These are some suggested activities that can be used in conjunction with ‘the Snail ate the mail’ book to enhance children’s reading experience. The activities were designed after I had spoken at a number of book readings and workshops where teachers, librarians and the children themselves suggested ways in which the book lent itself to further exploration and discovery.
I am in debt to Miss Laura Boulton BSc (Zoology) Grad Dip. Teaching – teacher, Australian International School Balikpapan for her invaluable advice in ensuring these resources are user friendly.
Please note: web references are for information only& do not constitute endorsement. Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Writing - Artwork as Inspiration for Narrative Writing
The open ended nature of this activity lends itself well to multi leveled classrooms, special needs and English as a Second Language (ESL).
After reading the book and studying the last two pages, students brainstorm about the possible events & characters the image from inside the letterbox presents. Students write from the point of view of one of the characters in the image and what would be the implications for finishing the book from that characters viewpoint or imagining the events that would follow.
This allows students to discover in a fun way action and outcome principles.
Student Objectives
- Be able to write a narrative using correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation and grammar.
- Be able to plot causative effect and possible outcomes.
Resources
- Writing materials
Games - Design a game
For use in the classroom, at home or in a library setting.
Younger group
- Memory 1 – choose two icons from each country in ‘the Snail ate the mail’ and draw them onto separate pieces of cardboard. You should have twenty cards. Mix the cards and place them face down in rows. Take turns, turn one card face-up and then turn over another card to match it with its partner. If the second card is not the partner, turn both cards face down and move to the next person. The winner is the one with most pairs.
- Memory 2 – choose four icons from each country in ‘the Snail ate the mail’ and draw them onto separate pieces of cardboard. You should have twenty cards. Play as above, however matching icons from the same country. For example a clog and windmill from The Netherlands.
5-6 Year Olds
- Memory 3 – choose two icons from each country in ‘the Snail ate the mail’ and draw them onto separate pieces of cardboard. Write the name of the country or the name of the icon. You should have twenty cards. Play as above, however matching icon and the country name or icon name. For example drawing of a kiwi matches card with New Zealand written on it.
Older Players
- Memory 4 – choose two icons from each country in ‘the Snail ate the mail’ and draw them onto separate pieces of cardboard. Draw a map of the country or flag of the country on separate cards. You should have twenty cards. Play as above, however matching icon to the country flag or map. For example drawing of the Eiffel Tower matches the card with the French Flag on it.
Games - Know your countries
Working in small groups each group is given a country to research.
Choose 3-5 facts about the country.
On one card write the facts about that country, numbering each question.
On a separate card draw or copy an iconic picture from the same country.
Lay the picture cards out, face up.
Select a game master, to ask the questions from the fact cards.
The game master asks the first question, if the country is not identified or identified incorrectly they move onto the next question.
Playing in teams, the first team to correctly identify the country from the facts then has the first opportunity to see if they can choose the correct icon & pair it with the fact.
If the team does not identify the correct icon the other teams can guess the correct icon for that country & win the point.
A point is awarded for each fact card won, the points are doubled if the correct icon card is identified.
If an icon card is identified separately that team receives one point.
The winning team is the one with most points.
Alternatively it can be done electronically.
Student Objectives
Be able to assimilate information so as to be able to identify different countries.
Resources
- Access to reference material
- Writing materials
- Cardboard
- Colouring pencils
- Scissors
Games - Crossword puzzle
Design a crossword puzzle using the researched facts as clues.
The words on the puzzle may be a combination of country or capital city names. Alternatively the words may be the language, food or currency of the country.
Student Objectives
Be able to use & identify correct spelling.
Be able to assimilate information so as to be able to identify different countries.
Resources
- Access to reference material
- Writing materials
- Ruler
Games - Wordmaze
Students select the names of a number of different countries or capitals.
Write the selected names next to a designated ruled area on graph paper.
On the graph paper students place the names at random in a designated ruled area and then fill the remaining squares with random letters or incorrectly spelt names.
Students then exchange sheets and the recipient highlights the correctly spelt names.
Student Objectives
Be able to use & identify correct spelling.
Resources
- Access to reference material
- Writing materials
- Graph Paper
http://www.discoveryeducation.com – Great website for those of a more electronic persuasion.
Effective Communication - Verbal Communication
Have students think about a place they have visited and identify two or three points of interest about this place. Give them a time to think of how they could verbally convey these ‘selling points’ to their peers in such a manner that they would also like to visit.
Student Objectives
Be able to utilize adjectives in order to enhance vocabulary.
Be able to speak clearly and express self in front of an audience
Effective Communication - Pen-pals
Excite your students further towards literacy by integrating a postcard exchange program in the classroom. A postbox can be set up in the classroom & postcard collected for exchange with either students within the classroom, another class or alternatively another school.
Student Objectives
Write an informal letter using appropriate format, proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation and grammar.
Be able to identify parts of a formal and informal letter.
Resources:
- Writing materials
http://www.postcrossing.com/– This is a project that allows anyone to receive real postcards from random places in the world.
http://amazing-kids.org/get-involved/amazing-kids-penpals-program/ – A fee charging agency to connect with pen-pals using traditional mail systems.
Effective Communication - E-pals
Alternatively combine technology with letter writing and implement a letter exchange program within the classroom using e-pals. By integrating this within the classroom environment it helps you select an e-pal for your students and develop real life writing and learning experiences where students have the opportunity to learn informal letter format. With careful selection of an e-pal group students can also learn about other languages, cultures and geographic area.
Student Objectives
Write an informal letter using appropriate format, proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation and grammar.
Be able to identify the parts of an email message. Communicate with e-pal according to specific timeframe.
Resources:
- Access to computer/internet.
https://www.epals.com – An electronic exchange program with other schools.
Effective Communication Frames - writing versus art/illustration
For both written format & art/illustration the information gathering is the same, the difference is between the two formats. Once the information is gathered the student has the opportunity to decide which format would best identify/represent their chosen country.
Written
Design a travel journal page that effectively represents the chosen country/area.
Identify three items that best identify the chosen country/area.
Use descriptive vocabulary to paint word pictures of the place.
Art
Design a postcard that conveys relevant information about a country/area such that the recipient can identify the country/area.
Include visual clues that could enhance the information.
Or
Design a bookmark that conveys relevant information about a specific country.
Student Objectives
Be able to gather information and summarize in a concise manner within a stipulated size format.
Be able to design a postcard, bookmark or travel journal page that conveys relevant information about a country such that the recipient can identify the country. Use either written format, art or a combination of both.
Be able to demonstrate proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation and grammar including use of tense – past, present, future.
Resources
Template for research may include;
- Map – world location
- Country
- Capital
- Flag
- National Day/National Anthem
- Language/s
- Currency
- Population
- Geography – Map – world location – highest point – climate – natural hazards
- Food Staple:
- Education
- Transport
- Native Flora/Fauna
- Famous Building/s
- National Costume/colours
- Games/dance
- Interesting Fact/s
- Resources
- Access to reference material
- Writing materials
- Art supplies
http://www.factmonster.com/ – reference site with lots of information.
http://www.did-you-knows.com/did-you-know-facts/countries.php – interesting, fun facts about different countries.