Zelda and Ivy Fun Activities for the Classroom

8/8/2019 Zelda and Ivy Fun Activities for the Classroom

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Laura McGee Kvasnoskys

award-winning early readers feature Zelda and Ivy, the fabulous foxsisters, who clearly have a air for the dramatic. In each book,

the siblings exploits unfold with plenty of sugar and sass in a spirited trio of

stories. Wry and genuine, these linked episodes and expressive illustrations

strike home with beginning readers, especially those whove experienced the

warmthand occasional wrathof a siblings attentions.

Illustrationscopyright2008byLauraMcGeeKvasnosky

PB: 978-0-7636-3261-8 $4.99

PB: 978-0-7636-3047-8 $4.99

PB: 978-0-7636-3061-4 $4.99

HC: 978-0-7636-2689-1

PB: 978-0-7636-3799-6 $4.99

HC: 978-0-7636-4004-0

FunActivities

Forthe

clAssroom

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Time Capsule

In Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways, the sisters create a time capsule.To kick o your own time capsule activity, ask students,

What would you put in a time capsule, and why? Ask children

to bring in the objects they have chosen, and use them to

create a time capsule at the beginning o the school

year. (I it is too hard or students to part with

something that is important to them, suggest

that they write down the name o the object

instead.) You may want to add some secret items o

your own choosing mementos that are important

to the class at the beginning o the year but may be

orgotten (and a un surprise or students) by the time

the time capsule is opened. Plan to open the time capsule

during the last week beore summer vacation, or i that is too long or

students to wait, on the one hundredth day o school.

Readers TheaterStage a chapter of the Zelda and Ivy books as a short play.(Note that the part o the narrator may be played by more than one student.)

Writing ProjectsTaking it further:Invite students to write a urther adventure or Zeldaand Ivy. It may be helpul to have a class discussion about the characters rst.

Write what you know: Have students write about their own siblingexperiences. Those without a sibling may choose to write about an

adventure with another relative or a riend.

Can you haiku?InZelda and Ivy: The Runaways, in the story The Secret Concoction, Zelda triesto write a haiku or her grandmother. (A haiku contains three lines, with the rst line containing ve

syllables; the second, seven; and the last, ve.) Teach your students the haiku orm, and have them

write and illustrate a haiku or their grandmother or other amily member.

One for the future:InZelda and Ivy: The Runaways, in the story The Time Capsule, the sisters decidethat children o the uture would preer Zelda and Ivys own book, Philip the Worm, over Ivys doll and

Zeldas lucky jewel. Ask students to imagine what a book called Philip the Worm might be like and

to write their own chapter or it.

Zelda and Ivy: The Runawayswon the Theodor Seuss Geisel BeginningReader Award, given by the American Library Association for the mostdistinguished beginning reader book. Here are some suggestions for usingall the Zelda and Ivy beginning reader books in your classroom.

Also included are two reproducible activity sheets, featuringa crossword puzzle and a sure-to-be-revealing

personality quiz.

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For more inormation about LauraMcGee Kvasnosky including

how to invite her to yourschool

visit www.lmkbooks.com

Design a bandage:Invite students to createcustom bandage designs such as Eugene might

include in his collection inZelda and Ivy and the

Boy Next Door.

Gouache resist:The medium Laura McGeeKvasnosky uses to illustrate the Zelda and Ivy

books is called gouache resist, a ascinating, un

(and somewhat messy) process. For creative

classrooms that are up to the challenge,

instructions or gouache resist are on the

author-illustrators website. When students are

nished, doozy up a bulletin board and display

their projects!

Fairy DustIn Zelda and Ivy, Ivy makes airy dust by grating a crayon on a

screen door. Brainstorm with students to invent your own method

o making airy dust, then collect materials to create the mixture in

class. (Make enough to put a small amount in a snack-size plastic

bag or each student.) Ask students to draw pictures o what they

would use the airy dust to wish or, then have each student attach

his or her bag o airy dust at the bottom o his or her drawing

and make a wish.

Hint:Second-graders in Iowa City invented their own airy dustusing a mixture that looked suspiciously like laundry soap, glitter, sand, and crushed

cornfakes. Feel ree to create your own variation!

Graphing

Zelda and Ivy: The RunawaysCrossword Puzzle Answer KeyACROSS: 1. jewel 4. haiku 5. Mimi 7. cucumber 8. potion 9. salsa DOWN: 1. juice 2. cherry 3. piano 6. Go Fish

Sibling survey:In math class, take a surveyo students to nd out how many siblings each

child has. Ask volunteers to help create a graph

o the results noting, or example, how manystudents have no siblings, how many have one

brother, how many have one sister, how many

have one brother and one sister, and so on.

Pros and cons:Have students write shortstatements about the ups and downs o

being the oldest, youngest, middle, or only

child in a amily. Share the statements in a

class discussion and graph the positives and

negatives. According to the graph, does one

situation seem to be the best? Do students

agree?

Art

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The Zelda and Ivy books are

published as Candlewick Sparks,

a branded paperback series or

young readers that oers newly

independent readers the chance to

experience some o the best early

fction available rom todays authors

and illustrators. Witty, engaging,and ull o warm humor, Candlewick

Sparks tell stories about subjects

that appeal to young readers,

whether its school, siblings, riend-

ships, amily, or just having un. For

a complete list o Candlewick Sparks

titles, visit www. candlewick.com

Illustrationscopyright2

008byLauraMcGeeKvasnosky


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crossword PuzzleAfter reading Zelda and Ivy:

The Runaways, youll be

prepared to run away

with this puzzle!

ACROSS

1. Zelda rubs her lucky ______ or good luck.

4. Zelda sets out to write this typeo poem or her grandmother.

5. Ivys doll is named Princess _______.

7. Zelda and Ivy run away because their dadmakes these sandwiches or lunch again!

8. Zelda tells Ivy to make a love _______ .

9. Zelda and Ivy hear this type o musicdriting out the window.

DOWN

1. Creative ______ gets the ideas fowing.

2. Zelda buries the time capsule underthis kind o tree.

3. The instrument that Zelda plays

6. When they run away, Zelda and Ivy

play ourteen hands o this card game.

1.

7.

5.

3.

8.

6.

9.

4.

2.

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PersonAlity testDiscover Your True Personality:Are You a Zelda or an Ivy?

To nd out, complete each of thefollowing sentences by circling a or b.

1.When you and your friends rent a video, a.youchoosethemovie.

b.youpopthepopcorn.

2.If you and your friends staged a neighborhood opera, a.youwouldbethedirectorandthestar.

b.youwouldpassoutprograms.

3.If your sibling or friend got a new bicycle, a.youwoulddemonstratehowtorideit.

b.youwouldwaitforaturnallafternoon.

.

4. If theres one piece of chocolate cake left fromyour siblings or friends birthday,

a.youoffertoshareit.

b.yougiveitaway.

5.In your family, a.youaretheoldest(oranonlychild).

b.youhaveanoldersibling.

Now add up the number ofasand bs.Ifyouhavemoreas,youreaZelda;ifyouhavemorebs,youreanIvy.

www.candlewick.comIllustrationscopyright2008byLauraMcGeeKvasnosky

Documents

Zelda and Ivy Fun Activities for the Classroom