educator’s guide for william's winter nap sept 2017...educator’s guide for william’s...

Grade Level: PK-K Author: Linda Ashman Illustrator: Chuck Groenink Publisher: Disney Hyperion Pub Date: October 2017 ISBN: 978-1484722824 PraiseforWilliam’sWinterNap

★“Beautifullypaced,rhymed,andcadenced...[The]mixed-mediaartworkcreatesastrongsenseofthesettingandtheappealingcharacters.”Starredreview,BooklistAJuniorLibraryGuildSelection:“[An]idealread-aloudforacoldwinternight.”

AbouttheAuthorLindaAshman’smorethanthirtypicturebookshaveearnednumeroushonorsandstarredreviews,andhavebeenincludedonthe“BestoftheYear”listsofTheNewYorkTimes,ParentingandChildmagazines,BankStreetCollegeofEducation,theNewYorkPublicLibraryandmore.She’salsotheauthorofTheNuts&BoltsGuidetoWritingPictureBooks.LindaliveswithherfamilyinChapelHill,NorthCarolina.Visitheratlindaashman.com.AbouttheIllustrator

ChuckGroeninkhailsfromanovergrownvillageamongthepeatbogsinthenorthoftheNetherlands,wherehespenthisformativeyearsclimbingtrees,drawing,reading,andcycling.HeattendedtheArtezInstituteofArtsinKampen,graduatingfromthedepartmentofillustration.HenowlivesinSyracuse,NewYork,withhiswifeandtwocats.Visithimonlineatchuckgroenink.com.

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Pre-ReadingandPredictingReadthetitleofthebookandlookatitscover,frontandback.Whatcharactersdoyouseeintheillustrations?Whodoyouthinkisthemaincharacter?Why?Whatcanyoutellaboutthesettingofthestory?Whatdoyouthinkthestoryisabout?

Educator ’s Guide for

William’s Winter Nap

AbouttheBookWilliam is all set for bed when—TAP TAP TAP!—a chilly chipmunk arrives at his door looking for a warm place to sleep. The two curl up under the covers, then—KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!—a frosty porcupine asks to join them. One after another, a parade of furry guests appears at William’s door in search of a snuggly place to spend the winter. Each time, William and friends scooch over—but is there room for ALL the visitors who show up?

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CharacterLessonsInthebook,aseriesofanimalsarrivesatWilliam’sdoorlookingforshelter.IsWilliamwelcomingtohisvisitors?Inwhatways?Atwhatpointinthebookaretheanimalsnotsowelcoming?HowdoesBearrespondafterWilliamopensthedoor?Howdoyouthinkhefeels?Whatdotheotheranimalsdothen?Talkaboutatimewhensomeonemadeyoufeelwelcome—orunwelcome.Howdidyoufeel?Whatsortsofthingscanwedotomakeothersfeelwelcomeandincluded?NaturalScience:AnimalsinWinterImaginehavingtofindfoodandshelterinthecoldest,snowiestmonthsoftheyear.It’snoteasy!Butanimalsadapttoharshweatherinavarietyofinterestingways.Somegrowthickercoats,orchangecolorsothey’recamouflagedinthesnow,ormigratetowarmerclimates.Manyothers—liketheanimalsinWilliam’sWinterNap—spendallormostofthewintersleeping.Some,likewoodchucks,aretruehibernators,enteringastateinwhichtheirbodytemperaturedropsdramaticallyandtheirbreathingandheartratebecomeextremelyslow.Others,likebears,aredeepsleepers—althoughtheirheartrateandbreathingaremuchslowerthannormal,theirtemperaturedropsonlyslightly.MakeaScienceJournalAsaclass,makeaspecialjournaltorecordyourobservations.TakeFieldNotesOverthecourseofaweekorlonger,gooutsidetoobserveanimalactivity.Keeparecordofthesortsofwildlifeyouobserve—mammals,birds,reptiles,fishorinsects.Whataretheydoing?Drawpicturesofwhatyousee.FindOut!Asaclass,shareyourobservationsandmakealistofthewildlifeyou’veobserved,aswellasotheranimalsfoundinyourregion.Howdotheyspendthewinter?Whatdotheydotoprepare?OnlineResources:SanDiegoZoo:http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animalsNationalGeographicAnimalFacts:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/index/NationalEducationAssociationWinter-ThemedClassroomResources,includingAnimalAdaptations:http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/winter-theme-gradesK-5.htmlAnimalAdaptationsinWinterTeacherResources:http://blogs.cornell.edu/naturalistoutreach/files/2013/09/Winter-Adaptations-I-168fn9g.pdf

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LanguageandListeningRepetitionWritersofpicturebookssometimesliketorepeatlinessothatreaderscanjoinin.WhatphraseisrepeatedinWilliam’sWinterNap?Whatchangesasthelineisrepeated(andmoreanimalsarrive)?RhymingWordsWilliam’sWinterNapiswritteninrhyme,whichmeansthatcertainwordshavethesameendsounds.Forexample,herearetherhymesonthefirstpageofthestory:

steep/sleep

bed/head

nap/tap

Pickoutsomeotherrhymingwordsinthebook.Then,asaclassoronyourown,makealistofotherwordsthatrhymewiththewordpair.Herearesometotry:

tight/night (e.g.,bite,bright,kite,light...)

door/more

there/bear

trees/please

snow/go

SoundEffectsTheauthorusessoundstoconveythearrivalofnewvisitors.Forexample,ChipmunkwakesWilliamwithaTAP,TAP,TAP,andPorcupinewithaKNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK.WhatsoundsaremadewhenWoodchuck,Raccoon,andBeararrive?Theliterarytermforwordsthatsoundlikewhattheymeanisonomatopoeia,anditsusecanmakeourwritinglivelier.Trycomingupwithsomesoundsofyourowntodescribeotherwintryactivitieslikethese:

• Sleddingdownahill.• Asnowballfight.• Openingaheavydoor.• Snowbreakingatreebranch.• Skatingonafrozenpond.• Windinthetrees.• Hailhittingdifferentsurfaces—metal,wood,

someone’shead(!).• Walkingthroughfreshsnow.

Isthesounddifferentifyou’reasmallchipmunk?Abigbear?

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ArtandDesignAnillustratormayuseaparticularrangeofcolors—orpalette—togiveabookaconsistentstyleandmood.HowwouldyoudescribethepaletteChuckGroeningusesinWilliam’sWinterNap?Whatdothecolorstellusaboutthesetting?Atdifferenttimesinthestory,theanimalsare(amongotherthings)cold,content,sleepy,ungracious,remorsefulandhappy.Howdoestheillustratorconveytheseemotionsintheillustrations?Artistsincludemanydetailsintheirillustrationstoenhancethesettingandstory.Whatsortsofdetailscaughtyoureyeinthebook?WritingandArtActivityBrainstorm!Brainstormingisanexcellentexercisetodobeforewriting.Youstartwithatopic—inthiscase,“Winter”—andjotdownallthewordsthatcometomind.Ifyoucanonlycomeupwithafew,thinkaboutwinterclothes,activities,foods,holidays,andscenery,andseeifyoucanexpandthelist.Write!Whatdoyoulikemostaboutwinter?Whatareyourfavoritethingstodo?Arethereanythingsyoudon’tlikeaboutwinter?Writeaboutthemaswell.Illustrate!Createanillustrationtogowithyourwriting.Showyourfavorite(ornot-so-favorite)thingsaboutwinterandsharethemwiththeclass.