Highlights High Five™ August 2008 Parent/Teacher Guide
A Cat Named Cow (pages 6 to 9)
- Before reading the story, ask children to predict why Tex and Indi named their cat Cow.
- To heighten the suspense, fold the magazine so the children see only one page at a time. Before reading page 9, compare the guesses that Tex and Indi's friends made with the guesses that the children made.
After enjoying this story, tell a story about your own name and explain why your parents decided to give you that name. Invite children to share what they know about the origin of their names.
Let's Look at Shadows! (pages 20 to 22)
- Before reading this feature, ask children to share what they know about shadows.
- Read the captions below the photographs on pages 20 and 21, then turn to page 22 and help children discuss the photos on this page.
- To create indoor shadows, have children block the light from a lamp with solid objects. They can also explore what happens when they move an object closer to or farther from the lamp.
- On a sunny morning, have children trace their partner's shadow with sidewalk chalk. Go out again later in the day and compare their shadows.
When you go outside with your children, look for shadows on the sides of buildings as well as on the ground.
Make Some Celery Boats (page 34)
- Help children identify the items in the You Need box.
- Before reading each step, ask children to describe what the boy is doing.
- Note: Dried cranberries can be a choking hazard for children under 3. Replace with fresh berries or dried cereal.
- As you enjoy your "seaworthy" treats, encourage your children to think of words to describe the textures (crunchy, chewy, creamy).
- After making these snacks, ask children to think of other things that they could use to fill pieces of celery (peanut butter, hummus, salad dressing).
The "You Need" box provides an opportunity to focus on the letter c. Help children find the words that begin with c. Write these words. Then ask: Which word in the list has the most letters? Which word has the fewest letters? Which words have the same number of letters?