Highlights High Five™ October 2008 Parent/Teacher Guide
Peacock and Crow: A Folktale from Thailand (pages 6 to 9)
- Before reading the story, ask children what they know about peacocks and crows.
- After reading the story, ask if this could really happen. Help the children explain why it couldn't really happen.
Creation myths exist in every culture. Many fine picture books retell these ancient stories. For younger children, try Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by E. Dayrell, Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott, and A Story, a Story by Gail E. Haley. Older children may enjoy The Story of Jumping Mouse by J. Steptoe.
Friends (pages 22 and 23)
- Before reading the poem, ask children to describe what they see in the illustration.
- After reading the poem, use the picture of the opened peanut shell to explain how the squirrel and the chipmunk can share just one peanut.
- To help younger children answer the questions on page 23, count the total number of whole peanuts on pages 22 and 23. Then give the children 8 small objects to represent the peanuts. Help them divide the 8 objects into 2 equal groups and then into 4 equal groups.
Using actual objects to group and count is important. It helps children grasp the underlying math concepts. Encourage older children to answer the questions using the total number of nuts inside the 8 peanuts. If no one has a peanut allergy, you could give them unshelled peanuts to solve the problem. You could also use 8 plastic eggs with two small objects in each. Help the children open the eggs and divide the small objects into 2 and then into 4 equal groups. To extend the lesson further, ask: If 3 animals wanted to share the peanuts equally, how many would each animal receive? Would there be any left over? What could they do? (A possible answer: Cut the remaining nut into 3 pieces.)
A Cool Treat (page 30)
- Before making this recipe, read it together and talk about each illustration.
- If possible, take photographs of the kids as they make these treats.
- Use the photographs to make a book about how they made their cool treats!
This recipe helps children recall a sequence of events, measure, count, divide, combine, and discover how a solid changes when you add and take away heat. And it tastes good, too! Next time, try using butterscotch chips or adding chopped nuts or rainbow sprinkles.