Spring Isn't Spring Without Eric Carle

There is just something magical that happens

when you read Eric Carle books to Kindergarteners....

the love of reading becomes permanently

instilled in their hearts.
He pretty much hit pay dirt with his book ideas.
I mean talk about thinking
outside the box.
Holes in the pages,
books that chirp,
books that light up,
books that have shrinking pages,
books with spider webs you can feel.
Pure.genius.

With this in mind,

I made several classroom activities

to accompany some of his books.

I hope that your students like them

as much as mine do!
Girrrrl, thanks for helping me fill
in that lesson plan book.

These are Pre-Armageddon Pdf. Files

If you're interested in knowing more

about my computer woes click here.
...Ok, I can't resist...
Having flashbacks?
...as in flash drives?
uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh
(that's my corny laugh 
to a ridiculously corny pun)
I apologize. Rough week.
I.am.fried.
I can't make changes to these files,
so take them or leave them....
I just thought I'd share!
As always, thank you!

There's so much out there
for The Hungry Caterpillar,
True that!
but there's not a lot for some
other Eric Carle books that I love.
So, I made some things
to share with my students.
Here you go,
my teaching sisters and brothers....
download away! 

   The Very Lonely Firefly
by Eric Carl

Here is a youtube reading of the book,
The Very Lonely Firefly uploaded by Storybookreadalong

I made this simple reader for my students
to use after reading the story
The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle.
Looking For Fireflies
Based Off The Story: The Very Lonely Firefly
by Eric Carle 

I drew the pictures by hand
impressive...
I can draw a stick man.
Jealous much?
then I scanned them,
and then I LOST them when
my computer crashed....BLEK!
It's all good.  I've learned to breathe in a bag.
I actually do have the original pics
somewhere (I think),
but remember my name IS
Queen Chaos....so they're probably buried
in a mystery pile...perhaps in my closet...
no, maybe in a cabinet....or not.
Don't EVEN get me started on closets!
Any peeps out there remember the 
hit show Friends?  Monica was considered
to be so ultra organized,
borderline OCD.
Uh, even SHE had a closet
that NO ONE was allowed to see.
I.am.Monica.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Hmmmmmmm........
The activities on this post are meant
for educational purposes only.
They are not for profit or for sale.
Let's be perfectly clear on this people!
...and Eric Carle, if you're
reading this....Regina's 
NOT
trying to get rich off of your great books.
She's just helping out her teacher peeps. 

Here are some sample pages
of the download.

 Here's the same easy reader,
for individual student books...

 

 Saving ink can be very important,
so here's another way to print out,
just in case you are just needing
one copy for a single child:

Pictures and words
to accompany the story.
Make your own word wall
for The Very Lonely Firefly.
...or place them around
your classroom for a 
Write the Room set.

 Have your students write the words
to accompany each picture.

 Have your students sequence the story,
The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle:

Here are some Firefly Graphic Organizers
just in case you're interested in having
your students write about a firefly!
A+ Firefly....Three Graphic Organizers

Here's a surprise gift that
can be used for writing and math activities....
Enjoy!
Just click on the picture!

For a sneak peak....here's ONE page that you'll find in this gift!
Firefly Addition:

For more addition and subtraction practice check out my  
Insect And Creepy Crawly Addition & Subtraction Fluency Practice Cards #0-5.

  Click, click, click!
Time to click over to Eric Carle's
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle 

Click below to go to youtube for a cartoon version of the story
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle uploaded by Collin Breimeier.

 Here's another set of hand drawn clip art
that I drew, scanned, and then lost.
Hmmmm....I guess it's time I go hunting
in my closet for the originals!
Careful for falling boxes on your melon.
I'm hoping that this helps you make a day
of this fabulous story!
Click, click, click!
(You're so 'punny')
Just click on the pics to download!

Here's a book about a click beetle,
that you can sing to the tune of BINGO.
Instead of clapping, try snapping.

 The book/song keeps going until
you're snapping for all of the letters
in the word CLICK.
That is too stinkin' cute!


You can choose to print out individual student books as well:

Choose the paper with the best lines
for your class to write sight words.

Click Beetle writing paper...
just choose the line you like the best!
Look at me! I can...

How many words can you come up with
that rhyme with the word "click"?

How many word can you come up with out

of the letters in the 2 words "Click Beetle"?

 Click Beetle Addition
Woo-Hoo!
Click-click if you like it!

 Click Beetle Subtraction...Of course!

 Click Beetle Number Flips
What happens if the two digits click and flip?
You could actually take two magnet, plastic numbers,
click them together for the noise effect
and then flip them to show your kiddos the number flip.
That is too clever!

 Click Beetle 100 Chart

Click Beetle Addition Coin Flips
Flip a penny, nickle, dime, or quarter
and tally up the number of times
each coin lands on heads or tails.

 Remember these are super old files,
that I can't change.  Sure, I'd like to add
some coin clip art to it now (with the heads and tails pics)
....but it's kind of stuck the way it is.
You could have your students
do a crayon rubbing of the head on the left side
and then a crayon rubbing of the tails on the right side.
Hmmmmmm........

Insects...The Very Clumsy Click Beetle By Eric Carle
Storybook Characters and Sequencing
For Educational Purposes ONLY....Not For Profit.

The Very Clumsy Click Beetle Word Wall

 The Very Clumsy Click Beetle Mini Word Wall

The Very Clumsy Click Beetle Word and Picture Match.
Draw a line from the word to the correct picture.

 Label the pictures from The Very Clumsy Click Beetle.

 Cut out the pictures from The Very Clumsy Click Beetle
and place them in the correct story sequence.

 The Very Clumsy Click Beetle large cards
for whole group story sequencing.

The Very Clumsy Click Beetle Writing Paper
with different line options. 
Sometimes I feel clumsy when...

If you're looking for a cute and EASY insect craft,
just print out my:
Insect And Creepy Crawly: Kindergarten Painting Sheets.

Have your students paint the entire sheet of paper
(including the sky and the grass or dirt).
When the pictures are dry:
crop the edges, glue the paper onto
green paper, and hang the pictures in your classroom
to display both the art and the words.
I only print out 1 copy of each picture,
and my kids have to paint the one that they get...
You get what you get, and you don't get upset!
That way, my classroom is full of different insects
and creepy crawlies  (already labeled) for spring!

Little Cloud is another one of my 
favorites by Eric Carle.

 Little Cloud
on youtube uploaded by Julie Alrai

Trickfilm der GS Rockenhausen Eric Carle: "the little cloud"

Gotta Run!
Time to juggle this thing called LIFE!
Epic Fail over here.
I do believe I've dropped 
every ball that I've been tossing in the air!
Just keeping it real people.

More Eric Carle Activities To Come!
At some point....Can't promise when!


Added On April 2015
Check out our new blog post:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar