Plan based on an activity submitted by Kendra Johnson of Miss Johnson's class, Dover Shores Elementary School, Orlando, FL

• White drawing paper
• Col-erase® erasable colored pencils
• Book: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

Skills:

• Expressive language and vocabulary
• Rhyming words
• Creative writing and drawing
• Fine motor coordination

How To:

1. Read Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle and discuss the pattern of language in the story. What do you notice about the words on each page? How are they the same? How are they different?
2. Ask children to brainstorm other animals that could be in the story. What sounds would they make?
3. Help children notice the art techniques used by the illustrator, Eric Carle. Can we draw like that too?
4. Provide white drawing paper and Col-erase® erasable colored pencils for children to create their own page for a class book based on the original. They can draw the animal and write or dictate the text.
5. Put the children's pages into a class book and read it together. Each child will enjoy reading his own page to the class!

Extend the Activity:

• Choose other books by Bill Martin Jr. and/or Eric Carle to create "spin-offs" using art materials and creative writing.