Duck! Rabbit!



Last updated Friday, August 5, 2016

Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
Date of Publication: 2009
ISBN: 0811868656
Grade Level: 1st    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Aug. 2016

Synopsis: Is it a duck or a rabbit? Depends on how you look at it . With more than 100,000 copies sold, this classic picture book is now available in a sturdy board book that little ones will love holding in their own two hands. Smart, simple and funny, it offers a hilarious choice—and one readers of all ages will rejoice in making.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Do you ever look at clouds and talk about what you see?
•  What animals do you see when you go outside?
•  Which animal would you like for a pet? A rabbit or a duck?

Vocabulary

•  bill - a beak or beak-like part of an animal; a duck's mouth
•  distinctly - in a way that is very noticeable or apparent; decidedly
•  wading - to walk in water, when partially immersed: He wasn't swimming, he was wading
•  binoculars - an optical instrument with a lens for each eye, used for viewing distant objects
•  brachiosaurus - a huge herbivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic to mid Cretaceous periods, with forelegs much longer than the hind legs.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  What animals do you see in the clouds? (see 1st page)
•  Does the drawing in the book look more like a duck or a rabbit to you?
•  What kinds of sounds do ducks and rabbits make?

Craft ideas:
•  Make a paper plate rabbit/duck. Use 1 side for a rabbit and the other side for a duck. Add ears for the rabbit/beak for the duck. Can also make into a two-sided mask.
•  Make a drawing of Duck! Rabbit! and add the 2 points of view. On the left side of drawing write a list of things about ducks (has a bill, wades in water, etc.). On the right side write a list of things about rabbits (has long ears, hops and hides in grass, etc.). See examples on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/august-2016-art-entertainment/

Special activities:
•  Waddle and quack like a duck. Hop like a rabbit.
•  Take the kids out early and have them look up at the clouds. Look for animals or other objects in the clouds!

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!