Book Evaluation and Literature Activity

Student’s Name: McKenna Clarke

Title of Book (APA format) (.5 mark):

Keats, E. J. (1980). The snowy day. New York: Puffin Books.

Age Group for which book and activity is planned:

2-2.5 years old (24-30 Months) (.5 mark)

Discuss 2 points describing your rationale for selecting this book for this age
group: (2 marks)

1) One of the shorter books, as the length of the book can help keep the
young age group engaged

2) The vocabulary that is used is helpful to the children’s understanding:

a. Descriptive wording: “crunch, crunch, crunch” as the character

moves through the snow

b. Body parts: “Down fell the snow-plop!- on top of Peter’s head”

(Keats, 1980)

c. The pronunciation of words: “he dragged his feet s-l-o-w-l-y”

(Keats, 1980), helping to keep their attention

Explain a unique way that you would introduce this book and activity. Include
an invitation statement and any props that you would use: (1 mark)

- As we are getting closer to winter and each day is getting gradually

colder, what weather is coming soon? SNOW! Hmm, is it snowing yet?
Let’s look outside our window.”

o Asking the children: “what does it look like outside” *while

looking out the window*

§ Sunny vs. Cloudy

§ Windy?

§ Rain vs Snow?
 - Giving the children a faux snowball to hold while listening to the story
List and briefly explain the book’s strengths and weaknesses (include 3
points-2 strengths and 1 weakness). ( 1.5 marks)

1) Strength: illustrates the imagination of young children. Showing the type

of pretend play that children can engage in while outdoors. Snow à
snowman, snow angles, being a mountain climber while climbing on the
snow (the endless opportunities of play)

2) Strength: Insight to Peter’s thought process. As we go through the

book, we can see exactly what Peter is thinking, what he is imagining
when he is playing. We are able to see Peter’s exact view point,
which is very effective in allowing the readers to be present in the
novel.

3) Negative: the story line can be a bit confusing at the end. Throughout
the book it is quite descriptive each step of Peter’s play, yet closer to
the end of the book it feels like it ends abruptly, i.e., playing outside
(very in-depth) vs. getting changed, bed, back outside (very little time
spent explaining these actions).
How might this book be used to promote language for the targeted age
group? Support your answer with an explanation. (Include 3 points) ( 1.5
marks)

This book is quite descriptive in its wording, as this can help children
understand and to promote the use of describing what you are doing. For
instance, when reading the book, the children understand exactly what the
character is doing, this can help the children when they are engaging in tasks
to formulate sentences on what they are doing also.

This book also uses many sound effects, this can also help and
encourage children to formulate different sounds. For example, “down fell the
snow-plop!” (Keats, 1980). Hearing sound effects like plop, can help to
encourage the children to pronounce more sounds and add to their
vocabulary.

This book can also help children to put words to their emotions. In the
book, Peter’s snowball melted in his pocket overnight, “he felt very sad”
(Keats, 1980). Children get to have the shared experience with Peter, as they
understand how Peter is feeling in that moment, using the terminology of
feeling “very sad”.
 How does this book either consider or not consider inclusiveness or anti-bias
learning in its content and/or illustrations? (Include 3 points) ( 1.5 marks)

This book includes illustrations of diversity and representation, as the

main character has the skin tone can be that isn’t often the seen. Many
children’s novels include Caucasian characters, yet this book does not,
allowing for wide populations of children to see characters representing their
skin tone.

This book includes a mother/son relationship. This can be inclusive as it

is sharing a specific family structure of a single parent household.

This book also illustrates how children can have fun while playing by
themselves (making snowman, snow angels, climbing mountains). Showing
children that fun can still be had while playing alone, representing a group of
children that may frequently play in solitary.

Literature Activity:

Photo of literature activity ( .5 marks)

Symbols: created/designed
by myself.
Laminated for durability

Eyelash spoolie:
Can be found at
Dollarama. To have
the children practice
their finger
Bin: to hold placement for
containments writing (gripping)

Sugar: to give the

appearance of snow
*other white substances can
be used*
 1. Children select a
card/symbol
In Action:

2. Recreate
the symbol

2. CONT: Use of finger vs. Eyelash spoolie:

- Depending on the development of the toddler (practice both ways)
- Child’s preference

3. Once symbol is created,

children can place their card to
this side
4. Children hold both sides of bin,
shaking the bin side to side to
erase the last symbol
5. Children select a new
card/symbol
6. Repeat Process…
Descriptive Title of Literature Activity: Moving Through the Snow ( .5 marks)

Number of Children selected to engage in the activity at one time: ( .5 marks)

1 child per bin:

- New substance (i.e., White sugar) per each child (health concerns –
spread of illness prevention)

Resources used to prepare activity/written component (cited in correct APA

format): (.5 mark)

Ontario. (2007). Early learning for every child today: a framework for
Ontario early childhood settings. [Toronto], [Ministry of Children and
Youth Services].
Briefly describe the literature activity that you will design: ( 1 mark)

Moving Through the Snow is an activity where children will be able to

move (draw) through the snow (sugar) to create different shapes and lines. By
doing so, children will be able to gain techniques to further help them when
draw and create letters. Children will select a card, each card has a different
line, shape, or letter. Children will then draw the symbol in the snow. Using a
tool (ex. Eyelash spoolie), the children will move through the snow in the
desired way. As the children draw the symbol, descriptive wording can be
used: “Stomp, stomp, stomp through the snow”, “Marching, marching,
marching through the snow”, Jumping, walking, running, ex. Once the child
has created the symbol, they can choose another symbol and repeat the
process.

List the materials that you would use to fully implement your literature activity:

( 1 mark)

- Bin

- Laminated Symbol Cards

- White substance (I used sugar)

- Object to trace with (I used an eyelash spoolie, popsicle stick, or q-tip

would also be great tools)
Write 3 developmental skills you wish the children to achieve as a result of
this activity (identify 1 from each domain. List the domain). One skill will be
directly related to literacy. (3 marks)

Cognitive/Language

ELECT: 3.2 Expressive Language - Words

Specific Skill: Children will be able to combine words when describing each
symbol and the actions when completing the movement (i.e., using verbs
and adjectives to describe the movement of walking through the ‘snow’)

Physical

ELECT: 5.2 Fine Motor – Making a Mark

Specific Skill: children will use their palmer grasp to hold the desired tool
(i.e., eyelash spoolie) to make the desired symbols in the sugar (snow).
Children’s drawing with include different lines and shapes

Social/Emotional

ELECT: 2.2 Self-Regulation – Attention Regulation

Specific Skill: Children will be able to remain focused on the task at hand,
following the directions given of picking a symbol, then drawing that
symbol. Avoiding potential distractions.

List 3 relevant vocabulary words to be highlighted or reinforced in your

activity.

(1.5 marks)

1) Symbol/Shapes à line, circle, square, triangle, curved line à moving

towards letters ex. A, X.

2) Snow (i.e., weather)

3) Marching Marching, Stomping Stomping (Descriptive wording for actions)

List 3 wonderment questions that might be asked during the implementation of
the activity that would enhance the children’s learning. ( 3 marks)

1) Can you move through the snow s-l-o-w-l-y? (vs. quickly)

2) Can you draw this shape/line if we turn the card this way? (Turn the
symbol 180O, to allow for a different viewpoint)

3) What other objects can we use to move through the snow (sugar)?

Total: /20

Assignment is worth 20% of your final mark