An Operation of Cooperation by James McDonald - Teaching Ideas

An Operation of Cooperation by James McDonald is a wonderful book about teamwork and cooperation. A brother and sister have a fort to play in but when Sami cannot get into it mom must step in to help the two figure out what to do.

Mom tells the two a story about a dream like place where islands float around in the sky with only one person living on each island. When two islands finally get close enough the kids that live all alone on their island want to get together to play and keep each other company. But unfortunately neither kid is willing to give up their one and only swing. When the islands start to float away they finally decide that together, with each of their swings they connect their islands. Working as a team they come together to become one.

This story that mom tells helps Sami and Thomas realize what they must do so that each of them can get into the fort. Together they come up with a plan that will help Sami get into the fort. After all, isn’t it more fun to have someone to play with than to just play by yourself?

This book is absolutely wonderful and is a great story demonstrating what cooperation and teamwork is all about. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend this book for your classroom library.

I was contacted by Rebecca at House of Lore Publishing and she has graciously offered two books for a give away. Following the review that I did you will find the Rafflecopter entry form and if you are the lucky winners you can use the following review to help you create a meaningful lesson using this book.

For more information on this book and other great books and poems visit the Rainy Day Poems website.

If you have this book, or are the lucky winner I have created a Problem/Solution Freebie to go with it. Whether you use my freebie or want to create your own using the below reading skills, strategies and ideas, I know you and your students will love this book!

Reading level: 2.4
Theme/subject: Cooperation
Genre: general fiction

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: amiss, fray, blue (feeling blue), bleak, bore, paced about, fling, bad snare, dread, drifting, entangle, passed like ships in the night, reeled, bread crumbs left on a trail, threw forth, gracefully, crafted a plan, engineer, combined, fared, mastermind, concede, cooperation


Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the book is going to be about. I wonder why there are islands floating in the air. I wonder what an operation of cooperation means. {possible questions during} I wonder why the kids are living on the island by themselves. I wonder if they will be able to connect their swings. I wonder what the kids will do now that they can be on each other’s island. {possible questions after} I wonder if the floating islands are real. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (they).
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} The author wrote the story in rhyme. There is no such thing as floating islands. The kids would never be allowed to be by themselves on floating islands in real life. All these things make the story very entertaining.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Thomas could climb into the clubhouse but Sami couldn’t. {most important event from middle} Mom told a story about two kids cooperating. {most important event from end} Sami and Thomas worked together to figure out a way for Sami to get into the clubhouse.
• Cause and effect – Why was Sami pouting? Because Thomas could get into the fort and she couldn’t. How come no one could play in the place that was far away? Because they all lived on islands alone. How come the kids didn’t want to throw their own swing? Because the swing was their only fun and they were afraid of losing it. How come the islands were drifting apart? Because neither of the kids would throw their own swing. How come Sami could not use the rope? Because she was just too short.
• Character analysis - describe Thomas. Describe Sami. Describe mom. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Character changes – In the beginning Thomas didn’t care that Sami couldn’t get up into the fort but by the end he understood and helped Sami be able to get into the fort. The kids in the story started by not wanting to give up their own swing but soon changed their thinking. They realized that once they drifted away they may not see each other again so they both decided to use their swing so they could connect.
• Classify & categorize – Classify activities: things to do alone and things to do with help or a partner.
• Compare & contrast – Compare and contrast Sami and Thomas. Compare and contrast the Sami and Thomas to the kids on the floating islands. Compare and contrast something you and your brother or sister did together to Sami and Thomas’s fort “project”.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Having a fort. Not being able to do something that your brother or sister could do. Being alone and not having anyone to play with (the kids on the islands). Not wanting to give something up for fear of not having it anymore (the swing). Working together to get something done. Coming up with a great idea that will benefit everyone (the idea for the stairs). {possible text-to-text connections} any book that deals with teamwork and or brothers and sisters working together.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} The main idea of the story is that working together as a team makes things better. {details} When the kids on the islands worked together and used each of their swings they were able to connect their islands. Thomas and Sami came up with a plan to help Sami get into the fort. Together Sami, Thomas and their dad build a staircase.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when mom was finished telling her story about the kids on the island working together to connect their islands.
• Predict – What do you thing the story is going to be about. What do you thing an operation of cooperation mean? What do you think Sami and Thomas will do to help get Sami into the fort? What are the kids on the island going to do to so they can play together?
• Problem & solution - {problem} The problem is that Sami cannot get into the fort. {solution} They worked together and decided to make stairs so that it would be easier for Sami to get into the fort.
• Sequencing – Thomas and Sami’s fort was finished. Thomas could use the rope to get into the fort. Sami was sad because she couldn’t get into the fort. Mom told the kids a story about kids on islands that sail. The kids on the island were alone. They bumped into each other. They wanted to play with each other but neither wanted to use their own swing to connect them. The islands started drifting apart. They agreed that they must both use their swing. They tossed their swings and they tangled together. They slowly pulled the islands together and planned all the fun they would have. After hearing the story Sami and Thomas worked together to figure out how to get Sami in the fort. They ran to their dad and told him the plan. Together the three of them build stairs. Thomas and Sami were happy having worked together so they could play together.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – What could Thomas have done or said instead of telling his mom that it wasn’t his fault that his sister Sami couldn’t climb the rope.
• Summarize - {someone} Sami {wanted} wanted to go into the fort {but} but she couldn’t use the rope {so} so she was sad. {then} Then mom told Sami and Thomas to story about two kids working together to they could get together and play. Thomas and Sami {finally} finally understood what they needed to do so that Sami could get into the fort as well.
• Theme – Two heads are better than one.
• Visualize – Sami and Thomas had a brand new fort to play in. Visualize what your fort would look like.

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Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann - Teaching Ideas

All Officer Buckle wants to do is keep everyone safe, but nobody ever listens to him, that is, until Gloria joins the police department. With Gloria in tow, the students around the city are sitting up and paying attention to Officer Buckley and his safety tips, or are they? Unbeknownst to Officer Buckle, Gloria is entertaining the kids behind his back! He copies Officer Buckle and acts out some of the safety tips. Officer Buckle finally sees what Gloria is doing and gets upset. He is so upset that he stops giving his safety speeches. Will Officer Buckle ever give another safety speech? Will Officer Buckle ever forgive Gloria? Your students will love discovering the answers to these questions!

This book not only has a ton of teaching opportunities with regard to skills and strategies but it is a great jumping off point for talking about rules and how rules can keep you safe.

Listed below are some ideas, skill, and strategies that you can use to create or add to existing lessons.

Because this is such a great teaching book I created a packet full of skills, strategies and writing activities to use when teaching with this book.

Reading level: 2.5

Theme/subject: school, teamwork, friendship, safety

Genre: humorous

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: thumbtacked, swivel chair, business as usual, sitting at attention, plenty of expression, applauded, shocked,

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is going to be about. I wonder what kind of show they are doing. {possible questions during} I wonder why the kids’ teachers didn’t make them listen to Officer Buckle when he came for the safety assembly. I wonder what Officer Buckle saw when he watched the evening news.   {possible questions after} I wonder what other safety tips Officer Buckle will come up with.  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (she, he, Officer Buckle, Gloria).
• Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} Gloria did amazing tricks for a dog. Gloria was signing autographs and dogs can’t do that. The illustrations were very silly. All these things make a very entertaining story.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} All the kids slept while Officer Buckle gave his safety assembly. {most important event from middle} Officer Buckle started taking Gloria to his safety assemblies. {most important event from end} Officer Buckle got a letter from Claire telling him that they missed him at the safety assembly.
• Cause and effect – Why did the kids start listening to Officer Buckle during the safety assembly? Because they were watching Gloria copy Officer Buckle. Why did Officer Buckle think that his safety tips were so funny? Because the kids clapped and cheered and laughed. Why did Officer Buckle think the kids’ drawings showed a lot of imagination? Because there were pictures of Gloria doing tricks. Why did Officer Buckle not want to do his safety speech for Napville School? Because he saw the news with Gloria doing tricks while he gave his speech. Why did Claire’s note make Officer Buckle smile? Because it said that he was missed.  
• Character analysis - describe Officer Buckle. Describe Gloria {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Character changes – In the beginning Officer Buckle seemed a bit sad because no one listened to his safety tips. At the end Officer Buckle was happy because he had Gloria and everyone listened to his safety tips.
• Classify & categorize – Things that are safe and unsafe.
• Compare & contrast – compare and contrast Officer Buckle and Gloria.
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Having a school safety assembly. Seeing a police dog. Having a police officer come to school for an assembly.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – 1. Why do you think Claire’s letter was Officer Buckle’s favorite? {text clues}The letter was written on a star shaped paper. The letter showed Officer and Buckle together and said that they make a good team. The letter also showed that Claire practiced one of the safety tips – wearing a crash helmet. {what I know} The letter from Claire looks like she was listening and paying attention to what Officer Buckle said. {my conclusion} I think Claire’s letter was Officer Buckle’s favorite because it seemed like she paid attention and learned something from his safety speech. 2. How come Gloria does not do tricks at her safety speech? {text clues} Officer Buckle was mad or sad or upset because of what he saw on the news. Gloria only ever copied what Officer Buckle did or acted out the safety tip. {what I know} Dogs don’t talk so Gloria cannot give a safety speech. When someone is mad/sad/upset because of something you did it is hard to be happy and act like yourself. {my conclusion} I don’t think Gloria did tricks because she was upset and Officer Buckle wasn’t there for Gloria to copy.
• Fact & opinion – {fact} some kids slept while Officer Buckle gave his safety speech. Mrs. Toppel was standing on a swivel chair. The Napville police department bought a police dog named Gloria. Officer Buckle and Gloria were videotaped. Officer Buckle and Gloria were buddies. {opinion} Gloria was a silly dog. Officer Buckle’s safety speeches were boring. All the kids loved Officer Buckle. Gloria was the best dog. Officer Buckle and Gloria is the best book ever.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} The story is mainly about Gloria entertaining the kids while Officer Buckle gives his safety speech. {details} Gloria would do flips in the air. Gloria would copy what Officer Buckle was doing. Gloria made the kids laugh and cheer.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Officer Buckle saw the news and saw what Gloria was doing behind his back while he gave his safety speech.
• Predict – What do you think the story is about? Do you think Mrs. Toppel will fall off the swivel chair? Do you think Gloria will make a good partner? Do you think Officer Buckle will ever see what Gloria is doing behind his back? How do you think Officer Buckle will react to seeing what Gloria does behind his back? How do you think Gloria will be at a safety speech without Officer Buckle?  What do you think will happen after Gloria’s safety speech? Do you think Officer Buckle will keep doing his safety speeches? Will he do them with Gloria?
• Problem & solution - {problem} No one listened to Officer Buckle and all his safety tips. {solution} Gloria helped the kids pay attention to the safety tips.
• Sequencing – Officer Buckle gave a safety speech and everyone slept. The police department bought a dog. Gloria started to copy Officer Buckle and the kids started to pay attention. The students clapped and cheered for the safety speech. Officer Buckle got lots of letters with pictures of Gloria. Officer Buckle got lots of calls from schools to come do his safety speech. Gloria and Officer Buckle were videotaped for the news. Officer Buckle watched the news. Officer Buckle wouldn’t give his safety speech anymore. Gloria tried to do the safety speech but she fell asleep and so did the audience. Napville School had a terrible accident. Officer Buckle got a letter from Claire about being missed. Officer Buckle and Gloria are buddies that stick together.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Officer Buckle looks really mad when he was on the phone with the principal from Napville School. What can you say to him to convince him that Gloria was really helping his speech, not making fun of it.
• Summarize - {someone} Officer Buckle {wanted} wanted everyone to be safe {but} nobody ever listened {so} so when Gloria joined him they started listening. {then} Then he saw the news and stopped doing his speech. {finally} Finally, Officer Buckle and Gloria became best buddies.
• Theme – Friends make everything better.
• Visualize – Gloria was acting out many of Officer Buckle’s safety tips. Pick a tip and visualize what Gloria would do to act it out. Draw a picture of what Gloria would do. 
• Writing ideas
  o   Pick a safety tip from the book and write about why it is important.
  o   Write your own safety lesson.
  o   Create a book of safety tips.
  o   Write a letter to Officer Buckle about a safety tip and why you think it is important.
    
  
 

 Happy Planning!

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