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Note: The following activities are additional connections to "A Bundle of Buttons" in the April issue and "Buttons in History" in the May issue, All are geared toward Grade 2.
Chants
Background Information:
Chants are an important part of phonemic awareness. They teach rhythm and rhyme through repetition.
Resources:
Books
Bauer, Caroline Feller. Presenting Reader's Theater. H. W. Wilson, 1987. (Contains the chant "My Name Is Sew" on pp. 17-19.)
More Chants
"Who Stole the Buttons from the Button Box?"
"Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?"
Website
Fun for Kids-Izzie's 1880's Activities. http://ravenstone press.com/izzifun.html
Materials
Button
Activity and Procedures for Completion:
Teach students "My Name Is Sew" (see Presenting Reader's Theater).
Teach "Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?" (see directions on Fun for Kids website).
Teach "Who Stole the Buttons?"
Who Stole the Buttons from the Button Box?
Directions
The students sit in a circle.
The students chant: Who stole the buttons from the button box?
The teacher chants: (Student 1) stole the buttons from the button box!
Student 1 responds: Who me?
All students reply: Yes, you!
Student 1 chants: Couldn't be!
All students reply: Then who?
Student 1 replies: (Student 2) stole the buttons from the button box!
Students start to clap hands with a student next to them while they're doing the chant. The idea of this game is to keep the rhythm of claps going while continuing the chant, with a new student called each time. As the students get used to the game, the teacher can speed up the tempo.
Idioms and Similes
Resources:
Books
Epstein, Diana. The Button Book. Running Press, 1996.
Leedy, Loreen. There's a Frog in My Throat. Holiday House, 2003.
Makkai, Adam. A Dictionary of American Idioms. Barren's, 1987.
Terban, Marvin. Mad as a Wet Hen, and Other Funny Idioms. Clarion, 1987.
Terban, Marvin. Punching the Clock: Funny Action Idioms. Clarion, 1990.
Websites
In Step with Idioms, http://library.thinkquest.org/4382/ idiom.html
Paint by Idioms, http://www.funbrain.com/funbrain/ idioms
Definitions:
idiom-a saying that has a hidden meaning,
simile-makes a comparison by using the word...