Go Away Big Green Monster!

For my pull-out language lesson this week, we've been doing "Go Away, Big Green Monster!" by Ed Emberley.  I have the book and the kids love it, but this year I decided to use the app version.  Initially, I was somewhat skeptical about purchasing the app.  Based only on the screenshots in the App store, I assumed it to be essentially the book (without any frills), just presented on the iPad.  It does tell the same story as the book, but there are a few options - you can read it yourself, have it read to you by Ed Emberley himself, have it read to you by a child narrator, or listen to a song version.  Also, at the end, instead of a blank black page with just words, there's a moving light (as if from a flashlight) that highlights the monster and his little monster cat.  The kids LOVED this part!

Here's what we did...First I selected the "Read to Me" option and I read the story to the students just as I would read the book.  With the app version, however, you can touch the parts of the monster and they move with a corresponding silly noise (the favorite so far has been the "sharp white teeth").  Once the monster was completed, I asked students to touch specified parts of the monster (receptive identification).  They were then asked to tell the parts to "Go away!"  Some of my students are at such a level that imitating the "Go away!" alone was sufficient speech practice.  With other students I added the body part (e.g., "Go away eyes!").  The more advanced students were required to use the full descriptor (e.g., "Go away big red mouth!").

After going through the story once with me reading, we listened to the story again.  I gave students the option of listening to the song or to the child narrator.  Most picked the song and, I have to say, it's quite catchy!  I wasn't certain how the kids would respond to a song they weren't familiar with.  However, I was surprised that almost all of them attempted to sing along!

After the second go-around, I gave the students a box of crayons and this monster face template - I traced the opening from the book:

download the face template here

I turned the app back to the "Read to Me" option.  This time around, we drew our own monsters in the sequence that is presented in the story.  Some of the kids impressed me with their ability to anticipate the next item to come!  I did use the app as a visual for them, but they were given complex directions (e.g., "Get your yellow crayon and draw two big eyes").  Some required extra support and/or break-down of directions.  When finished they had to tell me about their monsters (e.g., "My monster has purple hair").  I also required some of the kids to use past tense verb forms (e.g., "I made two yellow eyes" or "I drew a long blue nose").  The monsters came out amazingly well! (Keep in mind that these were 3-5 year olds).

Completed monster face from the app

The directions they were given:

• Get your yellow crayon and draw two big eyes.
• Get the blue crayon and draw a long nose
• Find the red crayon and draw a big mouth (I omitted the sharp white teeth since many of the kids couldn't figure out how to leave the teeth blank to keep them white....or they wanted white crayons, which, on red, produce pink teeth).
• Get your blue crayon and draw two squiggly ears.
• Find the purple crayon and give your monster some hair.
• Find the green crayon and make his face green

Here are some of their monsters:

Side Note:  At the start of the school year, I saw a cute little iPad stand at one of the chain pharmacies.   I picked it up and was about to buy it and then saw the price tag - $9.99!  I couldn't believe it!  I have a case with a built-in stand, but somehow my kids are always managing to knock it over.  The angle it provides is not always fantastic for the kids to see either.  I ended up getting this adjustable plate stand from Michael's (almost identical to the stand I saw in the pharmacy) for less than $2!  It's perfect for holding the iPad and story books as well.  Great for freeing up your hands when you have story props!

plate stand

holding up the iPad

Let me know:  what are your favorite ideas to use with this book?