April Pulley Sayre Author Photo illustrator
Website for April Pulley Sayre, Award-winning Children's Book Author / Illustrator
The first of these is from Wea Ridge Elementary School. But most of these great activities come from Harrison School in South Bend. Wow, what an enthusiastic school!
Here is an interview I did with a well known book blog in March, 2007.
http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2007/03/author-interview-april-pulley-sayre.html
These books are out of print but in lots of libraries. Pull them as a resource for follow up study, or, for the youngest students, perhaps just a look at the covers and interior photos.
Biome: Grassland/Savanna
What other animals live in the honey guide’s habitat? Crocodiles! Here’s how big one can be. (Lay 5 yardsticks, end-to-end, on the floor.) That’s one reason to stay away from hungry crocodiles! Now let’s read about crocodiles & their river habitat.
Biome: River in Savanna
Where do most rivers run? Into the ocean. What reptile depends on both a beach habitat and the ocean habitat to survive?
Make sea turtles out of paper plates, with construction paper heads, flippers, and tails. Write sea turtle facts on each plate and decorate the hall!
Use Sayre’s continent books or maps to introduce the continent of Africa.
Then introduce some African animals with the books below.
First, survey the kids about what they know about crocodiles and think about crocodiles: Do you like crocodiles? How would you describe a crocodile? Pay attention to the adjectives they use and write a few down on a chalkboard.
Now look back at the adjectives we used for crocodiles before we read the book. Did you learn anything new about crocodiles? How would you describe them now? Let’s learn about some more African animals.
If You Should Hear a Honey Guide contains a Swahili word: Kumbe! Check the web or other books for more Swahili words to introduce to the kids. Educators might also transition to more information on the people of Africa.
Here are some images from early school visits 2006 and earlier. Many schools did huge projects. Each classroom, for instance, might focus on a biome and educate the rest of the school through dioramas and art. The books in the photos below were done by upper elementary students in Greenville, SC. They took my biome books and adapted them to create simpler “big books” for younger readers in grade 1. They then presented those books to those classrooms. Wow!
Also notice the rain forest cinquain tree, created by writing coaches in Ohio.
Most of these fantastic art projects were from school visits in Indianapolis, IN, Pettisville, OH, and Harrison, in South Bend, IN.
For Cynsations in 2006
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2006/03/author-feature-april-pulley-sayre.html
For Suite 101
Lawrenceburg, IN was one of the first places to welcome me for a school visit, many years ago. They celebrated the honey guide with projects, including a honey comb made of toilet paper rolls!
Some animals help other animals get clean. What do they get out of these relationships?
What animals depend on the army ant swarm? Have students draw pictures of the animals that depend on the swarm and make their own parade!
Speaking of following things, why would people follow a bird?