HAPPY FARM
LEARNS
TO READ!
One day, not too long ago, there was a very special place called The HAPPY FARM.
Just read on and you will learn why it had that special name!
Many people and animals lived on Happy Farm. The children and the animals had a lot of fun playing together during the summer months. Here are some of their names:
(When I say the name, see if you can learn the sound that animal makes. Then, whenever you hear his name, call out his sound.)
First, there was a Horse named RAY. He said, "NEIGH" (Remember that whenever I say, "the horse named Ray," you will say, "Neigh.") He was very tall and brown and strong, and all the animals loved him.
Next, there was a cow named LOU. She said MOO. What must you do when I say, "Cow named Lou"? Moo. She was a great friend of the Horse named Ray. (Neigh.)
In a pen nearby lived a goat named Flaa. He said BAA.
Let’s share:
A horse named Ray: Neigh
A cow named Lou: Moo
A goat named Flaa: Baa
Oh, I dare not forget the pig named Boink: Oink
Or a little brown duck named Jack: Quack
And the little red hen named Schnook: Book
Oh, yes! Somewhere along the way, you will meet frog whose name is Joke. He says Croak. Don’t forget!
Everything was fine on the farm. The children loved:
The horse named Ray: Neigh
The cow named Lou: Moo
The pig named Boink: Oink
The goat named Flaa: Baa
The duck named Jack: Quack
and
The little red Hen named Schnook : Book
Then summer vacation was over. One day the children told their animal friends, "Today, we have to go away. We will not be here to play. We going to school. We want to learn to add numbers… to write our names… and especially how to read."
The animals saw a huge yellow bus stop in front of the farm house. Out marched the children, carrying their school bags. The children smiled and waved good bye to:
The horse named Ray: Neigh
The cow named Lou: Moo
The goat named Flaa: Baa
The duck named Jack: Quack
The pig named Boink: Oink
and the little red hen named Schnook: Book
After a while, the animals got very sad. What on earth would they do without their friends, the children?
Then, someone got a great idea! Let’s learn how to read!
They started walking to school. They said, "We will join the children at school and their teacher will teach us the alphabet and tell us wonderful stories. Then we will be able to travel all over…. We’ll read about queens and kings and wonderful things, and we will not be sad. We will be glad, and then without end, we’ll read with our friends!
Agreed!
said
The horse named Ray: Neigh
The cow named Lou:Moo
The pig named Boink: Oink
The duck named Jack:Quack
The goat named Flaa: Baa
And the little red Hen named Schnook: Book
On the way to school, they saw a beautiful big building and a sign that read: Library. A frog named Joke (Croak) was sitting under the sign. "What are you doing?" the animals asked. "I’m reading a book about the moon and the stars and about lands afar," said the little green frog named Joke. (Croak.)
"We want to learn how to read!"
said the animals. The Frog named Joke (Croak) replied, "Go to the library and ask them to teach you how to read. You will have lots of fun if you do." …And off they went!
The horse named Ray (Neigh) said, "I am the biggest animal … I will go into the library first." Clip-clop went his feet. The librarian asked, " May I help you?" The horse named Ray said, "Neigh." The librarian thought he said tray, so she handed him a large empty tray. He didn’t know what to do! He decided to sit under a window and think.
The cow named Lou (Moo) waited outside for her friend, the horse named Ray (Neigh). She decided to come in and look for him.
Once again, the librarian asked, "May I help you?" The cow named Lou said, "Moo" . The librarian handed her a bottle of glue. Oh, my ! was the cow named Lou (Moo) ever confused. She sat by the horse named Ray (Neigh), hoping they could come up with an answer.
Next, the goat named Flaa (Baa) ran in. Trip-trap, trip-trap went his feet. "Baaaa" he said. The children thought he was calling them BAD and they began to cry. The librarian said, "Please Mr. Goat, our children are learning to read and they are very good. "
The Goat named Flaa( Baaaa) went trip-trap, trip-trap over to the horse named Ray (Neigh) and the Cow named Lou (Moo). Now there were three who didn’t know what to do!
Who do you think decided to be next? Yes! It was the Pig named Boink (Oink). He was afraid to go alone so took the duck named Jack (Quack). Together, they quacked and oinked all over the place. "Quack-Oink…. Quack-Oink…. Quack-Oink!"
The librarian covered her ears and said, "Oh no! I don’t have a stack of ink!" Now there were five animals sitting in the corner wondering what they should do. After all, they really wanted books and to learn how to read…. But they desperately needed help. There was only one animal left….the smallest animal of all. It was the little red hen named Schnook (Book). She tiptoed in and politely said to the librarian: 3 times (book, book, book).
The librarian was very surprised to hear the little hen named Schnook (Book) speak so clearly. "Excuse me…. What did you say?" she asked. The little red hen named Schnook repeated: "Book book, book."
"Oh, I’d be delighted to give you a book… and some for your friends as well. If you come every morning, I will also teach you how to read. Does that please you?"
The animals nodded their heads.
There was the horse named Ray (Neigh).
The cow named Lou (Moo).
The goat named Flaa: (Baaa).
The duck named Jack (Quack).
The Pig named Boink (Oink)
And happiest of all,
The little red hen named Schnook (Book).
And, oh, yes! Their new friend, the frog named Joke (Croak).
Each animal chose a book and home they went, happy, excited, ready to learn the magic of reading. Back at the farm, the animals gathered around their books. The barnyard was filled with all sorts of wonderful sounds. When the children came home, they heard:
(Say the sound you like best.) Reading made everyone happy, so it became known as The HAPPY FARM!
I bet your first-graders loved hearing you read this, Sr. Ann. Did you illustrate the story, too?
ReplyDelete