The Missouri Building Block Award is presented annually to the author and illustrator of the picture book voted the best by preschool and kindergarten children. Over the next ten weeks we will be featuring ways to enjoy this year’s nominees.
Susan Shea’s debut book, “Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?” humorously introduces preschoolers to the differences between living and non-living things. A lift-the-flap element builds suspense, and the rhyming text screams for young and old to guess the end of each line. “If an owlet grows and becomes an owl, can a washcloth grow and become…a towel?”
After guessing which items in the book will grow, you can extend your child’s exploration of the differences between living and non-living items with these activities:
• Go on a walking field trip through your house or neighborhood. Take a paper bag for collecting interesting finds. At the end of the trip, sort these treasures by living and non-living.
• Share Amanda Ellis’ short and catchy song “Living and Nonliving Things” from her blog More With Music.
• Plant a variety of seeds and other small objects–marbles, Hot Wheels® vehicles,
Lego® bricks. Take care of the planted items for a week and observe any changes.