Sanity Savers: Bear Snores On – Read-a-loud & Art Activity

By: Amelia Schrader
Senior Manager of Learning and Education

Materials:

Bear Snores On Book (or read-a-loud )
Blue Construction
Paper
Glue
Markers
Cotton Balls (approx. 3) pulled apart

Sanity Savers: Bear Snores On - Read-a-loud & Art Activity

Length:

Story Reading: 3 – 10 minutes
Activity: 15 minutes
Academic Subject: English Language Arts (ELA)Arts Science
Development Subject Areas: Cognition – Knowledge of the World Fine Motor Development

 Spring has finally arrived and with that animals will begin to come out of hibernation! Hibernation is when an animal sleeps during the cold months when access to food and water sources are limited. Animals like bears, bats, skunks and groundhogs store up on food in the fall and sleep for several weeks or even months until warmer temperatures arrive!

Directions:

Step 1: Read the story, Bear Snores On  by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman. If you do not have this story you can watch a read-a-loud video here.

Step 2: Discuss some of the images in the story. You can use some of the following questions to prompt discussion:
·Have you ever seen any of the animals in the story in person? If so where?
·What other animals have you seen outside?
·What activities do you do differently in winter vs. spring? Are you outside as often in the winter? Do you eat any different foods in winter?
·Have you ever felt left out of a fun activity? What did you do to feel better?
·Have you ever included someone who was left out? How do you think including that person made them feel?
Step 3: Now it is time to make a simple art project related to this story. Start by drawing a bear near the bottom of your piece of blue construction paper. I made a brown bear like the story but you can choose a different color if you want.

Step 4: Add a cave around your bear then add in additional woodland scenery. For my picture I included some trees without leaves and snowflakes.
Step 5: Glue the pulled apart cotton balls around your scene creating a wintery woodland for your hibernating bear!

Vocabulary Words

·Include/Inclusion: To make someone part of a group, place or activity
·Exclude/Exclusion: To deny someone access to or from a group, place or activity.
·Hibernation:  when an animal sleeps during the cold months when access to food and water sources are limited

Want another story? Check out our Storytime page for more stories!

For more Sanity Savers projects click here!

Field trips are back! Please be aware that it will be busier than usual.