Books
From one of our favorite tall-tale-tellers:
9780938317999
$16.99
Kids always want Joe Hayes to tell The Gum-Chewing Rattler. And why not? It combines so many things kids love to do—chew bubble gum, tell tall tales, and drive their moms crazy—with the wild, impossible claim that a rattlesnake chewed gum and blew a bubble with it!
You see, when Joe was a boy, that’s what he told his mother—that bubble gum saved him from a rattlesnake’s fangs! Really! Don’t worry—Joe’s mother didn’t believe him either.
Good read-alouds for chewing gum are few and far between, but we can extend this to anything sticky:
9780061998188
$17.99
Annie has a problem. She gets sticky—a lot. She can even get sticky in the bathtub. And sometimes it feels like the only time Annie’s family pays any attention to her is to tell her not to do something that will make her sticky—again.
When Annie tries to make a snack alone, some peanut butter makes her extremely sticky. Her mom, dad, brother, and sister try to help, but they all get stuck to her. The whole family ends up laughing, and for once Annie has all the attention she wants!
When Annie tries to make a snack alone, some peanut butter makes her extremely sticky. Her mom, dad, brother, and sister try to help, but they all get stuck to her. The whole family ends up laughing, and for once Annie has all the attention she wants!
9780763638177
$24.99 (Big Book)
With bright, spirited illustrations by Jane Chapman, this rhythmic counting tale by Phyllis Root will have young listeners eager to join the slippy, sloppy fun!
9780152056612
$17.99
Beep! Beep! Beep! Meet Blue. A muddy country road is no match for this little pick up--that is, until he gets stuck while pushing a dump truck out of the muck. Luckily, Blue has made a pack of farm animal friends along his route. And they're willing to whatever it takes to get their pal back on the road.
Literature
The Gum-Chewing Rattler is a tall tale. What other tall tales can you find to read? Think Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink. What makes something a tall tale rather than just a regular story or a fairy tale? Make a list of the elements of a tall tale and see which you can spot in the stories you are reading. Then try writing your own! Here is a great description of tall tales and some free printables from Kidzone.
Science
What are some truths and fictions about rattlesnakes? Can they really chew gum? (no) Will they chase you? (no) Can their venom hurt you? (yes) Are they an important part of their natural environments? (yes) Research to find out more about these fascinating creatures - and the different varieties in the US - and what you should do should you ever encounter one. If you live in an area with rattlesnakes, find out what options there are for safe removal.
***
Are all gums equal? Are they equally sticky, that is? What about other sticky substances? Devise an experiment to measure just how sticky various types of gum and other substances can be, and then rank them from least to most sticky!
Engineering
Poor duck! How would you get him unstuck? As a human with opposable thumbs, you could build something, where the animals can't. Collect some yarn, sticks, whatever is in hand, and see if you can build a contraption to pry, dig, or pull the duck out of the muck!
Social Studies
Little Blue Truck had plenty of help getting unstuck from the friends he had made along the way. He also didn't hesitate to help the big dump truck, even though it hadn't been very polite. Talk about characteristics that make someone want to help others, and those that make others want to help us. Look for applications in current news stories of people helping (or not helping) others. Can we always help everybody? How do we decide? Look for ways to help someone in your neighborhood, in your community, or in a broader area.
Art
Getting stuck in the mud isn't much fun...but playing with it is! Mix up some mud and see what you can build with it. A bear? A bowl? A bubble-gum chewing snake?
If you are stuck inside, get out the chocolate pudding and pretend it is mud. Use it to finger paint - and then lick the brushes (your hands) clean!
You can also play with sticky things without making a mess. Take a sheet of contact paper outside on a windy day, with the backing peeled off, and see what you can collect on the sticky side. Or, spread it out on your work space wit the sticky side up, and create a collage with magazine pictures or found objects. Place another sheet of contact paper or some plain white paper over it to seal everything in.
Math
Are you a champion gum chewer? How big of a bubble can you blow? Grab a ruler or a piece of string and challenge your family members to a bubble blowing contest! If you measure a bubble from top to bottom (its diameter), how can you figure out how far around it is (its circumference)? How can you measure how much air is in it (its volume)?
The Gum-Chewing Rattler is a tall tale. What other tall tales can you find to read? Think Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink. What makes something a tall tale rather than just a regular story or a fairy tale? Make a list of the elements of a tall tale and see which you can spot in the stories you are reading. Then try writing your own! Here is a great description of tall tales and some free printables from Kidzone.
Science
What are some truths and fictions about rattlesnakes? Can they really chew gum? (no) Will they chase you? (no) Can their venom hurt you? (yes) Are they an important part of their natural environments? (yes) Research to find out more about these fascinating creatures - and the different varieties in the US - and what you should do should you ever encounter one. If you live in an area with rattlesnakes, find out what options there are for safe removal.
***
Are all gums equal? Are they equally sticky, that is? What about other sticky substances? Devise an experiment to measure just how sticky various types of gum and other substances can be, and then rank them from least to most sticky!
Engineering
Poor duck! How would you get him unstuck? As a human with opposable thumbs, you could build something, where the animals can't. Collect some yarn, sticks, whatever is in hand, and see if you can build a contraption to pry, dig, or pull the duck out of the muck!
Social Studies
Little Blue Truck had plenty of help getting unstuck from the friends he had made along the way. He also didn't hesitate to help the big dump truck, even though it hadn't been very polite. Talk about characteristics that make someone want to help others, and those that make others want to help us. Look for applications in current news stories of people helping (or not helping) others. Can we always help everybody? How do we decide? Look for ways to help someone in your neighborhood, in your community, or in a broader area.
Art
Getting stuck in the mud isn't much fun...but playing with it is! Mix up some mud and see what you can build with it. A bear? A bowl? A bubble-gum chewing snake?
If you are stuck inside, get out the chocolate pudding and pretend it is mud. Use it to finger paint - and then lick the brushes (your hands) clean!
You can also play with sticky things without making a mess. Take a sheet of contact paper outside on a windy day, with the backing peeled off, and see what you can collect on the sticky side. Or, spread it out on your work space wit the sticky side up, and create a collage with magazine pictures or found objects. Place another sheet of contact paper or some plain white paper over it to seal everything in.
Math
Are you a champion gum chewer? How big of a bubble can you blow? Grab a ruler or a piece of string and challenge your family members to a bubble blowing contest! If you measure a bubble from top to bottom (its diameter), how can you figure out how far around it is (its circumference)? How can you measure how much air is in it (its volume)?
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