A Star Wars RENN-dition of Chicken Little

Posted on March 11, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Today’s post is a very special one for a very special boy.

Children’s author Susanna Leonard Hill has put together an amazing treat for one of the families in our kid lit community. Here’s a bit from her post to explain:

“Renn has a challenging week ahead. He has epilepsy, and the doctors are having a difficult time figuring out how to control his seizures. He has to go into the hospital for several days to undergo a number of tests, and last time I checked, that wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. If you’d like to learn more, you can join the blog at The Brain Of A Jedi, or the Face Book Group at Purple Day, but suffice to say he is only 5, and facing some things no 5 year old should have to.”

Susanna asked if I would like to participate by writing something fun for Renn. During his stay at the hospital, he and his mom will be able to visit all of the stories, poems, videos and pictures by clicking on the different links on Susanna’s post. You can enjoy them as well by clicking here.

Renn…here’s a fun “Renn” dition of the story of Chicken Little.

Photos courtesy of http://starwars.com/

Chicken Little was in the woods one day when an acorn fell on her head. It scared her so much, she trembled all over. She shook so hard, half her feathers fell out.

Chicken Little said, “Help! Help! The sky is falling! I have to go and tell the king!”

So she ran in great fright to tell the king. Along the way, she met Luke Skywalker.

Luke Skywalker asked her, “Where are you going?”

Chicken Little replied, “Oh help! The sky is falling! I am going to tell the king.”

Luke asked, “How do you know the sky is falling?”

And Chicken Little replied, “I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and part of it fell on my head!”

Luke answered, “I will be happy to help you, but the way of the Jedi is to observe and find out what the problem is…think and decide what the best solution is…and then act intelligently and carry out what must be done. First, take me back to the place where it happened.”

So they went along and went along and soon they met R2D2.

“Where are you going?” asked R2D2.

“I am going to tell the king that the sky is falling.” said Chicken Little.

“How do you know that the sky is falling?” asked R2D2.

I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears and a piece of it fell right on top of my head.”

Luke said, “First we are going back to find out what happened.”

So they went along and went along and soon they met C3PO.

“Where are you going?” asked C3PO.

“I am going to tell the king that the sky is falling.” said Chicken Little.

“How do you know the sky is falling?” asked C3PO.

“I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears and a piece of it fell right on my head.” exclaimed Chicken Little.

“But first we are going back to see what happened.” aid Luke Skywalker and R2D2.

So they went along and went along and went along and soon they met the Grand Masters of the Jedi Council.

“Where are you going?” they asked.

“I am going to tell the king that the sky is falling.” said Chicken Little.

“How do you know the sky is falling?” they replied.

“I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears and a piece of it fell right on my head.” exclaimed Chicken Little.

“But first we are going back where it happened” said Luke and R2D2 and 3CPO.

Just then, they came to the place in the forest where the acorn had fallen on Chicken Little’s head. Luke, R2D2, 3CPO and all of the Jedi Grand Masters carefully searched the area.

“Is this where the piece of the sky fell on your head?” asked Luke Skywalker, standing over the large acorn that lay amongst the leaves.

“Yes, yes, yes…that is the exact spot!” Chicken Little jumped up and down excitedly, but she wasn’t really feeling frightened anymore, not with her Jedi friends there with her.

Luke bent down and picked up the acorn. “I believe that this is what fell on your head, Chicken Little. It was an acorn, not the sky.

“Oh dear, I think you are right.” said Chicken Little, feeling a little embarrassed. “Thank you, dear friends. With you and the force with me, even if the sky had been falling, I would have felt safe.”

All of her companions smiled. Luke said, “We all feel afraid sometimes, especially if something happens that we don’t understand or we have to do something we don’t like. Just remember that when you have those you love around you, they will help you through it.”

With their hands raised in a farewell salute, they all shouted, “LET THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!”

I join in the salute, Renn…’LET THE FORCE BE WITH YOU’…and your family and your doctors!

I hope you had fun with the story. I will be thinking about you and your family this week…sending lots of love and good wishes!

Sunday Post: Arrangement…Do You Plan to Fail?

Posted on March 10, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge…today’s theme is ARRANGEMENT.

Arrangement definition: plans you make so that something will happen or be possible.

They say that if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail…this is important for EVERYONE who has a goal or objective to reach.

When my children were small, I set up a plan for each day…a simple schedule.

This simple schedule was a LIFE-SAVER…giving order and balance to each day.

Each morning, I read a picture book story…building literacy skills…giving me an opportunity to converse with the children about the story. Conversation is one of the TOP VOCABULARY BUILDERS and gives kids a crucial head-start in school.

Then I would encourage the children to move around with circle games like ‘Farmer in the Dell’ or rhythms like pretending to be a train or a hopping kangaroo. Physical activity is the best defense against obesity.

After that we would make a quick and easy arts and crafts project…helping children develop small muscle coordination and allowing them to express their creativity.

Then it would be time to go outside to play or play inside with puzzles and blocks.

What? Was it lunch-time already? When everyone is having fun, the time really flies, doesn’t it?

In my book, I share the life-saving schedule that I used.

Young children want and need balance and order in their day…the arrangement is up to you!

Do you start the day with a plan? What arrangements do you make for your own well-being? What fun activities do you enjoy with your kids?

Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking can help! Click this link if you would like a copy! The book makes it easy to pinpoint the best books to read. It gives parents arts and crafts activities that are quick and easy. And it provides simple healthful recipes that you can make with your child. Setting up a simple daily schedule doesn’t mean you are being rigid or inflexible…it actually empowers you to encourage creative expression and, most of all, have fun together!

Join in the fun with Jake’s Sunday Post.

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

Maria’s Mysterious Mission…Hiking the Colorado Rockies with John Fielder

Posted on March 8, 2013 by viviankirkfield

The east coast has been pounded by massive snowstorms recently. But here in Colorado Springs, the last few days have brought some unmistakeable signs that spring is coming soon.

Photo courtesy of Malou, a fantastic photographer in the Netherlands.

The breeze carries with it the fragrance of warmth and new green day lily shoots are poking their spikes up through the decaying leaves of a past autumn.

Yes, I know. We may still get major snowstorms and plenty of frosty mornings…we often have heavier snowfalls in March and April than we do during the winter. But spring is definitely on my mind, especially since I’ve been working on my entry for Susanna Leonard Hill’s In Just Spring Children’s Story Contest. Head over there to check it out…submissions are due next Friday!

What luck! A book arrived in the mail yesterday. When I opened the package, I knew it was just the one to review for today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday. It demonstrates the beauty of Colorado’s majestic mountains and contains an important lesson about finding one’s way in a new place.

Maria’s Mysterious Mission

Written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam

Illustrated by Anna-Maria Crum

Photography by John Fielder

Publisher: Westcliffe Publishers/John Fielder Publishing (2007)

Ages: 4 and up

Themes:

Homesickness, moving, new experiences, friendship

Opening Lines:

“Maria was homesick. She spent her days wandering in and out of the barn and poking around the corral. She hadn’t cut a trail or carried a pack in months, not since she’d come to this new place in Colorado, far from her home in South America.

I don’t belong here, she thought. Her eyes stung, and her throat felt tight. “I miss the Andes.”

Synopsis:

From the Amazon page: “Far from her native South America, Maria is homesick. When she sets off on a mysterious mission with a heavy pack on her back and a heavier weight on her heart, she forges a new friendship and comes to see her life in Colorado with very different eyes.

Why I like this book:

Many children experience anxiety when they move to a new place or face the challenge of doing something different. The story of Maria, the llama, is one of realizing that we can be happy no matter where we are and that no matter where we go, there will be some things that are the same and some that are different. Stepping outside of one’s comfort zone can also be a stepping stone to new and wonderful friendships. This book was especially relevant to me because it spoke to the fears I had to face concerning my upcoming trip to Singapore in May for the Asian Festival of Children’s Content.

The book is an amazing collaboration between author, illustrator and America’s foremost outdoor photographer, John Fielder. Each spread contains the text and illustrations against a background of Mr. Fielder’s fantastic photography. Living in Colorado…and having hiked many of the back-country and high mountain trails, I was overjoyed to see familiar scenes with the turn of each page.

How a parent can use this book:

As a lovely read-aloud (let’s make a pact…let’s celebrate World Read-Aloud Day EVERY DAY of the year by reading aloud to children at every opportunity).
To encourage children to accept new challenges and try new things
To help kids whose families have just moved or are planning to move
As an introduction to hiking and outdoor pursuits as well as to photography
To show children the amazing natural resources and wildlife habitats that exist and that need our careful protection

Related Activities:

Here’s a great trail mix recipe from my book. Why not invite your child to help make a batch…and then go out for a hike together. Do you have a local nature sanctuary or botanic gardens nearby? If not, how about a walk to a nearby park or playground. First Lady Michelle Obama is encouraging parents and schools to make physical activity a priority in every child’s day.

HOMEMADE TRAIL MIX

Photo courtesy www.livelearnloveeat.com

You will need: 1 cup unsalted nuts (peanuts, almonds, etc.),1 cup hulled sunflower seeds, 1 xup coconut flakes, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup dried fruit cut into small pieces, 1 large bowl and a package of zip-lock sandwich bags.

Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
Store in airtight container or large glass jar with lid.
Scoop into sandwich bags, grab a bottle of water and take a walk.
Makes about 5 cups of trail mix.
If your child is allergic to nuts…or too young for them…you can substitute healthy dry cereals and mini-pretzels.

Join Perfect Picture Book Friday with Susanna Leonard Hill and dozens of other kid lit lovers who post a picture book review every week:

Would you like to take the muss and fuss out of planning fun activities with your child. No batteries required…powered by a child’s imagination! Please click this link to purchase a copy