Literacy and Learning: Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes

READ.

By Margie Palatini

 
Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes is an adorable story about a fox trying to reach grapes high up in a tree and getting all of his friends to help him.  He thinks he is the smartest of all the creatures in the forest, so he is boss and tells all of his friends how they are to help.  Even though each individual friend could have done the job itself using its own skills, the fox, in his pride, insists on telling everyone what do to.  After all of the failed attempts by the fox and his crew, the friends get the grapes on their own and the fox goes away empty handed and ashamed.  It's a really fun read, and the kids start to predict what will happen as each animal friend comes into the picture.
PLAY.

Create an obstacle challenge for your kids to figure out.  

We chose to place a shoe up in a tree and tell Grace that it was her responsibility to get it down (with her own hands) and to figure out how to do it.  Just like the fox did!

As you move from left to right across each row, you can see the order of events for how she went about getting the shoe.  (Thanks Daddy for the shoe!)

Right away she asked her dad to stand near the tree so she could climb on him.

When asked how she would get up on dad's shoulders, she went down to the picnic table and asked us to bring it over as a way for her to get higher.

She realized she had to ask Dad to sit down so she could climb on his shoulders.

When he stood back up with her on his shoulders and his feet on the ground, they still were not tall enough.  

Finally, she asked Jesse to stand on the picnic table seat so they could reach.  Success!

EAT.

You can create the story for lunch by using a slice of summer sausage cut into a triangle, 4 sticks, and two crescent shapes to make the fox.  Next, make a tree by slicing a peanut butter sandwich as shown.  Use some cut celery for the ground and a couple of the celery leaves for the tree tops.  Finally, add the grapes, and your child will be delighted to see the story come alive!

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