J is for Jack and the Beanstalk

 If you have never had the pleasure of reading Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg, you are missing out on one of literature's great treasures. Amazing pictures, great rhythm to the words and all around fun to read!This is my favorite retelling of this story. 

After we read the story, we did a sequencing activity with pictures that tell the story. Then we made our own beanstalks while practicing matching lowercase and uppercase letters a- j. 

Making it is pretty simple, just a paper beanstalk, paper leaves with letters on them, and glue. 

Jack in the Beanstalk

I think this has been one of my favorite days of school all year. To conclude our study on plants, we read about the ultimate plant: Jack's beanstalk.

We read Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg. If you haven't read this version of the story, you are missing out. It is a long story and I was worried about the children losing interest, but they stayed with me the whole time because the pictures and the rhythm of the story are hypnotic. It is the best!

I had laminated pictures of the story out of order. The kids told me what happened in each picture and I wrote a caption using their words at the bottom with an overhead marker. Then, we sequenced the pictures on a "story line." Next, we made our own easy beanstalks.

What you need:
Green construction paper for leaves and beanstalk
Cotton balls
Glue
String

What you do:
1. 2.

3. Add cotton balls for the clouds

4. Add leaves all along the spiral
5. Hang it up!