3344-Circular Stories

A circular story can be defined as one where the story ends the same way it began, or begins the same way it ends. People often describe a circle as having an undefined beginning nor end. When you think about it...if you were to continue to read a circular story it would form just that... a circle where your beginning would be your end and vice versa. Lauren Numeroffs stories, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", "If you give a Pig a Pancake" are circular stories and children really enjoy these. Each scene is a result of something that triggered the mind of the character. Almost like the mind of a child that doesn't focus because it is constantly triggered by something leading to the next action.
To make this type of story fun in the classroom, I would use the story wheels. The children can be encouraged to draw up events in the story which would enhances the child's receptive and expressive language. You can encourage listening skills by having the children participate such as passing a cookie each time the mouse is in a different scene. Children can draw a story map, write out their predictions on other similiar stories to see if they understood the concept. Children can be encouraged to write/draw their own pages in the story. I would also ask the children what would you have done if....
Reading is fun with young children when the environment is inviting. It should be cozy away from traffic and/or distractions. You could have props such as puppets that encourage storytelling, pointers, hats, large storybooks. With younger children in the pre-kinder, kinder, and first you can have high frequency words that they can look for in the stories they read. Children should be involved with reading. You might encourage children to read a book, record it and then share with the class. Personal books can be binded and displayed in the reading center. Most of all, it is important to know what the interest of the children in your class is so that you can display books that reflect what they like. Make it personal.