Lesson Plan: Cranky Bear Story

Objective: To enhance listening and comprehension skills, develop vocabulary, and promote critical thinking through the story “Cranky Bear.”

Age Group: Kindergarten/Preschool (4-5 years old)

Materials Needed: - The book “Cranky Bear” by Nick Bland - Whiteboard or chart paper - Markers - Story-related props (optional)

Procedure:

1. Introduction (5 minutes):
   • Begin by asking the students if they have ever felt cranky or grumpy. Discuss what makes them feel that way.
   • Introduce the book “Cranky Bear” by showing the cover and asking the students what they think the story might be about.
   • Explain that you will be reading the story together and that they should listen carefully.
2. Pre-Reading Activity (5 minutes):
   • Show the students the first page of the book and read the title aloud.
   • Ask the students to predict what they think the story will be about based on the title and the picture.
   • Write their predictions on the whiteboard or chart paper.
3. During Reading (15-20 minutes):
   • Read the story aloud, pausing after each page to ask questions and engage the students in discussion.
   • Ask the following questions for each page:
     • Page 1: What do you think the bear is feeling? Why?
     • Page 2: Why do you think the moose, the zebra, and the lion are scared of the bear?
     • Page 3: What do you think the bear means when he says, “I’m not scared”?
     • Page 4: Why do you think the sheep is not scared of the bear?
     • Page 5: What do you think the bear means when he says, “I’m not scared of anything”?
     • Page 6: Why do you think the sheep is trying to help the bear?
     • Page 7: What do you think the bear means when he says, “I’m not scared of anything or anyone”?
     • Page 8: Why do you think the bear is finally happy?
     • Page 9: How do you think the bear feels now? Why?
     • Page 10: What do you think the bear means when he says, “I’m not scared of anything or anyone… except for bees”?
   • Encourage the students to support their answers with evidence from the story.
4. Post-Reading Activity (10 minutes):
   • Discuss the students’ predictions from the pre-reading activity. Were they correct? Why or why not?
   • Ask the students to share their favorite part of the story and explain why they liked it.
   • Have a class discussion about how the bear’s feelings changed throughout the story and what helped him feel better.
   • Ask the students to draw a picture of their favorite character from the story and write a sentence describing how they think that character feels.
5. Conclusion (5 minutes):
   • Recap the main events of the story and the emotions experienced by the bear and other characters.
   • Ask the students if they have ever felt cranky or grumpy like the bear. Discuss strategies for dealing with those feelings.
   • Thank the students for their participation and engagement in the lesson.

Note: Adapt the duration of each section based on the attention span and needs of your students.