Question of the Month

Materials

Varies each month (see activity)

What to do

1. Following are some fun questions to ask the children each month of the year. This activity encourages expressive language and creativity, and it provides a good insight into what the children are thinking.

2. For each month, read the suggested book, write one or all of the suggested questions on a cutout shape for each child, and ask the children to dictate their answers as you write them on their shapes. In some cases, ask the questions before reading the story. Display the shapes and then put the shapes in the children's portfolios to keep.

Do the monthly extension activities, if desired.

September: Read What Teacher's Can't Do by Douglas Wood.

1. Print the following questions on an apple shape for each child. Whatdo teachers do at night? Where do they live? What do they eat?
2. Extension Activity: Read other books about school, such as David Goes to School by David Shannon, D.W.'s Guide to Preschool by Marc Brown, and Mouse's First Day of School by Lauren Thompson.

October: Read We're Going on a Ghost Hunt by Marcia Vaughan.

1. Print the questions on a ghost shape. How do ghosts celebrate Halloween? What does a ghost eat? What do ghosts do at ghost school?
2. Extension Activities: Make shaving cream ghosts on the table (use non-menthol shaving cream); paint the children's feet with white paint and help them make footprints on black paper. (The heel is the top.) Have them draw ghost faces.

November: Read A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman.

1. Print the questions on a turkey shape. What do turkeys eat for Thanksgiving? What do you eat on Thanksgiving?
2.  Extension Activities: Invite children to glue feathers on a construction paper turkey shape; ask them to dictate how to make mashed potatoes or other Thanksgiving food on a recipe card. Use the recipes to make a book.

December: Read Elton the Elf by Lisa Mallen.

1. Print the following questions on a green Santa hat shape. How old are elves? What do elves learn at school? What are the elves names? What do elves eat?
2. Extension Activity: Make paper plate elves. Give each child a paper plate and provide several colors of skin-tone paint. Encourage them to make a face on the plate and add facial features and pointed ears. Have them glue on green Santa hats and jingle bells.

January: Read Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner.

1. Write the following questions on a tooth shape. What do snow friends eat? What do snow friends do at night?
2. Extension Activity: Give each child three different size circles, small fabric scarves, and a carrot shaped nose to make a snow friend.

February: Read Dear Tooth Fairy by Alan Durant.

1. Write the following questions on a tooth shape. Where does the tooth fairy live? What does the tooth fairy do with all the teeth? What is his/her name?
2. Extension Activity: List all the children in the class who have lost a tooth on a giant tooth shape. Write a class letter to the tooth fairy. (Have the "tooth fairy" write back and tell children to brush, eat healthy foods, and visit the dentist.)
3. Extension Activity: Read Alice the Fairy by David Shannon. Make tooth fairy wands by gluing cutout stars on straws.

March: Read The Littlest Leprechaun by Jane Fontes.

1. Write the following questions on a shamrock shape. What does a leprechaun look like? What do leprechauns eat? Why do leprechauns play tricks? How do you catch a leprechaun?
2. Extension Activity: Spray paint rocks with gold paint (away from children). Hide around the classroom and invite the children to find them. Count them together.

April: Read The Aunts Go Marching by Maurie J. Manning.

1. Print the questions on a raindrop or lightning bolt shape. Where does rain come from? What does lightning look like? What does thunder sound like?
2. Extension Activity: Have children fingerpaint with black and white paint on a cloud shape and glue gold glitter on a lightning bolt shape. When dry, glue the bolt on the cloud.

May: Read What Mom's Can't Do by Douglas Wood or What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff.

1. Print the following sentences on a piece of paper: My mom's name is __________. My mom is ______ years old. My mom likes to ______________. My mom is special because ______________________.
2. Extension Activity: Invite children to draw a picture of their moms (or caregivers). Display the pictures and questions together. Invite the mothers to guess which picture/description is them.

June: Read What Dad's Can't Do by Douglas Wood or What Daddies Do Best/What Mommies Do Best by Laura Numeroff.

1. Print the following sentences on a piece of paper. My dad's name is __________. My dad is ______ years old. My dad likes to ______________. My dad is special because ______________________.
2. Extension Activity: Invite children to draw a picture of their dads (or caregivers). Display the pictures and questions together. Invite the fathers to guess which picture/description is them.

July: Read Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin.

1. Print the questions on a big worm shape. Where do worms live? What do worm eat? What do worms eat at school? What do worm mothers tell their children?
2. Extension Activities: Encourage the children to paint brown worms and add a pipe cleaner worm; look for worms after a rain; Have children pretend they are worms. Challenge them to move without using their arms or legs.

August: Read What the Sun Sees/What the Moon Sees by Nancy Tafuri.

1. Print the questions on a sun shape. Where does the sun go at night? Where is the sun when it is raining? What is the sun made of?
2. Extension Activity: Have children paint a glue/water mixture on a sun shape and add yellow and orange tissue paper squares.

-Sue Fleischmann, Sussex, WI

Materials

varies each month (see activity)