During the winter holidays it can be hard to find a good story to read with your class. In some schools, teachers are not able to share holiday specific books with your students. This week we are spotlighting a great book that gets students in the spirit of the holidays without too much focus on one particular holiday. Red and Lulu is a heartwarming story about two cardinals that students are sure to love. Instead of focusing on Christmas, this story focuses on Red and Lulu and their home in an evergreen tree. - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
Red and Lulu tells the sweet story of two cardinals that live happily in an evergreen tree. One day when Red is out in search of food, he returns to find the tree cut down and on the back of a moving truck. He frantically tries to follow the tree because Lulu is still there, however he can’t keep up. Red does not give up and keeps flying in search of his friend. He arrives in a strange new place, New York City. He follows a familiar song and chirping to find Lulu in their tree in Rockefeller Center. The cardinals are amazed by the crowd of thousands admiring the tree and singing carols. Eventually, the two birds must find a new home in Central Park, but make it a tradition to visit their beloved evergreen each year.
This heartwarming story about the friendship two birds is sure to be loved to all!
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
Red and Lulu is a great choice for a winter read aloud because there are so many skills you can integrate. Take a look at some of the ways we would use this text in our own classrooms!
- Practice the important skill of visualizing. As you read the book to your students, don’t show the pictures. Stop every so often to discuss what students are visualizing.
- Discuss how illustrations help to add meaning to the story.
- Introduce letter format to students and practice writing and sending letters.
- Help students to form an opinion and write about it while providing reasoning.
- Explore the various ways to make a noun plural.
- Teach a lesson on the suffix -er using examples from the text.
- Have a class discussion on the importance of perseverance.
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30 writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
December might be one of the most stressful months for teachers! Your students are probably filled with excitement about the holidays and ready for a break, you’re stressed out about all your shopping, and you just can’t find time for lesson planning. Don’t stress teacher friends, with this resource you can feel good about teaching a thoughtful and meaningful lesson while still saving time.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- The Night Tree by Eve Bunting
- The Hat by Jan Brett
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
It's hard to explain how amazing the Starts with a Story book companions are because there is just so much goodness included in each one. It's best if you experience using one for yourself. Sign up below & we'll send you an entire book companion to try out for FREE!
