a.) Title: Truck
Awards: Caldecott Honor Book
b.) About the book:
A variety of different trucks can be found on the pages of Truck by Donald Crews. Following the story of one specific truck from the start of its drive at the pickup of the shipment to traveling among several other vehicles to reaching its final designation, delivery of shipment. Along the journey the truck must stop at stop signs as well as follow the laws of other road signs.
c.) Themes:
Transportation: This book, along with others by Crews focuses on specific types of transportation. On each page you will find a big red truck.
Jobs/Careers: In this book one can observe a specific occupation, truck driver.
d.) Getting Ready:
To introduce this book to my class, I would choose to go through it during the unit over transportation. I would have it along with other books by Donald Crews (i.e. Freight Train, School Bus, Flying) at the front of the class. After the class has had a chance to look at all of the book covers I would then ask, “Can anyone think of something all of these books have in common?” I would then wait for the answer “transportation” or something along those lines.
e.) Questions for Discussion:
- “What do trucks have to do with you?” (ex. answer: “Trucks bring food to the grocery store so my mom can go pick it up for supper.”)
- “Are trucks helpful?”
f.) Questions for Written Response:
- What are some things you think you would do if you were a truck driver?
- Describe your perfect truck.
g.) Extension Activities:
1. Students will be asked to draw their ideal truck that they wrote about in the written response and then the class will be divided into small groups (approximately 3-5 students in each group). When the students are in their groups they will then share their description and drawing with their fellow peers. This activity will be used to assess students’ creativity, team work, and communication skills.
2. Based on observations from Truck, students will be asked to relate what they saw to their real life and discuss different trucks they have seen on the road ways. During this class discussion I will also present pictures of these different trucks they are making observations about so that the class becomes familiar with different trucks.