Free Printable for Froggy Builds a Tree House
This post has a free printable for Froggy Builds a Tree House by Jonathan London, and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.
Froggy Builds a Tree House is one of those stories that children can relate to so well that it is perfect for a lesson on using schema or background knowledge. Reading comprehension can be improved when children first think about the things they might know about the story, so a “book walk” through the pages of can help prepare children for the read aloud. What do they predict the story will be about? Have they ever done the things they see the characters in the book doing in the pictures? Afterward, a discussion about any text-to-self connections could be held to further story understanding.
Text-to-self connections might including having a brother or sister, having built a tree house or a fort with some friends, having helped with a building project, or even eating pizza. Hopefully, the children will never eat a pizza with flies on it, though! The important thing is for children to think about how the text-to-self connection helped them understand the story. “I eat pizza, too,” is not enough of an answer. The test for a real text-to-self connection is to think if the story would need to be read to provide that answer. If a child looks at a picture of pizza and comments they like pizza too, that answer could be given without reading the story. If a child says, “We had pizza once and I didn’t like the toppings, just like the friends who didn’t want flies on their pieces,” that is a better connection. That connection shows more understanding than simply liking pizza.
Today’s free PDF work page: Froggy Builds a Tree House Work Page and Key free PDF
Another work page in the printable is about identifying tools and sounds that are related to building sites. Students just have to circle answers so there isn’t writing for more emergent readers.
Thanks for reading, Carolyn
You might also like the post about Froggy Goes to Hawaii and the free printable.
The free frog theme day blog post and printable would also be good if you have a frog theme in your classroom.
You might also like the blog post and free printable for Frog and Toad all year.
Thanks for writing, Tonya. It is hard to do but better for kids if there is some discussion after some of the books. I know the pressure to read and read, though. 🙂 Carolyn
We love the Froggy books too! I like the idea of improving reading comprehension by having the children relate to the book personally. I don’t always ask questions after reading a story since everyone just wants me to read another story! Thanks for the question ideas!
Tonya
Hi, Jackie, I just wrote about another Froggy book, and you made me glad I picked them. Carolyn
We love the Froggy books. Such a great idea to use it for text to self connections because those books relate so well to experiences that most children have. Thanks!