This is a story about creatures in a rock pool. Each part of the story is followed by literacy activities in the form of a “fun activity”. These activities are based on the literacy skills the learners need to accomplish in Grade 1.
The book can therefore be used in the last half of Grade 1 or in the first half of Grade 2.
There are facts about the rock pool creatures that have been carefully researched and even in the stories. The learners will gain knowledge about the way the creatures behave. As the learners work through the book, it is advisable to go back and re-read the story. This will help the learners to remember the facts they have learnt and to gain a higher level of word recognition.
The activities will help the learners to:
follow written instructions; find words that sound the same; find words in the text; recognise sounds; find words and copy them correctly; read for meaning; write their own words; complete sentences; answer questions; write their own sentences and ultimately write their own stories.
I have been amazed at the stories that have resulted from using this book. As the learners develop their vocabulary on this topic, and as their imagination is stimulated, they then gain confidence to write their own stories. There are extension activities for the more advanced learners. The teacher can use this book as a skeleton to develop his/her own follow up activities, some of which are suggested in this book.
The story of the hermit crab exchanging his ordinary shell for a fancy one is true. It actually happened before our eyes in a sea tank we had set up in the classroom.
