In this post you will find a collection of Tomie dePaola book activities ideal for a 2nd grade author study.
Tomie dePaola Book Activities
One of my very favorite authors is Tomie dePaola. I just love his themes and his illustrations. I also love that you can just about find a Tomie book to teach any comprehension strategy or skill. Many of his books are based on his memories from childhood and all of his books are a teacher’s dream for teaching about text connections, point of view, author’s purpose, generalizations, prior knowledge, drawing conclusions, cause and effect, problem/solution….I could go on and on!
Author’s Viewpoint
We started out by reading The Art Lesson and talking about the author’s viewpoint. This was a bit tricky for some of my kiddos. It took a bit of discussion and some “I wonder if-ing” on my part to get my second graders in the mindset of putting themselves in the author’s shoes, but once they got there they took off running!
As we created this anchor chart, we discussed some of the things the main character says and does and what insight that might give us into how the author thinks and feels.
We made these author’s viewpoint projects, but all I have is this sad little picture. I thought I took pictures of some finished work but can’t for the life of me find them now! Darn it.
Problem and Solution Activities
Here are some of the things we did with Little Grunt and the Big Egg.
I love these little problem/solution dinosaur eggs!
We spent the next two weeks reading many of the Strega Nona books. I love these books, they are my all time favorites! We talked alot about theme, prior knowledge, text-to-text connections and cause and effect with these.
Tomie dePaola uses a lot of Italian words in the Strega Nona stories so we began to collect them on an anchor chart. Next year, I’ll have students use sticky notes and add them as they find them in the stories. We also made these little Italian dictionaries. The pages get cut apart and stapled into a little book.
Teaching with Graphic Organizers
Here are a few of the graphic organizers my kiddos made. We compared, described, defined and formed analogies every which way! I had students write text evidence in the frame of reference next to their entries.
This is a problem/solution flap book we made.
These are some of the anchor charts we made beforehand.
I projected this little anchor chart on my SMARTBoard while reviewing cause and effect
with my kiddos. They then made Big Anthony cause and effect tri-folds.
Writing Activities for Tomie dePaola Books
After reading Strega Nona Takes a Vacation, students imagined where else Strega Nona might travel and wrote postcards home from Strega Nona’s point of view.
On an “armadillo watch” in Texas!
Cruisin’ in a limo in Hollywood!
The back says” I wish you were here to stop this ride!
We also did this little writing activity to remind Big Anthony about some very important things! The girls were Strega Nona, the boys Big Anthony. My kids had no idea what tying a string on your finger meant! When I explained it, one little cutie said,
“My dad just sets his phone.”!
“My dad just sets his phone.”!
Of course, I was thrilled when most of my kids wrote about the important things to remember when regrouping, telling time, dividing words into syllables etc. and then there was “When it’s time to go to bed, don’t forget to turn off the tv if you hear your Mom coming.”I love that one! I really fell down on the job when it came to getting pictures of those! Maybe I need a string on my finger to help me remember to take pictures!
“When you play with your Legos don’t forget to put them away. If you don’t there would be no more space for lunch and my baby brother could choke on them.”
“When you are writing a letter don’t forget to write a greeting and a closing because then it is’t a letter its a note.” Sound advice don’t you think?
We talked a lot about character traits and did a little sorting activity with the character traits of Strega Nona and Big Anthony.
Students also made a mini-art gallery of their favorite Tomie characters and wrote character traits on the back of their “canvases”. They then displayed them on their “museum floor”.
I wouldn’t want to run into Bambalona in a dark alley!
Writing a Summary using Tomie books
We made these nifty little author study folders to hold all of our projects and display on our desks! We used the Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then strategy to help us write “sandwich summaries” of Tony’s Bread.
We used this graphic organizer to discuss and record how the main character changes during the story.
As promised, here’s a little freebie. This is a whole to parts brace map to decompose the setting into its parts. Students draw Strega Nona’s kitchen including important details then break it down into its individual parts.
Click {here}to download this freebie.
If you love Tomie books and would like to do this author study with your class, I’ve put together all of these activities and many, many more
in a complete Tomie dePaola reading unit.
Click here to see the Tomie dePaola author study unit.
For more Tomie dePaola book activities visit all the posts in this series:
Happy Teaching!
Hi Jessica!
The problem/solution dinosaur eggs are part of a Tomie dePaola author study I have in my teacher resource shop on TeachersPayTeachers.
Here is a link Tomie dePaola Author Study if you would like to see the unit. I hope your kiddos enjoy their dinosaur study and thanks so much for stopping by my blog!
Hello! I came across your Blog and I love it! <3 We are currently studying dinosaurs right now and I was wondering where did you find those problem solution eggs?!
Thanks!
🙂
Linda,
What a great page! You have put together a terrific unit. I linked to this page from a post I did about free read aloud books by the author. Barnes and Nobel has Strega Nona on their free audio book list read by Tomie Paola.
Caryn
I am crazy about this unit!!!! I love Tomie D! And Strega Nona is my absolute favorite! I love your design style. I can't wait to use this! I am your newest follower!
Heidi Harrell
http://inthatroomwithheidiharrell.blogspot.com/
Hi! I had no idea you could purchase books and have Tomie himself sign them! I would love to do that! He's my all-time favorite author, too! Love his books and all things Tomie! Thanks for letting me know. I hope your foot is OK! I think we'll definitely have another AZ blogger meet up, maybe before the summer as it was hard to coordinate schedules with a lot of people going out of town. Thanks so much for stopping by to say hi! I hope you have a great new school year!
By the time I found your set I had already finished up my Tomie DePaola unit:( I can't wait till March now! That's when I do my DePaola study. He is my all time favorite author! You may already know this, but there is a shop in his home town that you can order books from and he actually signs them and personalizes them for you for FREE! I did this a couple of years ago. Cost me a pretty penny because I repurchased a lot of the books, but how could I pass up having a legend sign my books?? BTW is there any way to do another AZ blogger meet up? I broke my foot and I wasn't able to come to the last one. I'd love to meet up one day though:)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tomie DePaola. Thank you so much for sharing your great ideas!
Buzzing with Ms. B
I love your author study! I'm your newest follower and can't wait to explore your adorable blog. Hope you can stop by mine, I also teach second.
Colleen
Totally Terrific in Texas
I love your blog and just pinned your great anchor charts. I wish I had your artistic ability.
Hope you'll check out my blog: Learninginthelittleapple.blogspot.com
Wish I was closer to AZ to join the party!
Jane
I love the problem/solution eggs! I will definitely have to find a way to incorporate these into my classroom next year!
I am a new follower!! Stop by my blog if you get a chance 🙂
Chelsey♥
Hi girls! I'm a follower of your cutest-ever blog! I'm headed over now to see what you've been up to!
Linda
Hi Tammy! Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! I'm so glad you like the unit! We'll be using Common Core as well next year which makes for a lot of busy teachers this summer!
Hope to chat with you again soon!
Linda
I am so glad I found your blog at First Grade Blue Skies. The author study is amazing and it is on my list to purchase. I live in Florida and first grade will be using common core this year and so your unit will fit right in.
Tammy
The Resourceful Apple
Just found your blog and your unit looks amazing!! Love those anchor charts!
Robynn
BusyBees
Love all of your Strega Nona stuff! We are your newest followers! We would love it if you would check us out if you get a chance!
Katie & Lisen
http://www.wearesecondgradesmartypants.blogspot.com
Love the anchor charts!!
Jennifer
First Grade Blue SKies
Hi April! I'm so glad you like the unit. Thanks for following! I'll head over and check out your blog!
Linda
Hi!! Great ideas!! I am your newest follower. I would love to have you visit my blog.
April
Wolfelicious
Hi Stacy! Yes, I made a template that you cut the "canvas" and "easels" out of one piece of cardstock.
Thanks for stopping by!
Linda
Wow what an awesome author study. Your kids did a great job with this unit. I especially love how they displayed the gallery of characters. Did you make the displays that the pictures are on???
Stacy
Simpson Superstars
Hi Kimberly! Thanks so much for stopping by and becoming my 50th follower! Woo-hoo! I'm glad you like the author study, Tomie dePaola is one of my favorite authors!
I'm headed over to your blog now!
Linda
I love your blog! I am so happy I found it. This Author Study is amazing!! I am your 50th follower. I would love if you checked out my blog…I am having a giveaway as well!
http://www.loveofteachingkimberly.blogspot.com
Hi Lisa! I'm so glad you like them and thanks for following! I'm headed your way now!
Hope you're having a good summer!
Lidna
Hi Hadar! I'm so glad you stopped by! Thanks for lovin' on my background! It's from Pickleberry Pop.
BTW…I owe you a great big, giant thank you!!! Do you remember the I love Rachelle thread on the TPT forums? The topic was how much eaasier PowerPoint is to use than word…and you posted a little tutorial on the "glow" text effect. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! This sounds so silly, but I had been trying to figure out how to do that for months! At that point I had rarely ever used PPT and didn't know that lovely little feature existed! Thank you so much for taking the time to post that!
Hope you're having a "glowing" summer! Hehehe
Linda
I love these Strega Nona activities!! This is amazing!! I am your newest follower. 🙂
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
I absolutely LOVE this!!! And I'm super obsessed with your blog background! I'm your newest stalker…I mean follower…lol
Hadar
Thanks, Heather…you're too sweet!
Did you see the CD post?
Linda
Linda,
You are amazing….this post is WOWzers! What a blessing you are to your kiddos but also to bloggyland!
Bloggy blessings sweet friend,
Heather
Heather's Heart
Hi Michelle!
Thanks for coming by to visit!
Let's talk soon about an AZ bloggy get-together!
Linda
You're so welcome Tammy, and I'm glad you found me!
Don't you just love Tomie dePaola? He's one of my all-time favorite authors. I love all the references to his childhood and the simplicity of his illustrations. I also like being able to tie so many teaching points to his books too!
Hope you stop by and visit again!
Linda
LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog!!!! Your pictures are amazing!!! Strega Nona is one of my favorites!! Thanks for commenting on my TPT thread so I could find you:)
Tammy
1…2…3…Teach With Me
Thank you, you're so sweet! And thanks so much for stopping by!
I cannot get over how beautiful your handwiriting is! I'm jealous!
and that unit…..WOW!
Miss Elementary
Your unit is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for the sweet shout out…you are lovely (-;
Michelle
The 3AM Teacher
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Hi Karla!
Thanks for stopping by and reading my post! I'm glad you like the unit. If you ever need to borrow Tomie books, I'm your girl!
Hope you're having a restful summer!
Linda
Hi Casey!
I'm so glad you like it and can use it! Thanks so much for stopping by and for leaving your blog link! I follow your blog and love all of your math resources and ideas!
Have fun at the beach next week!!
Linda
I love Tomie de Paola and my kinders enjoyed hearing some of his stories this year. Your ideas are super cute… can't wait for my kinders to get to you in 2nd so they can do these amazing activities!
I can definitely use ALL of this! I am bookmarking this post. Now I can't wait until fourth quarter next year when we study Tomie dePaola! 🙂
Casey
Second Grade Math Maniac