Skills Building: My Mouth Is a Volcano! (PK-5)

Written by Julia Cook and Illustrated by Carrie Hartman

TEKS: Reading K.7(A); 1.7(C); 2.7(C); 3.7(C); 4.7(C); 5.7(C)

Art K.2(A); 1.2(B); 2.2(A); 3.2(C); 4.2(C); 5.2(C)

Pre Reading Questions

  1. What do you think this book is about?
  2. Why do you think the main character would refer to his mouth as a volcano?
  3. Do you ever have trouble waiting for your turn to speak or interrupting your classmates? How does it feel to wait before you speak?

Post Reading Questions

  1. What happens to Louis before he erupts like a volcano?
  2. When Louis sees other people erupt, how does he feel?
  3. What advice does his mother give him? Is her advice helpful?
  4. Do you ever feel like your mouth is a volcano? Give an example of a time you felt like a volcano.
  5. How can you calm yourself when you are struggling with active listening?

Creative Enrichment Activity: Int-Eruptor Volcanoes (Pre-K-5)

Overview: We all get stressed or overwhelmed at times. If we don’t calm ourselves down, we can erupt like volcanos. In this activity, students will identify stressors that may make them “blow up” and identify ways they can calm down before they erupt. These ideas are called “Int-Erupters.”

Materials

● Brown construction paper (1 sheet per student)
● Strips of red and orange construction paper (4 per student)
● Stressors placemat. Download template.
● Scissors
● Tape
● Markers

Duration: 30 minutes

● 5 minutes – Introduce the activity and pass out supplies
● 5 minutes – Brainstorm stressors
● 10 minutes – Create volcanoes
● 5 minutes – Create “Int-Erupters”
● 5 minutes – Reflect on the activity

Instructions

  1. Before the activity, print a stressors placemat for each student and draw a large circle on each piece of brown construction paper.
  2. Introduce the activity to students.
    Teacher: “In life, we have things that can overwhelm us. Sometimes we erupt because of anger, fear, sadness or stress. First we’re going to think of different things that cause us to feel as if we are going to erupt. Then, we will brainstorm “Int-Erupters.” These are things we can do to calm ourselves before we erupt.”
  3. Hand out a stressor placemat to each student.
  4. Ask students to write or draw on their placemat things that cause them to erupt (e.g., things that cause them to feel overwhelmed with anger, fear, sadness or stress).
  5. Next, students will create their volcanoes.
  6. Give a sheet of brown construction paper to each student and ask them to cut out the circles.
  7. Next, students will cut a wedge piece from the circle to make a Pacman shape. The teacher may need to assist younger students.
  8. Have students label one side with their name (this will end up on the inside) and the other side “Int-Erupters.”
  9. Create a cone-shaped volcano with the brown paper, leaving a small hole at the top.
  10. Hand each student several strips of red and orange paper. On each strip, students will write down the ideas and strategies that will help them wait their turn, listen attentively and not erupt like a volcano.
  11. Tape the red and orange paper strips to the inside of the cone.
  12. Clean up activity.

Reflection Questions

  • What are some stressors that you put on your placemat?
  • How do you feel when you think about those stressors?
  • What are some ideas that you came up with as “Int-Erupters”?
  • When can you practice using these “Int-Erupters”?
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