On Wednesday I shared with you a brand new book, Goodnight, Ark, by Laura Sassi. Today, I have been given the opportunity to share with you an extension activity written by the author. Use these ideas along with Goodnight, Ark to teach patterns.
Seeing and recognizing patterns are important skills for pre-readers. They lay the ground work for understanding words and stories. With that in mind, here are some fun pattern-related activities you and your child might enjoy after reading “Goodnight, Ark”.
Picture Patterns: Each page of “Goodnight, Ark” is full colors and patterns. Colors alternate. Shapes are repeated (ex: round apples, crescent-shaped bananas, rectangular netting). Stripes and dots abound. Look carefully, and you’ll even find swirls. As you explore Jane’s wonderful illustrations, see how many visual patterns you and your child can find. Afterwards, grab crayons and paper and make your own patterns.
Text Patterns: The text, too, is patterned visually. Pre-readers might enjoy examining the lay out of words. With your child, notice how the text is clumped into verses. Count how many lines are in each verse (four) and note that this is a repeating pattern throughout the story.
Sound Patterns: When you read the story aloud you’ll note that the sounds of the words form their own patterns as well. With your child, listen for sound patterns. Each verse contains rhyming words at the end of the 2nd and 4th lines (ex: dash/crash, slide/glide). There are also words that repeat one right after the other (ex: rain/rain, pop/pop ping/ping). Another pattern young listeners might notice are the repeating beginning sounds in within some lines (ex: zip/zing, squee/squee/squawk!). After exploring these various sound patterns, you and your child might enjoy making a game of creating your own sound patterns using rhyme, repetition, and alliteration.
Love these ideas! And, it shows the depth that Laura put into writing Goodnight, Ark. Be sure to pick up a copy for yourself! Or, click to enter to win your own copy of Goodnight, Ark.
