Last week I introduced you to an adorable book called Boomer Explores Annapolis. My children and I really enjoyed this book. It sparked our imagination as we dreamed about what our dog would see if he got out and ran around our city. That got me thinking about turning this book into a fun little study for preschoolers. The study could be adapted for children older as well.
Here is a bit of a reminder about the book we will focus on:
Boomer Explores Annapolis
Written by Angelique Clarke, Illustrated by Jim Hunt
Age Recommendation: 4 to 10
Book Description
Boomer is a silly dog that loves to explore — and explore he does on the streets of Annapolis. After getting loose from his yard, he spends a day roaming popular streets, including Duke of Gloucester and Maryland Avenue, and visiting the historic State House and City Dock. Through 15 colorful images, accompany Boomer on his day-long adventure and learn the stories behind the city’s many historic sites. Beautifully illustrated, this book is a great educational tool for teachers and parents and a great keepsake for any child. They’ll be laughing and bouncing around with Boomer all the way home. Grades K-5.
How I used the book for a Book Focus:
Lessons:
Map
Letter Recognition and Phonics
Critical thinking
How I developed the lessons:
I began by reading about Boomer and his adventure as he explores his city. Then we talked about all the things Boomer saw that day. I then asked my kids what our dog would see if he got out and ran around for the day. They answered with all the things in the neighborhood they could remember. We then made a map of the neighborhood marking some of the items they mentioned.
To make things more interesting, I showed them some of the major spots such as museums and the zoo, they visited in our city. This caused a discussion on what a dog would see and how people would react if our dog visited the art museum and the zoo. I showed them past pictures and things online to remind them of these spots in the our city.
For letter recognition, I had them focus on the first letter of our city. They wrote the letter, the city name, and practiced the sound.
This is a fun book to help you explore your own city with your kids.