A Book for All Kids - Activities

ACTIVITIES

Supplement your James and the Giant Peach reading with activities designed to enhance reading comprehension and make your reading even more enjoyable. We'll post activities as we get closer to the kick-off.

Cook up a quick Peach Cobbler with your family and Enjoy!

You'll need:

1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
4-6 cups sliced peaches (canned are OK)
1 cup self-rising flour (or add tsp. each of baking soda and baking powder to one cup of flour)
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg on sliced peaches. Toss to mix. Place in 9" x 9" baking dish. Mix remaining sugar, flour, and egg to a crumb-like texture. Pour over peaches. Melt margarine and drizzle over crumb topping. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until top turns slightly brown and crusty. Serve hot or cold, plain or with ice cream. Serves 6-8.

Dahl uses very descriptive language in his books.

Draw a picture of one or more of the characters in the book, using the descriptive sentences and adjectives that are used as guides.

Questions for family discussion:

James was supposed to drink the green crystals. Describe what you think would have happened if he would have drunk the crystals instead of spilling them on the ground?

All of the creatures onboard the peach experience fear. How do they overcome their fears? What do you do when you are afraid of something?

If you could travel in a giant peach, where would you go and who would want on board with you?

Dahl often tells his stories from a child's point of view. How do you think children and adults see the world differently?

Get out the family dictionary.

Challenge each family member to use several of the words in a humorous way.

ancient
gape
pandemonium
luminous
mammoth
loathsome
lurch
hideous
enthralled
famished
nuisance
malevolently
insidiously

James shares the peach with a variety of insect and arachnid friends including a spider, a centipede, a grasshopper, a ladybug and an earthworm.

Make a list of all of the things your kids already know about these creatures, including the ways they are helpful to humans. Then visit the Lincoln Children's Zoo, Pioneers Park Nature Center, the University of Nebraska State Museum (Morrill Hall) or the library to learn even more. Challenge yourself to learn three new things about each one.

The Empire State Building!

James and his traveling companions land on top of the Empire State Building. Your family can learn more about this famous landmark by checking out the following books for kids:

“The Empire State Building” by James Doherty, j725.2 Doh
“Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building” by Deborah Hopkinson and James E. Ransome, jP Hopkinson
Kids can find out more about the Empire State Building at the official Empire State Building website

Make a giant peach pinata

You'll need these materials:

A large balloon
Newspaper
1 cup of flour
1 cup of water
4 cups of boiling water
Peach (or orange) tempera paint
Paintbrush
Masking tape
Brown pipe cleaner (you may want to use more
than one and glue them together)
A knife (a craft knife will work best)

What to do: Before you begin, blow up a balloon and then cut a bunch of 2-inch wide strips of newspaper. Put them to the side for later use.

1. Mix 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water together in a mixing bowl. Stir it well until the mixture is thin.
2. Have an adult stir in 4 cups of boiling water.
3. Stir the mixture for about 3 minutes, then leave it to cool. This will be your glue.
4. Using the newspaper you've cut, dip each strip in the flour glue and wrap them around the balloon.
5. Cover the balloon with about two to three layers of newspaper. Allow each layer to dry well before adding another one.
6. After you've completely covered the balloon with a few layers of papier-mâché, let it dry for a day or two.
7. When it's completely dry, make a tiny opening and pop and remove the balloon from the inside.

Now it's time to decorate!

Step One: Take a paintbrush and cover the entire giant peach with paint.
Step Two: Allow the first layer of paint to dry and depending on how it looks, you may want to add another coat of paint.
Step Three: Let it dry completely for several hours.
Step Four: Now it's time to make the stem of your peach pinata. Make a small hole at the top center of the peach.
Step Five: Insert the pipe cleaner(s) into the hole.
Step Six: Make a tiny opening in the pinata where you can pour candy into it.
Step Seven: After you have filled it, glue a few newspaper strips (as you have done before) over the hole and then paint them.
Step Eight: When the paint's dry, your pinata is ready!

Activities presented by the Lincoln Community Playhouse

Check out the Lincoln City Libraries website.
Check on the Lincoln Community Playhouse website for activity and play information.




		ACTIVITIES Supplement your James and the Giant Peach reading with activities designed to enhance reading comprehension and make your reading even more enjoyable. We'll post activities as we get closer to the kick-off. Cook up a quick Peach Cobbler with your family and Enjoy! You'll need: 1 cup sugar, divided 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. nutmeg 4-6 cups sliced peaches (canned are OK) 1 cup self-rising flour (or add tsp. each of baking soda and baking powder to one cup of flour) 1 large egg, beaten 1/2 cup butter or margarine Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg on sliced peaches. Toss to mix. Place in 9" x 9" baking dish. Mix remaining sugar, flour, and egg to a crumb-like texture. Pour over peaches. Melt margarine and drizzle over crumb topping. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until top turns slightly brown and crusty. Serve hot or cold, plain or with ice cream. Serves 6-8. Dahl uses very descriptive language in his books. Draw a picture of one or more of the characters in the book, using the descriptive sentences and adjectives that are used as guides. Questions for family discussion: James was supposed to drink the green crystals. Describe what you think would have happened if he would have drunk the crystals instead of spilling them on the ground? All of the creatures onboard the peach experience fear. How do they overcome their fears? What do you do when you are afraid of something? If you could travel in a giant peach, where would you go and who would want on board with you? Dahl often tells his stories from a child's point of view. How do you think children and adults see the world differently? Get out the family dictionary. Challenge each family member to use several of the words in a humorous way. ancient gape pandemonium luminous mammoth loathsome lurch hideous enthralled famished nuisance malevolently insidiously James shares the peach with a variety of insect and arachnid friends including a spider, a centipede, a grasshopper, a ladybug and an earthworm. Make a list of all of the things your kids already know about these creatures, including the ways they are helpful to humans. Then visit the Lincoln Children's Zoo, Pioneers Park Nature Center, the University of Nebraska State Museum (Morrill Hall) or the library to learn even more. Challenge yourself to learn three new things about each one. The Empire State Building! James and his traveling companions land on top of the Empire State Building. Your family can learn more about this famous landmark by checking out the following books for kids: “The Empire State Building” by James Doherty, j725.2 Doh “Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building” by Deborah Hopkinson and James E. Ransome, jP Hopkinson Kids can find out more about the Empire State Building at the official Empire State Building website Make a giant peach pinata You'll need these materials: A large balloon Newspaper 1 cup of flour 1 cup of water 4 cups of boiling water Peach (or orange) tempera paint Paintbrush Masking tape Brown pipe cleaner (you may want to use more than one and glue them together) A knife (a craft knife will work best) What to do: Before you begin, blow up a balloon and then cut a bunch of 2-inch wide strips of newspaper. Put them to the side for later use. 1. Mix 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water together in a mixing bowl. Stir it well until the mixture is thin. 2. Have an adult stir in 4 cups of boiling water. 3. Stir the mixture for about 3 minutes, then leave it to cool. This will be your glue. 4. Using the newspaper you've cut, dip each strip in the flour glue and wrap them around the balloon. 5. Cover the balloon with about two to three layers of newspaper. Allow each layer to dry well before adding another one. 6. After you've completely covered the balloon with a few layers of papier-mâché, let it dry for a day or two. 7. When it's completely dry, make a tiny opening and pop and remove the balloon from the inside. Now it's time to decorate! Step One: Take a paintbrush and cover the entire giant peach with paint. Step Two: Allow the first layer of paint to dry and depending on how it looks, you may want to add another coat of paint. Step Three: Let it dry completely for several hours. Step Four: Now it's time to make the stem of your peach pinata. Make a small hole at the top center of the peach. Step Five: Insert the pipe cleaner(s) into the hole. Step Six: Make a tiny opening in the pinata where you can pour candy into it. Step Seven: After you have filled it, glue a few newspaper strips (as you have done before) over the hole and then paint them. Step Eight: When the paint's dry, your pinata is ready! Activities presented by the Lincoln Community Playhouse Check out the Lincoln City Libraries website. Check on the Lincoln Community Playhouse website for activity and play information.