The Rainbow Fish Marcus Pfister

Activity One – Vocabulary Introduction Targeted Skill(s):

Vocabulary development

Instructions: Prior to reading the story, pre-teach the vocabulary terms that are essential to comprehension of the

story. Suggested vocabulary terms to be pre-taught are listed below. Write the vocabulary term on a large piece of paper, demonstrate the sign for the vocabulary term, and use the illustrations from the book to provide visual aides. Request that the children sign the vocabulary term with you. Vocabulary Terms:

Materials:

List of vocabulary terms

Large piece of paper

Marker

Photographs of each sign (attached)

ordinary scales sparkling amazed glide

proud shimmer shocked dazzling admire

loneliest wise glare emerged advice

glittering discover disappeared wavered peculiar

whizzed prized possession

Activity Two – Librarian May I…? Targeted Skil(s):

Phonological awareness (syllable identification)

Instructions: Use masking tape to tape the two “start” and two “finish” lines to the floor. Tape each set of footprints to the floor creating a trail from the start to the finish lines. Prior to beginning the activity, list the four steps in identifying the number of syllables on a large sheet of paper. Use the word, “rainbow,” to provide an example.

Count the vowels in the word.

Subtract the silent vowels.

When two vowels are side by side, subtract one vowel.

The number of vowels you see is equal to the number of syllables in the word!

Divide the children into two teams and request that each team create a line behind the start line. Position yourself on the opposite side between the two “finish” lines. Cut out the words listed on the Librarian May I…? Sheet. Provide each child with a separate word from the Librarian May I…? Sheet. Each child should identify the number of syllables within the word by stating, “librarian may I take __(number of syllables within the word) steps forward?” If the child correctly identifies the number of syllables, allow him/her to take the same number of steps forward. If the child incorrectly identifies the number of syllables, encourage the other children to assist in identifying the correct number of syllables and allow the child to take one step forward. Continue the activity until each child has stepped from the “start” to the “finish” line. Materials:

Masking Tape

Two “Start” Lines

Two “Finish” Lines

Two Sets of Footprints

Librarian May I…? Word Sheets

Activity Three – Rhyming Fish Targeted Skill(s):

Phonological awareness (rhyming)

Instructions: Distribute one fish template and one piece of foil to each child. Allow the children to color and cut out the fish. Inform the children that they must give their shiny scale (piece of foil) to their rhyming pair, the child who has the fish containing the word that rhymes with the word on their fish. For example, the child who received the fish with the printed word “shiny” should locate the child who received the fish with the printed word “tiny” and offer his/her shiny scale. Once the children have found their rhyming pair, assist them in gluing their shiny scales to their fish. When all children have found their rhyming pairs, request that each pair take turns lifting their shiny scales and revealing the rhyming pairs. Lead a discussion on whether or not the pair of words rhyme and strategies the children used to identify their rhyming pair (i.e. the words look/sound the same in the middle and end). Materials:

Fish Templates

Foil (pre-cut into half circles)

Scissors

Crayons, colored pencils, or markers

Glue

Vocabulary Term

Definition

Description of the Sign

ordinary

• regular • not special

• begin with both hands in the fist position

• point the index fingers outward

• place one fist on top of the other

• repetitively brush the top fist toward the opposite side of the body

scales

• a thin, flat, plate covering a fish

• touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger, creating a circle

• lift the middle, ring, and pinky fingers upward

• place the circle created by the hand in various spots on the side of the stomach

sparkling/shimmer/

glitter

• to shine • bend the middle finger inward toward the palm

• touch the shoulder with the bent middle finger

• shake the finger while drawing it away from the shoulder

amaze

• to be overwhelmed with surprise

• begin with the hands in the fist position on the sides of the head

• wiggle the fingers as the hands move toward the middle of the body; end with both hands in the fist position on top of each other

glide

• to slide • squeeze the fingers and thumb together

• position the palm toward the body in front of the torso

• move the hand from one side of the body to the other

proud

• feeling of happiness • respect

• elevate the thumb and place on the lower torso

• remaining in contact with the torso, slowly raise the thumb up to the chest

shock

• to be surprised • touch the corner of the eye with the index finger

• with the fingers bent slightly and the palms facing downward, depress the hands in front of the body

dazzling

• spectacular • wonderful

• spread the fingers of one hand apart

• place the thumb on the middle of the chest

• rapidly wiggle the fingers

admire

• to appreciate and cherish someone or something

• stretch the index and middle fingers of both hands outward

• turn the hands toward one side

• move the hands outward in a circular motion

lonely

• alone

• without company

• stretch the index finger of one hand outward

• with the index finger pointing up, touch the tip of the finger to the lip

• move the finger outward in a circular motion

wise

• very intelligent • smart

• slightly bend the index finger of one hand

• turn the hand toward the side

• touch the side of the hand to the forehead

• bend the wrist forward and backward once

glare

• a very bright light • using the index finger, point to each eye

• touch the tips of the fingers of both hands to the tips of the thumbs

• touch the inner sides of the hands together

• while spreading the fingers, move the hands upward and outward

emerge

• to appear • turn the palm of one hand downward in front of the torso

• underneath the palm, point the index finger of the opposite hand upward

• raise the index finger and insert through a space between the fingers of the opposite hand

advice

• an opinion or recommendation

• place the palm of one hand downward in front of the body

• place the opposite hand on top

• move the top hand outward while spreading the fingers

discover

• to notice

• to realize

• touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger

• spread the index, middle, and ring fingers outward

• position the hand with the palm facing downward

• elevate the hand

disappear

• to vanish from sight • turn the palm of one hand downward in front of the torso

• place the index finger of the opposite hand upward through a space between the fingers

• depress the index finger

waver

• to think about • point the index finger

• move the finger in a circular pattern toward the forehead

• position both palms upward

• alternatively elevate and depress the palms

peculiar

• strange • squeeze the fingers of one hand together

• bend the fingers to form the “C” handshape

• position the side of the hand in front of the forehead

• bend the wrist foreward and backward

whizzed

• to move

• to rush by quickly

• begin with both hands in the fist position in front of the torso

• flick both thumbs up-ward

• squeeze the thumb and fingers together

• position the palm facing inward toward the torso

• rapidly move the palm from one side of the body to the other

prized possession

• a treasured, important, or meaningful object

• slightly bend the thumb and fingers of one hand

• turn the palm inward

• while bending the fingers inward to form a fist, place the fist on the chin

• touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger, creating a circle

• lift the index, middle, and ring fingers upward

• place the circle created by the hand in various spots on the side of the stomach

1. ordinary

2. scales

3. sparkling/shimmer/glittering

4. amazed

5. glide

6. proud

7. shocked

8. dazzling

9. admire

10. loneliest

11. wise

12. glare

13. emerged

14. advice

15. discover

16. disappeared

17. wavered

18. peculiar

19. whizzed

20. prized possession

START

deep blue

see fish

ordinary beautiful

ocean scales

shade green

purple sparkling

Librarian May I…?

Librarian May I…?

silver amazed

rainbow play

glide proud

silent shimmer

wonderful special

shocked upset

Librarian May I…?

friends dazzling

admire loneliest

troubles starfish

octopus darkness

glittering discover

happy cloud

Librarian May I…?

disappear fin

angry playfully

peculiar whizzed

flashing surrounded

delighted possessions

splash many

admire

advice

beef

bet

blend

block

blue

brave

care

cave

cloud

clue

coin

dare

dark

daughter

dazzle

delight

dish

fade

fin

fire

fish

friend

gave

glare

glide

glimmer

glitter

green

happy

ink

jam

join

lay

litter

lonely

mice

only

pale

play

possession

proud

rainbow

razzle

reef

rim

rise

scale

screen

sea

session

shade

share

shark

shimmer

shiny

shock

sink