Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (based on book by Doreen Cronin) by Melissa Longhurst & Katelyn Tullis

Lesson: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type

 

Authors: Melissa Longhurst & Katelyn Tullis

 

  1. Theatre Standards
    1. TH: Cr2-2b. Contribute ideas and make decisions as a group to advance a story in a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama).
    2. TH:Re9.1.2c. Describe how characters respond to challenges in a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama).
    3. TH:Cn10.1.2a. Relate character experiences to personal experiences in a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama).
  2. Materials
    1. The Book Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
    2. Pencils and paper, if time
  3. Objective
    1. Students will demonstrate an ability to think critically about challenges they or characters might face through a creative drama experience based on the book  Click, Clack, Moo.

 

HOOK (3-5 minutes)

  1. Children stand up in a circle with you.
  2. What’s a time when you asked your parents for something?  Did they say yes or no?
    1. Go through each of the children and ask them to tell their story.  How did that make you feel?Have all the children show us that emotion. For example, if their mom told them no and it made them feel sad, have all the children show us their sad faces.

 

READ THE BOOK (7 minutes)

  1. Have the children sit down in a circle  so that all can see the pictures as you read the book aloud. Read through the book with the children, asking them to engage throughout the story.
    1. Page 1-2: Have children “Click-clack moo” with you.
    2. Page 3: Think back to the example that you shared about wanting something and asking your parents for it.  What did you do to to ask for it?
    3. Page 5: Have children “Click-clack moo” with you.
    4. Page 6: Was it something that you wanted or that you andothers wanted? Did you get your siblings or friends to join you?
    5. Page 7: Have children “Click-clack moo” with you.
    6. Page 9: How did the person you ask respond to you?
    7. Page 11: Pretend like you are all the cows and are having your emergency meeting.  How do cows communicate with each other?Moo about what you might do to get Farmer Brown to say yes to you! Did your mother tell you no? How did you respond? (Possibly have the students show you)
    8. Page 12: The cows had to give up the typewriter for the blankets. Did you have to work for what you want? Or give something up?

 

Creative Drama Experience (12 minutes)

INSTRUCTION / STOP THE STORY

  • Have the children be ducks and reenact the story themselves.
    • Woah, Woah, Woah before we finish the very end of the story, there’s another character in this story that we didn’t talk about, but he’s in a lot of the story! It’s the duck! He’s going to be important in a little bit, so let’s explore Duck!
  • Alright when I say go, everyone stand up and find your own place in the room. Remember we did this last time.
  1. You shouldn’t be able to touch anyone.
  2. Stand still when you’re there.
  3. Get there in 10 seconds.

Okay, Go (10…9….8…etc)

INDIVIDUALLY

  • Let’s imagine we are Ducks on the farm!
  • Now on your own, let’s become ducks!
    • As I ask you some questions, start to become a duck with your body.
    • Ask Questions: What does your duck look like? How tall is your duck? Long neck? Short neck small feet? Are you a colorful duck?
    • Who wants to share what they look like
    • Alright, now in your place, start to try and walk like a duck.
      • Show them the picture in the book

DUCK ENJOYS TO…

  • What does your duck like to do?
    • Imagine you’re on the farm with a pond in the middle of the room, then some cows over there (point to one side of the room)
    • Play in the puddles? Look for food? Ducks love water!
    • Sleeping and napping? Playing in mud? digging holes?

GROUP

  • Have you guys ever fed bread to ducks?
  • Alright let’s try it! Everyone come to the center of the room. You’re all on or right around the pond. I’ll be coming to visit the duck pond and feed you all bread.
    • Imagine I’m throwing bread into the pond. You are the ducks how do you eat this bread. Does your neighbor sometimes get there before you do?
    • Do you make sound? How are you waddling? Diving into water? etc

TRANSITION BACK TO THE STORY

  1. Remember that Duck was sent to bring the typewriter back to Farmer Brown? What if Duck ended up with the typewriter and never gave it to Farmer Brown?
    1. Do you think this is because he and the other Ducks wanted something from Farmer Brown? What might they have wanted?
      1. Think about when we were discovering what your ducks like to do. What might they want with the pond? Or to sleep better?
  2. Introduce Kate as Farmer Brown.

 

ASSESSMENT (6 minutes)

GO BACK TO THE BOOK

  1. Talk together (as ducks) to discuss what you will demand from Farmer Brown.  Encourage them to come up with one thing that they want.
    1. Melissa will be the “middle man” like Duck in the story.  Have the class choose an animal that Melissa can act as.  She will tell “Farmer Brown” the class’ demand. 
  2. Kate, as Farmer Brown, will tell Melissa why they cannot have what they want.  Kate will say her response out loud while writing it on the whiteboard.
    1. “Dear Ducks, I can’t give you ________, because I don’t think you’ll do anything for me if I get you this.”
  3. “Oh no! What will we do?” Have the ducks work together (maybe encourage them to have an emergency meeting like the cows in the story) to create a solution to the refusal.  Have one of the ducks tell Farmer Brown their solution.
  4. Kate, as Farmer Brown, will grant them their request!

Together read the last page of the story and see what they asked from Farmer Brown.