Leo Lionni prediction craft.

Every now and then I have to step back and remember that we don't all teach at the same place.  I mean, obviously, but I only think to share my really special or brand new ideas.  If it doesn't involve cute graphics, a new font or a colored ink cartridge, it doesn't enter the blogisphere of my mind.  But, hello...I still made it up at some point and it may be a great new idea to you!

We read Tillie & the Wall by Leo Lionni as part of our {Stick to It} unit on perseverance every year.  Will Tillie ever see what's on the other side?  What she will find there?  Why won't she give up since the other mice don't even seem to notice that wall is there?  My kids love the colorful illustration of her imagination.

As we read the story I stop before the ending to have the kids predict what she will find.  The prep for making the writing prompt couldn't be easier.  Cut a yellow piece of 8 1/2 x 11 {regular size} printer paper in half and give to each kid for the wall.  You could also use construction paper but you have to do more cutting.  I like this size for the wall because it allows plenty of writing space at the top.  Glue only half of the wall to another plain piece of printer paper.

The kids write "I predict Tillie will see _______." and draw a picture of Tillie standing next to the wall.  When you lift the flap of the wall, the child's drawing appears on the other side!  :)  In this one, Tillie sees the grocery store.  Sometimes she finds cheese, flowers, a water fountain or a McDonald's!

There's no printable or file to download, it's just a simple writing project that we use to practice predicting.  The kids love it, it's fun to hear their creative ideas and they look really good hanging up!  Then again, I love anything that doesn't just lay flat on the wall.  And a DIY lift-the-flap book certainly isn't a standard picture.

Another teacher on my team used to have her kids act out the story.  They would make mice ears to wear {sentence strip!} and crawl through one of those indoor play tunnels to represent digging underneath to the other side.  Then when the mice crawled back to Tillie's original side and had a party, they pulled out paper banners and threw confetti!  I'm sure this was one of the custodian's favorite days...especially since they'd come around to the other kindergarten classes to perform their play!

Tillie and the Wall isn't online, but there is another story about a little mouse and big wall by Leo Lionni that is.  Show this cute little video of his story "Fredrick" then compare the stories of these 2 cute little mice!

Off to celebrate my husband's birthday!  :)