Freebie Friday: The Three Little Pigs

No time for chit chat today - there's a freebie to give away! Without further ado, Little Green presents The Three Little Pigs!

I've found it difficult to find a version of this story book that I like, so when I came across these great graphics from Scrappin Doodles, I decided to make my own! Here are a few sample pages from the story. As you'll see, the wolf does come to a grizzly end in this version of the story.

You can get your copy here. Enjoy your weekend!

Storybook Saturday: Each Peach Pear Plum

Happy Saturday everyone! Today I am linking up with Paula at Paula's Place for Storybook Saturday.

The book I'm sharing with you today is an absolute classic: Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.

Click here to see it on Book Depository UK.
Click here to see it on Book Depository USA.

In this beautiful storybook, we are invited to play 'I Spy' and look for the hidden characters in each image. We start off looking for Tom Thumb, then end up finding a smorgasbord of beloved fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters, including Cinderella, Baby Bunting and Robin Hood. Children love looking for the characters and spotting all the things that aren't mentioned in the text, such as the various woodland creatures that inhabit each page, Robin Hood's framed picture of Maid Marion in his lair and Baby Bear's lack of talent with a rifle! For this reason, Each Peach Pear Plum is visual literacy heaven! There is so much to look for and it is a great way in to discussions about the relationship between the text and the illustrations. 

This book is also a great starting point for discussions about creative language features, such as rhyme, rhythm and alliteration. For this reason, I have used Each Peach Pear Plum as something of a 'mentor text' in my Amazing Alliteration pack, which you can purchase at my TPT store for only $2. 

Get it here!

This resource is suitable for Year 1/Stage 1 in Australia and Grade 2 in the USA, and is aligned to the Australian Curriculum, the NSW Syllabus and the USA Common Core. Read the product listing for more information about what is included in the pack.

If you don't have your own copy of Each Peach Pear Plum, check your school library. It was originally published in 1978, and is still in print, so it should be available somewhere near you! 

Enjoy your weekend!

YouTube Tuesday: Hansel and Gretel

Fairy Tales, as we know, are great for kids of all ages. The trouble is, however, that many videos and texts are aimed at younger children, so our older students often miss out. Never fear! This version of Hansel and Gretel will work well for your older students as well as younger students. It contains cute stop-motion animation and jokes in the narration that will be appreciated by students in older grades. This video could even be used as a lead-in for a stop-motion animation project for your students. Enjoy!

Pins of the Week: area game, animal movement, 50 things I love, story songs and ninjas!

Another Monday, another round-up of Pinterest inspiration from Little Green HQ!

Area Game

A great idea from Marcia Miller on her blog.

This pin takes you to an idea-filled post about Cuisenaire Rods by Marcia Miller. Although this game could use Cuisenaire Rods, it doesn't need to. All you need is a set of two dice, 1cm grid paper and textas (markers) or coloured pencils. Have students roll their die, then make a square or rectangle using the numbers they rolled as their dimensions. For example, if your student rolls a 2 and a 3, they would make a 2x3 rectangle. You could have them fill a defined space on their own or turn it into a multi-player game where they are racing to fill their page. Definitely one to try!

Animal Movement Dice

A fun freebie from Wildlife Fun 4 Kids.

Penny at Wildlife Fun 4 Kids has created a terrific movement game based around this great little die, which she offers as a freebie on the blog. The extra bonus is that they are all Australian animals! Penny explains in the post the different sounds and movements the animals make, so if you are unfamiliar with the animals, you can still play along! Did I mention the die template is free? 

50 Things I Love Worksheet

A great freebie worksheet from Nicholas Reitz.

How great is this worksheet by Nicholas Reitz?! I love the layout of the different frames and the concept behind them too. The idea is that students fill in every space on this page with things they love. They can then use this sheet as a prompt any time they get stuck for something to write. Such a great idea... and free!

Story Songs

I was drawn in by the cute cardboard tower, and, I'll admit it, was a little disappointed that this didn't link to a tutorial on how to make the tower. I'll also admit that I actually wanted to make the tower to play in myself. But my disappointment soon turned to joy - I used to love the princess song when I was little and had forgotten all about it! The folks at QC Music have put together a great post including the lyrics and a video so you can listen to the tune. If ever I'm back on Kindy or Year 1, I'll be rocking this one out for sure!

Factor Ninjas

The Wild Rumpus's freebie poster.

Is it weird to love ninjas? They are, after all, highly skilled killers. Even so, I love them, and this little poster by The Wild Rumpus, which also happens to be free, ticks all my boxes. My boxes are: ninjas, educational, free. In that order. More importantly, kids love them, and this poster will help to remind your students that factors are the 'chopped up' remains of the whole number (or product). Definitely a winner!

Well, that's a wrap from me. Enjoy your week!