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5. Junie B is very disappointed that she can't play in the kickball tournament, due to her "smashed
<br /> piggy toe." Her parents tell her the proverb: "when life gives you lemons, you make
<br /> lemonade." What do they mean by this? Discuss times when your students ever had to make
<br /> the best out of a bad situation. Can your students think of any other proverbs, and what they
<br /> mean? (ie: "Where there's a will, there's a way," or "Man does not live by bread alone.")
<br /> 6. Junie B and Sheldon perform at the halftime show during the first grade kickball tournament.
<br /> To prepare, Junie B learns how to juggle, and practices constantly to get it right. (Another
<br /> proverb: "Practice makes perfect!") Have your students ever had to practice for something
<br /> (like for a soccer game, a choir concert, or even their spelling words)? Was that difficult for
<br /> them? Did practicing help them achieve their goals? Why or why not?
<br /> 7. Junie B Jones is a feisty first grader, and sometimes she makes mistakes or gets in trouble.
<br /> But she always learns something. What lesson did she learn after she got her glasses? After
<br /> helping Mrs. Gutzman? After the big halftime show? What does she learn from keeping a
<br /> journal?
<br /> ACTIVITIES
<br /> (Note to teachers: some of these activities (and work sheets) are designed for older students, and
<br /> some are intended for younger children — please use your judgment in deciding which are appropriate
<br /> for your class.)
<br /> 1. CREATIVE DRAMATICS: JUNIE B, STAR OF THE WHOLE ENTIRE CLASSROOM!
<br /> Your class probably noticed the similarity between the Junie B books and our stage production.
<br /> Your class can make their own Junie B play! Select one of the books in the series, and assign
<br /> different chapters to each student, or groups of students, to dramatize. (Your students may
<br /> want to look at published plays, to get an idea about clear formatting.) When all the groups
<br /> have finished with their section, they can read them aloud for the class. If time and resources
<br /> permit, they can even create simple props and costume pieces and perform for other classes, or
<br /> for their parents.
<br /> 2. MEMORY GAME: BABY'S GOT A BRAND NEW LUNCHBOX! Direct the class to sit in
<br /> a circle, and instruct the first student to fill in the blanks: "In my lunchbox, I've got
<br /> ---------------11 Going around the circle, the next student mentions the first item, plus a
<br /> second. The next student mentions the first two items in order, plus a new lunch food, and so
<br /> forth, so that by the end the circle might say "In my lunchbox, I've got an apple, a sandwich,
<br /> milk, cookies, a fruit bar, chips, pizza..." et cetera. For an extra challenge, you might try
<br /> eliminating students when they are incorrect — the last one in the circle who can remember all
<br /> the food is the winner!
<br /> 3. JOURNAL ACTIVITIES: WRITING DOWN THE STORY OF MY LIFE As Junie B sings in
<br /> our show, "I am writing down the story of my life: what makes me scared or nervous, what makes
<br /> me sad or blue." Your class can keep their own top-secret personal beeswax journals, and write
<br /> (and draw) in them daily. You may wish to give them suggested topics to get them started. As
<br /> Junie B and company sing:
<br /> "If I want to draw a weiner sausage "Your favorite kind of popsicle, your allergy to glue,
<br /> Or a picture of a beautiful day, How much you love your family, or what friendship means to you,
<br /> Or list my favorite colors and foods, A picture of spaghetti or a lovely mountain view,
<br /> Everything I want is A-OK." No matter what you think or dream or feel or say or do!"
<br /> Older students can write about their lives, likes, and dislikes, and younger students who don't
<br /> yet have writing skills may draw.
<br /> 4. OUTDOOR FUN: KICKBALL TOURNAMENT During recess, split your class into teams,
<br /> and have your own kickball game. The students can-name their teams after characters in the
<br /> books. For example, the Purple Glasses, or The Sugar Cookies, or The Tuna Noodle Stinkos. If
<br /> the children want to, they can even put together their own halftime show, like Sheldon and Junie
<br /> B, or be cheerleaders, like Lucille, Camille, and Chenille, or read the rules of the game, like
<br /> M ay.
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