Teaching with Where the Wild Things Are
Early Elementary Lesson Idea that Uses Maurice Sendak's Book
Dec 16, 2008
This lesson idea is best for use with students in Kindergarten through third grade. The materials you need include a copy of the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak [Harper and Row Publishers, 1988], paper, pencils and crayons or colored pencils. Students are going to practice their listening skills and imagination to create their own illustrations for the book.
Introducing Where The Wild Things Are
Before reading the book to the students, cover the outside with paper so that the students are unable to see the illustrations. Then explain to the students that you are going to read them a story, and that they will have to listen carefully to the descriptions so that they will know how to draw the wild things in the book. Ask the students how to be good listeners, and encourage them to follow all the suggestions they come up with. Some ideas include sitting quietly, hands in the lap, and eyes on the teacher.
Wild Things Activity
Once the students are ready, read them the story, being careful to not show the pictures. After finishing the book, have each student get to work on drawing and coloring their own illustrations for the book. After each student has finished drawing their wild thing, ask for volunteers to share the pictures with the class.
Talk about how each student's picture is different, and ask for examples of what descriptions the students used to draw the pictures. You may need to discuss these details before the students have a chance to draw their pictures if your students have difficulty remembering details from what they hear. Discussing these details before they draw is a way to help students with ADHD or other disabilities be successful.
After sharing each student's picture, read the book again, this time, showing the actual illustrations. Compare and contrast the author's illustrations with the students' pictures. Collect each picture and display them on a bulletin board or in the hall.
Follow Up Activities
Have the students practice their describing skills by having them describe objects in the room for their classmates to draw with this Critical Thinking Lesson. Also, students can practice their listening skills with this Geometric Shape lesson. These lessons require students to listen carefully and describe things carefully, and can be great a great way to follow up on the lesson about the Wild Things.
When using Maurice Sendak's book about Wild Things, you can teach students about good listening skills, comparing and contrasting, and descriptive skills. Using literature in the classroom not only provides great materials for new lessons, but will encourage your students to pick up a book and enjoy reading.
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