Need Ideas for Mystery Reader

[MariDisney]

I am the least creative person in the world, but I know I'll get some good ideas here.

I am scheduled to be "mystery reader" in my daughter's classroom in a few weeks. It is a 3rd grade class. I need to read a book or part of a book and then do a craft and provide a snack. The book can be about anything the child is interested in or curriculum related, etc. Since DD is as much of a Disney nut as DH and I are I thought I'd try and go for something in that area.

Just one point, although she "secretly" still loves the characters she'd be mortified if I brought something heavily princess related or anything like that.

Any ideas are appreciated!!

 

[clarabelle]

peter pan?
101 dalmations?

 

[powellrj]

Its not Disney, but I always do Harold and the Purple Crayon. But then I lack imagination!

 

[Mkrop]

I dont know about a Disney book but I know that age they all seem to love Magic Treehouse books. I am sure you could get some good craft ideas from one of them

The teacher in 4th grade made the kids create a new cereal box aboutt he book they read and I remember one of the kids read Buffalos Before Breakfast and came up with the new cereal to be Buffalo Bites. they dont have to do a whloe new box, you could give them paper and have them draw a new front of the box, they could work in teams. Show them some cereal box covers etc.

ETA
Here is the website maybe they have some good ideas too

http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/activities.html

 

[Sinderelli]

1st grade teacher here...we also have Mystery Readers. Here are some of the cutest ideas I've seen over the years-

1.) For all of the LSU (or any sports team fans)- if your team has a book published, read that as your selection. If not, any sports book will do. Bring a CD of the team's fight song. Serve the team colors in a snack. Our M.R. brought grape juice and yellow cupcakes (purple & gold). For the craft, have the students make a team pennant using craft foam, sticers, or markers.

2.) Read The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. This is a great book for a unit on plants! Serve sunflower seeds as a snack. For your craft, have students decorate a small flowerpot (using paint, glue with tissue paper, or glue on jewels). Give each student soil and seeds, and they have a wonderful project that will last a long time!

3) Read Miss Nelson is Missing. Kids LOVE this story! depending on how adventurous you are feeling, you could even dress up like Miss Swamp (the witch). For the craft, have the students make a two sided paper bag puppet by gluing the backs of the paper bags together. On one side, you will have the sweet Miss Nelson. On the other, the evil witch Miss Swamp. This is a cute book that teaches about appreciating your teacher! Your snack could be anything school or witch related. I make a "Witches' stew" with my students that has cheerios for the eyes, raisins for the worms, M&Ms for the gizzards, pretzel sticks for the bones, and peanuts for the stones. I have a poem to go along with this if you are interested, although it is witch related and not necessarily Miss Swamp related (although easily adapted).

4). If you want to do a Disney story, this is what we did in my class to celebrate Walt's birthday. We served Mickey shaped rice Krispie treats (made with a cookie cutter), a parent bought pretzels from WDW, we made Mickey hats using black strips of construction paper with 2 black circles for the ears, and we drank Disney juice boxes. I gave every student 1 large black plate and 2 small black plates to make the Mickey head on their desks. This looked really cute in pictures!

5.) I have a ton of other M.R. ideas. If you are leaning towards a certain book, let me know and I can come up with some ideas for you.

 

[Sinderelli]

I am the official thread killer.

 

[MariDisney]

I am the official thread killer.

Nah!!

BTW...you all had some great ideas. I'm trying to find something Disney related, but non-fiction to work with. Earlier in the year the school's author in residence was Daniel San Souci who wrote the screenplay (I think?) for Mulan and also a storybook Fa Mulan. Maybe I could go that way and it wouldn't be so blatantly princess-y. Although I'd still like to find something about Walt's life or the beginnings of WDW or what it's like to be an Imagineer or something along those lines.

Any more ideas are very welcome...and that way Kim surely won't be the thread killer!!

 

[LaraK]

I don't know if it's too young, but the true story of Mulan is a Disney related book but also is interesting.

 

[wvrevy]

I am the official thread killer.

Maybe your answers were just too good, so you scared everyone off.

Or maybe it's anti-LSU bias.

I was going to suggest something like "Podkayne of Mars" or one of Heinlein's short stories for juveniles. The Menace From Earth is a pretty great story, but might be better for slightly older kids. Still...it'd get the kids imaginations going, and it'd be easy to do some kind of craft around astronomy or the moon. Not sure if that's in your DD's curriculum, but it's a thought.

 

[MariDisney]

I don't know if it's too young, but the true story of Mulan is a Disney related book but also is interesting.

I think that could work too...We do have Fa Mulan which is the tale retold by the genetleman who was the guest author in DD's school earlier this year. \

Any ideas on crafts and/or snacks for this one. I'm thinking maybe fortune cookies...but is that too stereotypical or something?

 

[LaraK]

I think that could work too...We do have Fa Mulan which is the tale retold by the genetleman who was the guest author in DD's school earlier this year. \

Any ideas on crafts and/or snacks for this one. I'm thinking maybe fortune cookies...but is that too stereotypical or something?

OK...I am the least crafty person on earth, but maybe you could make chinese lanterns? Seems you should be able to do that with some sticks of some kind (popsicle sticks) and crepe paper.

For food, I thought of fortune cookies too, but they have almond in them I think...if there's a nut free policy that wouldn't work. How about crispie wontons? Like the ones that come with won ton soup?

 

[MariDisney]

OK...I am the least crafty person on earth, but maybe you could make chinese lanterns? Seems you should be able to do that with some sticks of some kind (popsicle sticks) and crepe paper.

For food, I thought of fortune cookies too, but they have almond in them I think...if there's a nut free policy that wouldn't work. How about crispie wontons? Like the ones that come with won ton soup?

Our class is not nut-free so we're OK there. Chinese lanterns are definitely a possibility. Hmmm...everyone is so much more creative than I am!

 

[cabanafrau]

All it takes for Chinese lanterns is some construction paper. Fold the paper in half lengthwise & cut slits perpendicular to the fold approximately every 3/4" to 1" apart, making sure not to cut all the way to the edges of the paper so that you leave the side edges intact to form the top & bottom bands of the lantern. Leave space also at the top & bottom edges along the length of the paper so that you can attach them together to form the cylinder.

Once all of the slits have been cut, open the fold & curve the paper to form a cylinder by attaching the short sides of the page together. You should be left with a cylindrical lantern with a crease across its middle & the slits should pop open nicely as the paper curves. Punch a few holes in the top edge to thread with yarn for hanging & let the kids decorate the lantern w/ markers, stickers or embellishments.