We had such a great time reading and celebrating Gone Fishing by Tamera Will Wissinger! This book is such a fun, fast read and a great way to introduce kids to all types of poetry.
As usual, we started out with a brief book talk and discussed favorite parts and characters. (There were a lot!) Then we moved on to a fishing trivia game. Each kids brought a couple of questions (if they’d forgotten, we helped them write a couple as they arrived.) When it was their turn, they’d cast the fishing pole (some of them for the first time ever), then run out as far as they’d cast it and ask the question back at their team. Bonus points if they cast right into the kiddie pool we’d placed across the yard! (Nobody did. 🙂
Then we headed inside to learn more about fish–how their bodies are built, how they breathe, what they eat, and how they’re like us. We watched a real goldfish first, but also had printables, a stuffed fish, and a fish statue to pass around. (Click here for some great resources about this, and be sure to check out additional links on the left side of the page.)
After we’d learned a little about the fish, it was time to make one of our own! We headed outside to sculpt our own fish with clay and add details with toothpicks and straws (for the scales).
Our final activity was a reader’s theater. We’d printed copies of several of the book’s multi-voice poems and the kids practiced for a few minutes, then performed them for each other. It was so fun to watch, and most of the kids really loved being in the spotlight! (The ones who didn’t could opt to be smaller parts, sometimes fish, so nobody was pushed too far outside their comfort zone.)
Of course there were snacks–goldfish crackers and Swedish fish! And plenty of water. 🙂