READING GUIDE 2016 • FOX AND SQUIRREL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER • RUTH OHI

FOX AND SQUIRREL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVERRuth Ohi

K-GRADE 2 / ENGLISH

THEMES Friendship • Conflict Resolution • Loyalty • Emotions Holidays • Celebration

THE STORYFox and Squirrel are getting ready for the festive season, but they can’t seem to agree on how to celebrate.

BOOK SUMMARYFox and Squirrel both want this Christmas to be the best one ever. But they don’t always agree on the right way to get there. It’s only when everything seems to fall apart that they see that all they really needed was to celebrate this special time together!

WEB RESOURCES

• Author Website: http://www.ruthohi.com/

• Publisher Website - Book: http://www.scholastic.ca/rights/titles/special/fox-and-squirrel-the-best-christmas-ever/

• Publisher Website - author: http://www.scholastic.ca/rights/authorsandillustrators/ruth-ohi/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Scholastic’s Lesson Plan on Multicultural Festivals called “Time to Celebrate!”: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/time-celebrate

• Scholastic’s Collection of “December Crafts”: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/december-crafts

• Fox and Squirrel Activities from Ruth Ohi: http://www.ruthohi.com/fox-and- squirrel-activities/

• The Artful Parent’s “Watercolor Techniques: 60+ Watercolor Projects Kids Love”: http://artfulparent.com/watercolor-techniques-ideas-kids

AUTHOR PROFILE

RUTH OHI is one of the most popular, prolific, and accessible children’s picture book authors/illustrators in Canada today. She has illustrated over 50 books and has also been the author of 18 of these, including the Chicken, Pig, Cow series, Fox and Squirrel and Shh! My Brother’s Napping. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design, Ruth uses mainly watercolours and inks, and is beginning to incorporate digital elements into her artwork. Ruth is passionate about working with young people through art, creativity and books.

READING GUIDE 2016 • FOX AND SQUIRREL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER • RUTH OHI

READING COMPREHENSION

• How do Fox and Squirrel differ in their reactions when the snow begins falling? Do they have different visions of how to celebrate Christmas?

• What was the problem in the story?

• How do the two characters resolve their conflict?

• Is there a lesson to learn in this story? What is it?

DISCUSS

• How do you think Fox felt when Squirrel would not let him help plan for the Christmas celebration?

• How could Fox and Squirrel have avoided their dispute?

• What, in the end, made Fox and Squirrel’s Christmas a merry one?

• What was your favorite part of the story? Why?

SUGGESTED READINGS

FROM THE SAME AUTHOR

• (For K to Gr. 2) Scribble (2016) http://www.scholastic.ca/books/view/scribble

• (For K to Gr. 2) Fox and Squirrel (2014) http://www.scholastic.ca/books/ view/fox-and-squirrel

• (For K to Gr. 2) Shh! My Brother’s Napping (2014) http://www.scholastic.ca/books/view/shh-my-brothers-napping

• (For K to Gr. 2) Kenta and The Big Wave (2013) http://www.annickpress.com/ Kenta-and-the-Big-Wave

BY OTHER ARTISTS FROM WORDFEST 2016

• (For Pre-K to Gr. 2) If I Had a Gryphon (2016) by Vikki Vansickle http://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/246122/if-i-had-gryphon#9781770498099

• (For Gr. 1 & up) Je suis heureux (2016) by Philippe Béha http://www.editionsdelisatis.com/je-suis-heureux/

• (For Gr. 2 & up) L’ile aux fleurs (2010) by Laurent Tardy http://www.editions-bilboquet.com/l-ile-aux-fleurs.php

• (For Gr. 2 to 5) Fluffy Strikes Back (2016) by Ashley Spires http://www.kidscanpress.com/products/fluffy-strikes-back

OTHER BOOKS ON RELATED SUBJECT

• (For Pre-K to Gr. 2) Snow (1962) by P.D. Eastman http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/44586/snow-by-roy-mckie-and-p-d-eastman/9780394800271/

• (For Gr. 2 to 6) Kids Around the World Celebrate!: The Best Feasts and Festivals from Many Lands (1999) by Lynda Jones http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-047134527X.html

• (For K to Gr. 2) How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957) by Dr. Seuss http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/43047/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas-by-dr-seuss/9780394800790/

• (For Pre-K to Gr. 2) The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving (2010) by Jan Berenstain http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/berenstain-bears-and-joy-giving#cart/cleanup

There are no surprises or sly twists in this lovely, gentle story of an unlikely friendship, and that’s okay. Sometimes the simplest stories are also the sweetest."

—Quill and Quire

READING GUIDE 2016 • FOX AND SQUIRREL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER • RUTH OHI

CURRICULUM CONNECTION

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

KINDERGARTEN:

• Expect print and pictures to have meaning and to be related to each other in print and other media texts (2.1)

• Develop a sense of story through reading, listening and viewing experiences (2.3)

GRADE 1:

• Experiment with different ways of exploring and developing stories, ideas and experiences (1.1)

• Relate aspects of stories and characters to personal feelings and experiences (2.2)

• Tell what characters do or what happens to them in a variety of oral, print and other media texts (2.3)

GRADE 2:

• Connect personal experiences and knowledge of words, sentences and story patterns from previous reading experiences to construct and confirm meaning (2.1)

• Identify how pictures, illustrations and special fonts relate to and enhance print and other media texts (2.3)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

• R–K.6 demonstrate a positive, caring attitude toward others; e.g., express and accept encouragement, demonstrate fair play.

• R–2.6 develop strategies to show respect for others; e.g., show interest when others express feelings, offer support.

ACTIVITIES

A CLASSROOM ACTIVITY – A RED AND GREEN SCAVENGER HUNT!

Take students on a Christmas adventure, like Fox and Squirrel did in the book. Depending on the weather, this activity can take place inside the classroom out outdoors. Collect an appropriate amount of red and green objects for the size of your class. It may be a good idea to take pictures of the objects beforehand to ensure students know what they are looking for. Then hide the objects around the classroom or outdoor area and have students explore to try to find the red and green objects.

In order to encourage teamwork, have all students place the objects into a collective pile rather than individually collecting the objects.

AN ART ACTIVITY – WONDERFUL WATERCOLOURS

Ruth Ohi uses watercolour paint to illustrate Fox and Squirrel: The Best Christmas Ever. This medium evokes the whimsical nature of the book and brings the story to life. Have students experiment with watercolour to see how they can blend together colours to create a unique image.

A DRAWING ACTIVITY – YOUR BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!

Throughout the book, Fox and Squirrel discover together what their “Best Christmas Ever” looks like. Have students draw out what they would envision their “Best Christmas Ever” would look like and explain why.

Please be mindful, however, that some students may not celebrate Christmas. This activity can be adapted to encompass the beliefs and traditions of all students by using Wordfest’s “Best __________ Ever” Activity Sheet and have students draw out what their favorite holiday or celebration is.

 

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY – A Red and Green Scavenger Hunt!

Take  students  on  a  Christmas  adventure,  like  Fox  and  Squirrel  did  in  the  book.  Depending  on  the  weather,  this  activity  can  take  place  inside  the  classroom  out  outdoors.  Collect  an  appropriate  amount  of  red  and  green  objects  for  the  size  of  your  class.  It  may  be  a  good  idea  to  take  pictures  of  the  objects  beforehand  to  ensure  students  know  what  they  are  looking  for.  Then  hide  the  objects  around  the  classroom  or  outdoor  area  and  have  students  explore  to  try  to  find  the  red  and  green  objects.      

In  order  to  encourage  teamwork,  have  all  students  place  the  objects  into  a  collective  pile  rather  than  individually  collecting  the  objects.    

Supply list: For  this  activity  you  will  need  a  wide  assortment  of  red  and  green  objects  (the  exact  number  will  depend  on  class  size  and  time  for  activity)  and  a  classroom  or  outdoor  area  to  conduct  the  scavenger  hunt.  Ensure  you  keep  record  in  some  way  of  what  objects  are  hidden  and  where  they  are  located.    

 

 

 Photo  credits  (from  left  to  right):  Celeste  Cota  Photography.  (2012).  Christmas  Stalking:  Seasonal  Images  in  Marketing.  [Photography].  http://celestecotaphotography.com/2012/11/christmas-­‐stalking-­‐seasonal-­‐images-­‐in-­‐marketing/.  ;  McNally  Robinson  Booksellers  (2016).  Fox  and  Squirrel:  The  Best  Christmas  Ever.  [Photography].  http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/9781443157032/ruth-­‐ohi/fox-­‐and-­‐squirrel#.V3rQivkrLcs.  ;  Woodlands  Junior  School.  (2010).  Fun  in  the  snow  at  Woodlands.  [Photography].  http://resources.woodlands-­‐junior.kent.sch.uk/2010/01/fun-­‐in-­‐snow-­‐at-­‐woodlands.html.    

 

WONDERFUL WATERCOLOURS · FOX AND SQUIRREL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER · RUTH OHI

STUDENT NAME ________________________

CRAFT – Wonderful Watercolours! ACTIVITY SHEET

Ruth Ohi uses watercolour paint to illustrate Fox and Squirrel: The Best Christmas Ever. This medium evokes the whimsical nature of the book and brings the story to life. Have students experiment with watercolour to see how they can blend together colours to create a unique image.

Materials

• Watercolour paints (number of palettes needed will depend on class size)

• Paints brushes (at least one per student)

• 1 Sheet of paper per student. For best results, use watercolour paper.

Directions

1. Provide students with the required materials and let their creative imaginations guide them.

2. Advise students that they should thoroughly wash the colour out of their brushes before switching colours, in order to keep the watercolour paints the same colour.

Asia Citro. (2014) Winter Watercolour Resist Art with Free Printable Snowflake Template. [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/11/winter-watercolor-resist-art-with-free.html.

YOUR BEST ________ EVER • FOX AND SQUIRREL: THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER • RUTH OHI

STUDENT NAME ________________________

DRAWING – Your Best ___________ Ever! ACTIVITY SHEET Think about what your favorite holiday is. Once you have selected your favorite, imagine what your “Best ___________ Ever” would look like. Draw a scene from your “Best __________ Ever” in the space below.