Recreating the Setting

We've been enjoying Dr. Seuss all week!  We've had lots of great discussions on his use of nonsense words and rhyme.  I've read several of his books this week, and the kids are starting to realize that even though most of his stories are made of silly words, silly characters and silly situations, he has some real things to say in his stories.

Today we read The Lorax.  It's one of my favorites, and it has something important to tell us.

As I read, the children were very enthusiastic, and I had lots of great comments throughout the book.  They realized real fast there were similarities between this book and the book I read last week for the Booking Across America project, A River Ran Wild.  (Also dealt with damage to the environment.)

After a great discussion on Dr. Seuss and his lessons, the children paired up and made some great structures based on The Lorax.  Some were designed to look like the factory of the Once-lers, others made Truffula Trees, and others made the creatures so beautifully created by Dr. Seuss.

Check out their structures!  Don't you just love kids creating with blocks?

Here's a Truffula Tree

Here's the factory of the Once-lers.

Here's a machine of the Once-lers.

Here's what the land looked like before the Once-lers destroyed it.

Here are some Truffula Trees.

Here are some of the Once-ler factory workers.

I hope you've been enjoying Read Across America week as much as I've been!