Geared toward kindergartners and first graders in terms of interest level, Barn Dance! is a light-hearted, fun read about a barn full of animals who relish in the night. Mother Horse, Pig, and Sheep bask in the night by dancing, leaping, and jigging while their little ones are asleep. Soon, Mother Horse, Pig, and Sheep get into unexpected mischief and mishaps. Horse's dance leads to a straw fire, Sheep gets caught in a beam, and Pig slips. Needing rest, one by one, Horse, Pig, and Sheep go to sleep beside their little ones.
My favorite part of the story was the ending because of a unique twist. Once all of the mother animals were asleep, the little ones crept out of bed and began to dance themselves until dawn. Teachers could connect this twist to students' lives by asking the students if there was ever a time when they crept out of bed and were not supposed to do so. Teachers could also connect the mishaps of the mother animals by asking students if something surprising ever happened to them that they were not expecting. Students could then journal with these topics in mind.
Besides connecting the plot, teacher's can also take advantage of the fact that this story is told in rhyme. Students can learn how rhyming sentences can create a story. This book could serve as an introduction to basic poetry ideas. Another direction this story can be taken is by talking about rural and farm life.
While I liked the story itself, I actually enjoyed the pictures more than the words. Each picture captured the mood of the moment whether it was delight as the animals danced or fear when the straw fire began. All of the drawings used bright colors to display the excitement of nightlife.
My favorite part of the story was the ending because of a unique twist. Once all of the mother animals were asleep, the little ones crept out of bed and began to dance themselves until dawn. Teachers could connect this twist to students' lives by asking the students if there was ever a time when they crept out of bed and were not supposed to do so. Teachers could also connect the mishaps of the mother animals by asking students if something surprising ever happened to them that they were not expecting. Students could then journal with these topics in mind.
Besides connecting the plot, teacher's can also take advantage of the fact that this story is told in rhyme. Students can learn how rhyming sentences can create a story. This book could serve as an introduction to basic poetry ideas. Another direction this story can be taken is by talking about rural and farm life.
While I liked the story itself, I actually enjoyed the pictures more than the words. Each picture captured the mood of the moment whether it was delight as the animals danced or fear when the straw fire began. All of the drawings used bright colors to display the excitement of nightlife.
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