Are the mighty jaguars on your list of lesson plan topics this year? Do you already have a handful of stories about the gorgeous creature in your Pre-K classroom’s library? If not, I happen to know of a few books that you may want to consider reading. Here they are:
“Jaguars”
If you ask me, reading Anne Welsbacher’s book “Jaguars” is a good way to start off a lesson plan. The book contains attractive, full-color photos and basic information about jaguars. Personally, I like how Welsbacher initially compares the jaguar to a domestic cat. In my opinion, it helps to give the kids a reference point. You may want to consider pairing it with Jason Cooper’s book “Eye to Eye with Big Cats: Jaguars.” Like Welsbacher’s book, it contains awesome photos and just the right amount of information for Pre-K students.
“A Jaguar Grows Up”
Amanda Doering Tourville’s book “A Jaguar Grows Up” is another one to consider reading. As the book’s title suggests, its storyline focuses on the life cycle of a jaguar. I would suggest pairing it with Rachel Lynette’s book “Jaguars: Jungle Babies of the Amazon Rain Forest.” Tourville’s book contains lovely illustrations and Lynette’s book features color photographs. When read in conjunction with one another, they should provide the kids with a better understanding of juvenile jaguars.
“The Umbrella”
If you want a story that is apt to make the kids smile, I’d suggest picking up a copy of Jan Brett’s book “The Umbrella.” It’s an entertaining story with aesthetically pleasing illustrations and bilingual touches. I should also mention that the jaguar isn’t the only creature to appear in the book. There are several others, including a toucan and a frog. Another great thing about the story is that supplementary materials are available on the author’s website. One of them is a wonderful jaguar mask that the kids could wear during dramatic play sessions.
“Rosa Raposa”
Do you want to teach the children about the jaguar’s place in folklore? If so, there are a few books that I would recommend checking out. The first is F. Isabel Campoy’s “Rosa Raposa.” The others are Dr. Mike Lockett’s “The Magic Eyes of Little Crab” and Leonard Bernard’s book “Itza: The Boy Who Rode a Jaguar.” All three books are based on Spanish folktales, feature jaguars and contain attractive illustrations.
“Looking for Jaguar: And Other Rainforest Poems”
Lastly, Susan Katz’s book “Looking for Jaguar: And Other Rainforest Poems” would make a great introduction to a language arts activity. The book is actually a compilation of poems, only one of which focuses on the jaguar. You could feasibly read it to the kids and then help them write an acrostic or ciniquin poem as a group. I’d also suggest pairing it with Burton Albert’s story “Journey of the Nightly Jaguar.” Hearing the story may just help the children come up with ideas for their own jaguar poem.
Source: Personal Experience
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