Family Literacy Backpacks
Family fun and learning are promoted through take-home, theme-focused backpacks. Ideas for materials and activities which can be included in these great backpacks are provided.
Download Files:
|
|
| Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free program, is required to view these files. |
 |
English/Language Arts Academic Standards
-
- Reading Comprehension
Family Activities
- Family Fun Ideas
-
- Look in the file folder for fun activities, such as, papier maché, a word search, create-a-word, etc.
- Visit your local humane society. Volunteer to exercise the dogs.
- Take a hike through your neighborhood and count all the dogs you see.
- Check out other videos like Beethoven and The Incredible Journey.
- Sounder Book Activities
-
- Use the recipe for paper maché. Make a model of Sounder.
- Adopt a virtual dog on the Internet by visiting this site:
- How much does a dog eat? Survey all your friends, then put the information on a graph using your computer.
- Find the recipe for homemade dog biscuits in the bookbag. Make your dog a homemade treat.
- Faith and the Electric Dogs Book Activities
-
- Find San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico, on a map. What is its latitude and longitude?
- Locate your favorite computer search engine, use keyword "Mexico". Find a site where you can view photographs of Mexico. Some suggested search engines to use are:
- "Ask Jeeves for Kids"
- "Yahooligans"
- "EduHound"
- "Kids Click"
- "Fact Monster"
- Draw a diagram of Faith's tin rocketship. Be sure to label all its parts. Share your ideas with someone in your family.
- Write a recipe for Faith's homemade rocket fuel. What other concoctions can you invent?
- Dogs Book Activities
-
- Before reading Dogs, list all the facts that you know about dogs. Write as fast as you can for 2-3 minutes. See how many of your facts are included in the book.
- Dogs use a lot of body language to communicate. You try to make up 10 gestures/body language that would express your feelings or needs. See if a family member can figure out what you're communicating.
- To learn more about dogs go to this webpage:
- "American Kennel Club for Purebred Dogs"
- 101 Dalmations Video Activities
-
- Owning a puppy can be fun but hard work. Get a large piece of paper and fold it length wise. Then, fold it in half, then in half again. Unfold the paper and find 8 squares. Down one side, draw four pictures of good things about puppies; on the other side draw four not-so-fun things about puppies.
- Find the baggie with 15 dogs. Take turns hiding them around the house. See how fast your friends can find them.
Books to Include |
- Dogs
- by Jeunesse, Gallimeard, and Pascale deBourgoing - all ages
|
- Faith and the Electric Dogs
- by Jennings, Patrick - ages 9 and up - ages: intermediate
|
- Sounder
- by Armstrong, William - ages 9 and up
|
|
Web Sites for Fun |
|
|
List of Additional Resources |
| Magazines |
- Kids Discover Dogs
- by Kids Discover, August 2000
|
|
| Videos |
- 101 Dalmations
- by Walt Disney - rated G
|
|
| Pictures |
- Dogs
- Aronson, Steven M.L. - all ages
|
|
Resource Link
If you are thinking of creating a literacy backpack for dogs,
here are suggested resources you can include in your backpack: dogs resources.
Workshop Offerings
Visit our BTLC Partner Web Site!
The Buddy Teaching and Learning Center site, www.btlc.org, is the place to find and register for quality professional development and technology training opportunities offered by the team of Buddy facilitators who are all experienced Indiana teachers and administrators.
