.
-Move like Ruth did in the story. Can you slither out from under a bed? Can you shoot something into your waste basket? Find other examples of movement in the story and try to move that way. Discuss how the characters use their muscles.
More fun for kids.......
Here are some cool web sites for kids to practice their math facts:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revisewise/maths/number/06_act.shtml
http://www.gdbdp.com/multiflyer/play_online.html
Check out more sites on my the web page I had for my 4th grade students: