Big Chickens Project Blog  http://bigchickensreaders.blogspot.com/
Big Chickens Activities http://ccebom.wikispaces.com/2009+March

OPPOSITES: Identify the opposites in each trouble scene. (Ex. Bodies plucked UP and mud sucked DOWN)

VERBS: There are many out of the ordinary action words to identify.  Have kids act out what they think words like tuttered, flutted and putted mean.  Encourage kids to think or make up words that explain how they feel when they're afraid.  Get them to expand on their words by rhyming other words or using alliteration.

GROUPING: Group like words such as flocked, rocked and pwocked.  How are they similar/different? Can you add to each grouping? Identify the words that sound alike but do not look alike.

ACTING: Play out each scene.  Make chicken beaks and cow horns to wear, if desired.  In a small space or within a chalk drawn circle, have the children pwock, flock and rock to see what happens.  Do they stay within the space? Why or why not?

WRITING: Close your eyes.  Think of being scared.  What is your body doing? What are your eyes doing? What about your other body parts? Write them down. Ask: What would you do if you were not afraid?

THINKING: Discussion Questions

1. What are you afraid of? What would you do if you were not afraid?
2. Ask if the fear in each scene is reasonable.  Discuss what would be reasonable to the children.
3. What made the chickens fall into trouble each time? What was the real problem?
4. What could the chickens have done if they were not afraid?
5. When the chickens were in trouble, what did they do to get themselves out? (Emphasis: The chickens had what it took to get themselves out of trouble every time.)