The Gruffalo Activities and Printables for Kindergarten Teachers: Calling all kindergarten teachers! Are you looking to inject some enchanting excitement into your classroom? Look no further than “The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson. This beloved children’s book is not just a delightful read but also a treasure trove of educational possibilities. Let me show you how you can transform this tale into an unforgettable learning experience. Let’s explore a variety of activities and printables that will have your Kinders or first graders giggling and growing, all while diving deep into the enchanting world of the Gruffalo. And yes, these can be used for The Gruffalo lesson plans.
Activity 1: Sequencing the Story
Who said storytelling was just for bedtime? Get your little ones to exercise their brains by sequencing the story of “The Gruffalo.” This activity not only reinforces their comprehension skills but also encourages them to retell the tale in their own words.
Let me show you how you can use The Gruffalo sequencing printables with ease. Begin by reading the story aloud to the class, pausing at key moments to discuss what’s happening. This is important because the words in this book flow like a song, so you will need to pause to allow your learners to take in the effects.
Next, provide each student with a sequencing card as shown above. Retell the story as a class using the cards and place them in a pocket chart to aid with the sequencing. Finally, ask students to use a printable like shown above to sequence the story on their own, using prompting and support via the sequencing cards.
Activity 2: Matching Rhyming Words
Julia Donaldson’s poetic language is a treasure chest of rhyming words. Turn this aspect of the book into a delightful wordplay activity. It is easy to choose several rhyming pairs from the book, such as “snake” and “cake” or “toes” and “nose.” Yes, all these words are in the book The Gruffalo. Next, while reading the book, pause at rhyming words, encouraging the children to identify them.
After reading, have the students match the rhyming word cards to the words in the book. We like to use these rhyming cards in a pocket card to match them up and then we use the matching printable for independent work.
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Stick Man$3.00
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The Gruffalo$4.00
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The Gruffalo’s Child$4.00
Activity 3: CVC Word Building
Let’s take the Gruffalo on a literacy adventure! This activity will have your students building words while they explore the world of the Gruffalo. The best part of this activity is the variety of uses for this activity. Let me show you three ways.
One way to differentiate is with the vowel sound. You can get 5 options, one for each vowel sound. Students can all use the same mats or each student can have their own mat. I highly encourage each student to have the same mat for the first time you expose them to this type of learning activity. For example, each student can be working on sounding out short a words.
Another way to differentiate this activity is by allowing students to do each word on their own short vowel CVC mat, meaning one student can be working on short a while another student can work on short u. Each short vowel mat is color-coded, so this assists with managing pieces with ease.
A final way to differentiate The Gruffalow activity and printable is by allowing students can read the CVC word and match it the the correct picture, OR students can build the CVC by presenting the words cut apart instead of together. You can see the two options in the image above.
A bonus way is to laminate the mat and have students write in the CVC word and not use the extra word pieces at all.
Activity 4: Reading Comprehension Game
Finally, let’s put those comprehension skills to the test with an engaging game. This one is a class favorite and a great way to truly learn who is comprehending what we are reading. After reading the book, break students into groups and try to play The Gruffalo reading comprehension game in small groups.
Begin by using the game board and assigning each student a colored token to move around the board. This can be a small block, eraser, or something you have on hand. Next, mix up the comprehension question cards. In a circle, have the students take turns drawing a card and answering the question. (I read the questions to them.) If they answer correctly, they can roll a die and move their token that many spaces on a Gruffalo-themed game board The first student to reach the end of the game board wins!
Activity 5: The Gruffalo Art Project
Check out this simple and fun The Gruffalo Art Project. Begin by prepping a big circle and ears on brown paper. Students can cut this out on their own and attach the ears to the back of the big circle. Next, the teacher preps some details ahead of time and places them on a sorting tray. Now, the students can add the orange eyes, black pupils, eyebrows, horns, and poisonous wart to The Gruffalo. One detail I love about this art project is how you can change the expression on his face with ease.
Activity 5: The Gruffalo Snack
We created this simple snack to make The Gruffalo. Start with an oatmeal creme pie for the face and a few chocolate candies for the eyes and wart. Bugle chips for the horns are a great addition. Students can simply create their Gruffalo snack and enjoy it. It is almost as good as Gruffalo Crumble.
The Gruffalo Activities and Printables
With “The Gruffalo” as your trusty companion, teaching kindergarten has never been so enchanting! The Gruffalo Activities and Printables bring the story to life in your classroom while promoting essential skills like sequencing, rhyming, word building, and comprehension. So, don’t be afraid of the Gruffalo – embrace it and watch your young learners embark on a roaring journey of knowledge and fun!
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Stick Man$3.00
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The Gruffalo$4.00
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The Gruffalo’s Child$4.00
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