Dr. Seuss: It's For Big Kids Too

Theodor Seuss Geisel is known in classrooms, libraries and by elementary age children for his fun and crazy books. There is a special language he developed, perfected and used to engage children in reading.  From his first book, "And To Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street" to his ever popular "Cat in the Hat" children everywhere can quote Dr. Seuss.

This week his birthday, March 2, 1904, will be celebrated in lower elementary classrooms around the country.  The books being read will bring smiles and love of the written word to students ages seven and below.  If you teach in upper elementary, middle school, or high school you can bring this love to your students as well.  Learning happens when we are engaged and having fun.  You are never too old to enjoy a picture book.  There are many things that can be done in upper level classrooms to learn and reflect on the works of this amazing man.

Writing/Reading/Research:

-Compare the life of Dr. Seuss to your favorite author.

-Select a Dr. Seuss book and write how current events contributed to the work at the time it was written.

-Make a list of Seussical words.  Create illustrations of your best three.

-Select a Dr. Seuss quote (or find your own) to illustrate.

-Write a list of questions you would like to ask Dr. Seuss.

-Write a persuasive paragraph about the best book by Dr. Seuss.

-Select a Dr. Seuss book and suggest changes that could be made.

-Select a book published after his death in 1991 and compare it to a book he published while he was alive.

-Create a song from the main idea of one of Dr. Seuss' books.

-Compare two Dr. Seuss books with a similar theme.

-Read "If I Ran the Zoo" (1950) and/or "If I Ran the Circus" (1956).  Write about running a business of your own.

-Write a third book for "The Cat and The Hat" series.

Math

-Read "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" (1938) and do an activity on place value.

-Read "Dr Seuss's ABC" (1963) and create an ABC book on your current math topic.

-Read "The Foot Book" (1968) and create a presentation on different types of measurement.

-Read "Great Day For Up" (1974) and create a timeline of transportation.

-Read "You're Only Old Once!" (1986) and create a presentation of how math was taught when your parents were your age.  Compare that to how math is taught now.

Science

-Read  "McElligot's Pool" (1947) and do an activity on habitats.

-Read "Bartholomew And The Oobleck" (1949) and do an activity on states of matter.  Make oobleck.

-Read "Horton Hears A Who!" (1954) and do an activity on sound waves.

-Read "Dr Seuss's Sleep Book" (1962) and research sleep.  Create a presentation on the amount of sleep someone your age needs.

-Read "Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You?" (1970) and research sound.  Create a presentation on how one animals creates or uses sound.

-Read "The Lorax" (1971) and research pollution.  Suggest a change or solution for one type of pollution.

These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking about Dr. Seuss and his work.  Have fun this week celebrating a man who continues to bring a love of reading to children.  Read your favorite Dr. Seuss book to your class.  Have them read books and record them for lower grade levels to enjoy.  Become inspired by the words, stories and art work.  "Children want the same things we want.  To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted."  Dr. Seuss

 

"Dr. Seuss Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.