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Notice the story that is being told in each section. If there were text narrating the story, what would it say?

Work in groups. Before reading, choose a category of words such as colours, shapes or opposites and brainstorm a list of words that fits your category. Share your ideas with the class. Add new vocabulary as you read.

What other languages do you or your classmates speak? On small sticky notes, add words in French, Italian or other languages.

Play 20 Questions with vocabulary from the text. Keep track of how many guesses it takes to find the answer.

Discuss the illustrations and how the book is organized. How is colour used?

In pairs, practise location vocabulary using small objects and a box, bag or desk (e.g. The eraser is under the bag.)

Use multi-coloured shape stickers or blocks to design simple objects such as a house or a tree. With a partner, take turns identifying your creations. Add equations (2 green triangles + 1 red square = a house).

Start a classroom anchor chart for colours, shapes, etc.

Lemons Are Not Red, Which Is Round? Which Is Bigger?, This Plus That: Life's Little Equations, Mouse Shapes

Mots-clés

Picture book , adjectives , colours , contrasts , everyday life , shapes , visual dictionary

Commentaire descriptif

Is it inside or outside? Light green or dark green? Are those checks, stripes, loops or dots? Brief illustrated storylines introduce basic vocabulary for everyday situations. “Will you come to our party?” shows a young host on the phone (“Alone”), and then party guests, bearing gifts (“Together”). The sequence showing a rapidly emptying candy dish, demonstrates “Many,” “Still a few” and “None at all”. Illustrations are made with simple shapes and lines in flat colour applications, recalling lithographic printing techniques, for an effect that is both sophisticated and child-friendly. In the storyline “Where are you hiding?” two children rush by dripping laundry on a line that obscures Father (“Behind”), and provides a backdrop for Mother (“In front”). In “What are you doing?” the illustrations depict the children and Father building a tree house (“Thin,” “Short,” “Thick,” “Long”). The book provides an opportunity for readers to tell the stories in their own words, incorporating the vocabulary in the book. Altogether this is a fine resource for early reading and language skills, in a good-looking package.