This is a story about the creatures of the forests of Africa, and although it is a story, it is based on facts. It is designed for grade 2 level or the beginning of grade 3, depending on the reading ability of the learners.
Each part of the story is followed by comprehension and literacy tasks which include: word recognition; development of vocabulary; following written instructions; recognising sounds; finding words; copying correctly; rhyming words; reading for meaning; completing sentences; answering questions; writing sentences and writing stories.
The book can be used in the following ways:
As a class reading activity: The educator reads the story, and the learners follow in their books. She re-reads it with the learners reading it quietly with her. The third time it is re-read with the learners reading, and the teacher prompting where necessary.
As a group reading activity: The learners read the story in a group, with the educator or a good reader, helping.
As an individual reading activity: The learner reads the story and does the literacy activity on his/her own. This can also be fun done in pairs.
As the learners work through the book, they are encouraged to go back and re-read the story. This helps to consolidate word recognition, memory and vocabulary development.
Extension tasks are included to cater for the more advanced learner. It is suggested that each learner have a blank FOREST BOOK in which to do the additional tasks and fun activities.
It is hoped that the learners will be so fascinated by the activities in a forest that they will be inspired to do their own research on the many more creatures found in forests.
The educator can use this book as a skeleton to develop his/her own follow-up activities.
