Lilly Lessons for Archives

Lilly Literature Unit

Grades 1 - 3

(Print resources at the end of this lesson)

The following Unit was on our Lesson Page and is posted here for April Archives.

Background: There is nothing "mousey" about Lilly, one of our family's favorite picture book characters.  Author, Kevin Henkes has a keen understanding for children's varying temperaments.  Lilly's exuberance touches every child's heart, because Lilly loves life and everyone she meets.  Spend around forty-five minutes a day, for one school week, doing some or all of the activities in this special unit devoted to Lilly, and author, Kevin Henkes.

Materials:  Lilly and the Purple Plastic Purse; Lilly and her Big Day; other Kevin Henkes books; cheese or yellow snacks for five days; materials for a "Light Bulb Lab;" construction paper for teacher posters, pattern for sunglasses, aluminum foil, construction paper for sunglasses (days 1, 2, 3).  "Lilly's Counting Game" and materials for students to make their own game (day 4)," and Lilly activities from www.kevinhenkes.com. (day 5).

Preparation: Set up a "Light Bulb Lab" in your home school  or classroom similar to Mr. Slinger's in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.  If you have a creative corner, add a large sign for it to become a "Light Bulb Lab."  Fill the lab with items such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue, scissors, construction paper, pencils, writing paper, Lilly activity sheets from www.kevinhenkes.com.  Be creative with this center.  

Plan yellow snacks for each day of the school week.  Classroom teachers, ask parent volunteers to provide one snack a day for the class.  Try cheese cubes, cheese and crackers, Cheetos, string cheese, cheese flavored chips, banana yogurt, banana slices, or yellow apples.

Prepare materials for teacher poster, sunglasses (sunglasses pattern, trace sunglasses on construction paper for each student) and Lilly's counting game (ten construction paper rectangles 3" x  9," with a simple puzzle edge line in the middle, for two children to share create together).

Day 1:  Anticipatory set, "Have you ever been excited about something and you can't keep it a secret anymore?  Can you remember a time you shared something at the wrong time?"  Share answers.  Read Lilly and the Perfect Plastic Purse.  Follow with oral or written comprehension questions*:

Does Lilly like her teacher?  How can you tell?

What happened that made Lilly mad at her teacher?

What did Lilly do to fix her mistake with Mr. Slinger?

Did Mr. Slinger forgive Lilly?  How do you know?

                                           What words would you use to describe Lilly?

Draw a picture of your teacher and you, just like Lilly did when she wanted to make things better with Mr. Slinger.  What color eyes and hair do you have?  What are you wearing?  How about your teacher?  What are you saying to one another?  Perhaps you are learning something from your teacher or she/he is reading Lilly to the class.  Maybe one of you is saying, "Wow!" 

Enjoy a yellow snack similar to the yummy treats Lilly's class shares.

 *Consider written comprehension answers for grade three.

Day 2:  Ask children if they have ever been to a wedding.  Discuss.  Read Lilly's Big Day.  Follow with comprehension, oral or written questions:

What is Mr. Slinger's big announcement?

What does Lilly dream about becoming?

Does Lilly's dream come true?

What happens at the end of Lilly's Big Day?

Next, students cut pattern sunglasses out and decorate one side.  Glue foil on for eyepieces.  See picture below.  Children should be sure to put their names on their glasses and save them for tomorrow's lesson.

Day 3: Read third Kevin Henkes picture book.  Possibly Chester's Way because Chester and Wilson meet Lilly.  Build anticipation for the story by telling the children a story about your best friend.  Chester and Wilson are best friends.

Discuss adjectives or describing words (depending upon age).  In Kevin Henkes books the author describes his mouse friends in fun ways.  Lilly is spirited.  Chester and Wilson are careful.  Mr. Slinger is amazing.  Ask the children to describe one another using kind adjectives.  This is a lovely exercise in home schools or classrooms.  Children are able to describe one another in very accurate terms.  Once each child is described (lovable, active, loud, quiet, etc.) they will print the adjectives on the backs of their sunglasses from the previous lesson.

Enjoy a snack just like Mr. Slinger's snacks.

Day 4: Anticipatory Set: "Does anyone have a baby brother, sister or cousin?  What is it like to know a baby?  Is anyone the baby in their family?"  Read Julius, the Baby of the World.   Answer oral or written comprehension questions:

Is Lilly excited to meet her baby brother or sister?

How does she feel about her baby brother, Julius, once he arrives?

Why do you think Lilly is so naughty when Julius arrives?

How does Cousin Garland feel about Julius?

What is Lilly's reaction to Cousin Garland?

Show children Lilly's Purple Purse Counting Game.  If you do not own this delightful game, show the children what it looks like at Amazon.com and describe how this counting game has ten large rectangles that come apart.  The right side of the rectangles has 1-10 written on them.  Those numbers connect to the left side of the rectangles with pictures that correspond to that number.  For example, a rectangle might have the number 1 on the right side, and it connects with a picture of one Lilly.

"We are going to make our own Counting Game."  Partners will take ten rectangles.  Each partner will be assigned five rectangles each.  Prepare the rectangles with a mid-line to cut in the middle.  The children are to draw on the rectangles in a similar manner to Lilly's game.  One side of the puzzle line will have a number, the other side corresponds with that number with objects.  Finally, the children will carefully cut the rectangles at the puzzle line to create a two piece rectangle puzzle.  Kindergarteners and first graders will play their games on the last day of this unit.  First graders might also use them for adding and subtracting practice.  Second and third graders might give their game to younger siblings, cousins or younger grades if they attend school.

Game Directions:

Deal the twenty pieces to 3 to 4 children.  If players have two pieces that match, put them together.  Then, discard one card.  If the next child wants that card to make a match they take it or say, "pass."  When another match is made that child discards a card until all pairs are put together.  Everyone wins!   

Share a cheesy or yellow snack just like Lilly's friends. 

Day 5:  Read class favorite or read one last Kevin Henkes book.  Allow children to choose if they would like to play the games they made, or work on simple activity sheets from www.kevinhenkes.com.  This is an outstanding site with a plethora of fun ideas.  Enjoy a final Lilly cheese snack.   

Print Lilly Literature Unit pdf style at Scribd:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/132328007/Lilly-Literature-Unit