Author Overview: Stan & Jan Berenstain Duration: 6-8 lessons Grade: K

CORE COMPETENCIES

LANGUAGE ARTS BIG IDEAS

1: Language and stories can be a source of creativity and joy.

2: God’s Word helps us learn about ourselves and our

families.

3: Stories can be told through pictures and words.

4: Everyone can be a reader and can create stories.

5: God’s Word is the Ultimate Love Story.

Everyone has a unique story.

6: Playing with language helps us discover how language

works.

7: Listening and speaking builds our understanding and helps us

learn.

Language Arts Curricular CompetenciesComprehend and Connect (reading, listening, viewing):● Engage actively as listeners, viewers and readers, as appropriate, to develop understanding of self, identity and community.● Exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding. What is God’s perspective?● Use play and other creative means to discover foundational concepts of print, oral, and visual texts.● Begin to use language to identify, create, and express ideas, feelings, opinions, and preferences.● Use age-appropriate reading, listening, and viewing behaviors and strategies to make meaning from texts● Begin to use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning.● Recognize the importance of story in personal, family, and community identity.● Create stories and other age-appropriate texts to deepen awareness of self, family, and community, eternal family● Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to text and make meaning.

Create and Communicate (writing, speaking):● Plan and create a variety of communication forms for different purposes and audiences.

Cross-Curricular (BC) Competencies Links:

Science:● Demonstrate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world● Observe objects and events in familiar contexts● Ask simple questions about familiar objects and events● Make exploratory observations using their senses● Make simple measurements using non-standard units● Discuss observations● Represent observations and ideas by drawing charts and simple pictographs● Take part in caring for self, family, classroom and school through personal approaches● Transfer and apply learning to new situations● Generate and introduce new or refined ideas when problem solving● Share observations and ideas orally● Express and reflect on personal experiences of place

Arts Education:● Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual, using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play● Explore artistic expressions of themselves and community through creative processes● Observe and share how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, and

techniques● Develop processes and technical skills in a variety of art forms to nurture motivation, development, and imagination● Reflect on creative processes and make connections to other experiences● Experience, document and share creative works in a variety of ways

Math:● Use reasoning to explore and make connections● Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving● Visualize to explore mathematical concepts● Develop and use multiple strategies to engage in problem solving● Engage in problem-solving experiences that are connected to place, story, cultural practices, and perspectives relevant to local First Peoples

communities, the local community, and other cultures● Communicate mathematical thinking in many ways● Use mathematical vocabulary and language to contribute to mathematical discussions● Explain and justify mathematical ideas and decisions● Represent mathematical ideas in concrete, pictorial, and symbolic forms

Health:● Identify opportunities to be physically active at school, at home, and in the community

● Identify and explore a variety of foods and describe how they contribute to health● Identify opportunities to make choices that contribute to health and well-being● Identify and describe a variety of unsafe and/or uncomfortable situations● Develop and demonstrate respectful behaviour when participating in activities with others● Identify caring behaviours among classmates and within families● Identify and describe practices that promote mental well-being● Identify and describe feelings and worries● Identify personal skills, interests, and preferences

Socials:● Use Social Studies inquiry processes and skills to ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and

decisions● Explain the significance of personal or local events, objects, people, or places.● Ask questions, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the content and features of different types of sources.● Sequence objects, images, or events, and distinguish between what has changed and what has stayed the same.● Recognize causes and consequences of events, decisions, or developments in their lives.● Acknowledge different perspectives on people, places, issues, or events in their lives.● Identify fair and unfair aspects of events, decisions, or actions in their lives and consider appropriate courses of action.

Career:● Identify and appreciate their personal attributes, skills, interests, and accomplishment● Recognize the importance of positive relationships in their lives● Share ideas, information, personal feelings, and knowledge with others● Work respectfully and constructively with others to achieve common goals

Title/Topic Content/Strategies/Methods Assessment Strategies/Methods

Bears on Wheels ● Fun counting, adding and subtracting book.

● Can use manipulatives to tell the story.● Can be used for a class book or journal page.

● Can do simple addition or subtraction

Characters in the booksCheck out the Berenstain Bears Home Page with videos and activities and meet the author.

● Introduce the main characters. Can compare and

contrast

● Good way to talk about the basics of a story. ● Drawing: step-by-step drawing of characters. Do this 3

times so students see that their drawing gets better as they do it more than once. No artist “gets it right” the first time. All the attempts are put on display with the

best one highlighted.

Family and Community Stories:Go to the DoctorGo to the DentistTrouble with MoneyBad HabitToo much TVMessy RoomGet a PetLearn About StrangersForget Their MannersToo Much Junk Food. . . and many more! For any topic or issue there is probably a book.Religious:Say Their PrayersAnd the Golden RuleAre ThankfulSchooltime Blessings. . . and many more too.

● Lots of cute animated stories about Berenstain Bears on “You Tube”.

● Journal about any of the situations the characters find

themselves in. ● There are titles that can easily be connected to family,

health or safety themes.● Lots of mazes and activities on the internet to use.● Puppets or masks of the characters are fun and can be

used to act out situations and solve problems.

● There are a number of books that can be tied into special holidays like Thanksgiving and also be used to talk about

prayer, kindness and obedience.

Spooky Old Tree● Talk about fears

● Make inferences/predictions

Mystery Books:The Bear DetectivesThe Bear ScoutsMissing HoneyTic Tac Toe MysteryMansion MysteryMissing Dinosaur Bones

● Introduction to mystery stories - what is the problem?

How do they solve it? ● Predicting what will happen as the story progresses.● Hide items around the room (Like paper honey pots or

dinosaur bones) and then go on a hunt with flashlights to find them)

Author Biography: List of Books:

Stan and Jan Berenstain were American writers and illustrators best known for creating the children's book series The Berenstain Bears.

Stanley Melvin Berenstain (September 29, 1923 – November 26, 2005) was born and raised in a neighborhood of west Philadelphia. Janice Marian Berenstain (née Grant; July 26, 1923 – February 24, 2012) was born in Philadelphia and was raised in west Philadelphia and attended Radnor High School. They met on their first day of class at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art in 1941. During WWII, Stan served as a military medical illustrator while Jan was a draft artist for the Army Corps of Engineers in addition to working in an aircraft factory. She fashioned a pair of wedding rings from spare aluminum collected at the latter job, and the two married on April 17, 1946. Stan died of cancer at age 82 on November 26, 2005 after the couple were married for 59 years. Jan died on February 24, 2012, after suffering a massive stroke, at age 88. They are survived by their two sons, Mike and Leo Berenstain.

There really is more than can be listed! There are a number of series: “First Time Books”, chapter books, beginning readers and faith books. For a complete list visit:https://berenstainbearscollectors.com/