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The Tortoise And The Hare

Language: English

This is a time-honored classic about the slow tortoise that wins the race over the fast hare. LeVar faces a big challenge when he gets ready to compete against some of Hawaii’s top bicyclists in a race. When he decides to tackle the tough obstacle course the Marines use in Hawaii, LeVar realizes that to be a “winner” means trying hard and doing your best. He also finds out more about “doing your best” when he visits the Japan International Karate Center and talks to the young karate students.

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

Flower Leis

You will need:

  • drinking straws, six straws for each lei
  • cardboard or tagboard, 5” x 5”
  • colored tissue paper, several colors cut in squares
  • string or yarn, about 30”
  • hole punch
  • pencil
  • scissors

Directions:

  1. Draw a flower on the cardboard or tagboard and cut out. This will be your pattern.
  2. Trace around the pattern and cut out tissue paper flowers, cutting through three layers of tissue at once goes faster.
  3. Punch a hole in the center of each flower.
  4. Cut the six straws into one-inch pieces.
  5. Cut a piece of string or yarn about 30” long.
  6. String a straw piece first and tie a large knot at the end, so the pieces won’t fall off as you continue stringing.
  7. Alternate stringing a straw piece followed by three paper flowers. Knot the ends to create a long necklace.

  

Paper Bag Playhouse

It is always fun for children to dramatize a good story using puppets. For this puppet playhouse and stick puppets, you will need:

  • large, brown paper bag
  • scissors
  • crayons or markers
  • heavy drawing paper
  • craft sticks or drinking straws
  • tape
  1. Cut a large window in the front side of the paper bag. This will be your puppet stage. Decorate around the opening so it resembles a stage with curtains and lights.
  2. Draw and color on paper a picture of each story character from The Tortoise and the Hare or from another favorite story.
  3. Cut out each character and tape to the BOTTOM of a craft stick or drinking straw.
  4. Lower the puppets down into the bag to retell the story for an audience.

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

  • Sam Johnson And The Blue Ribbon Quilt by Lisa Campbell Ernst
  • Horray For Snail! by John Stadler
  • Albert The Running Bear’s Exercise Book by Barbara Isenberg & Marjorie Jaffe

READING RAINBOW has a resource library that includes teacher guide materials as well as reading programs for use in the public libraries. You can download these resources from GPN at:
www.gpnresources.com

If you would like more information about READING RAINBOW or if you would like to learn more about other educational products please visit the GPN web site.

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