Bookmark

Sign up or login to use the bookmarking feature.

20 Making Counting Books

Page
094
from

Writing Counting Books

Start-Up Activity

Most students know the old counting rhyme, "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe," but most won't know it all the way to 19. Share it with them:

One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, shut the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.,
Nine, ten, a good fat hen.
Eleven, twelve, dig and delve.
Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting.
Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen.
Seventeen, eighteen, maids a-waiting.
Nineteen, twenty, my plate's empty.

Tell them they will be making up their own counting books, perhaps with rhymes, perhaps with pictures, and certainly with fun!

Think About It

“Nonsense wakes up the brain cells.”

—Dr. Seuss

Page 095 from Write Away

SAMPLE Counting Book

Show your students the first page of the counting book and lead a discussion about it:

  • What does counting by 2's mean? (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, . . .)
  • What other ways could you count? (By 1's, 3's, 4's, 5's, . . .)
  • How does Shari make the words special? (With different colored letters, with words starting with the same letter, with exciting words)
  • How does Shari make the picture special? (With funny faces and bodies, with colors)

Instruct students to include color and pictures in their counting books.

LAFS Standard:

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Theme:
English Language Arts:

Page 096 from Write Away

SAMPLE Counting Book (Continued)

Ask students what they like about Shari's book. Ask what things they plan to do in their own counting books to make them fun. Challenge them to think of some creative ways to surprise and delight their readers. (For additional suggestions, see page 99 in the handbook.)

LAFS Standard:

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Theme:
English Language Arts:

Page 097 from Write Away

Making a Counting Book

Have students decide on a number pattern that they would like to use for their counting books. (Obviously, counting by 1, 2, 5, or 10 would be easier than by 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, or 9). Then have students choose a general subject area that will give them many specific topics for their books. (For example, the general subject "circus" offers many specific topics such as acrobats, clowns, lions, ponies, snacks, jugglers, and so on.)

Have students list as many specific topics as they can think of for their books. If they are using alliteration, as Sheri did, suggest that they find exciting adjectives to go with each topic (for example, lazy lions, prancing ponies, scrumptious snacks, jolly jugglers, and so on).

 

LAFS Standard:
NE ELA Standard:

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
English Language Arts:

Page 098 from Write Away

Write, Revise, and Edit

Guide students through the tips for creating their counting books. Then give them time to write and draw the pages.

After they have their books built, provide the revising and editing checklists to help them improve their work.

LAFS Standard:
NE ELA Standard:

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
English Language Arts:

Page 099 from Write Away

Counting Books that Rhyme

If you have students who want to experiment with more ideas for counting books, lead them through the suggestions on this page. Show them that they can make their books into poems by writing rhyming lines.

LAFS Standard:
NE ELA Standard:

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
English Language Arts: