One of the tools I have found to be very helpful for this type of lesson is felt stories. The one we are working with in this example is based on Five Little Ducks as shown below . . .
Of course, Jake had his own ideas about what to do with the felt pieces. His story was quite elaborate and long. There was lots of travelling up and down the mountains and plenty of swimming in the pond.
Jake even gave each duckling a name and seemed to be able to differentiate between the five birds.
He tended to concentrate more on the middle than on the beginning and the end of his story, but we're working on that.
My thoughts about these Glitterful Felt Stories:
1) I think these felt stories give a child's imagination a little extra boost.
2) They also help a child to keep their story focused on what's in front of them rather than going off in a completely unrelated direction.
3) I would definitely recommend buying several sets from which the pieces can be mixed.
4) Even when the board stood vertically, the felt pieces stayed in place (unless someone accidentally bumped the board).
After playing with these felt stories and seeing how well my son responded to them, I would definitely buy more. I think it would be a great idea to buy a child a book and then look for the matching felt story to put the two together as a gift. These felt stories really help to make the storybook characters come to life.If you'd like to learn more about Glitterful Felt Stories, visit the Glitterful Felt Stories blog. For a limited time, you can receive 10% off your order when you sign up for the Glitterful Felt Stories Newsletter by email.
Thank you to Glitterful Felt Stories for providing us with both an educational review product and a contest prize free of charge.
What you can win:
One lucky reader will win both an 11x14 Felt Board and one Printed Felt Story of their choice from Glitterful Felt Stories.
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to WORLDWIDE entries. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
How to Gain Entries:
Browse the selection of printed felt stories offered by Glitterful Felt Stories. Then leave a comment telling me which printed felt story you would choose if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.
Extra Entries:
1) For an extra entry, follow Glitterful Felt Stories on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
3) Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so and under what username. Add to Technorati Favorites
4) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post and to the FunFeltStories.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.
5) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
6) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
7) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
8) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
9) Add my "Get Cool For School" giveaway event button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)
Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
Good luck in the drawing!