Holiday Reads: Christmas Mice

Have you ever noticed how many mouse Christmas stories there are?  I didn't realize how important a part mice play in holiday tales until we started looking.  From "not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse" to "a crumb not big enough for a mouse" to mentions of mice among the hay in the Nativity, mice are everywhere!

We made felt Christmas mice for our Third Grade Reading Buddies.  That little candy cane tail is just too cute!  Step-by-step directions in the pocket chart helped to keep everyone on track.  The kids enjoyed knowing what step they were on and were encouraged to look at the chart before asking for teacher help.

 

The care they took to make these sweet ornaments for their special buddies.  I know they will be enjoyed for years to come.

"The big hungry bear gave him a really, really big piece of cheese."

The other activity of the day was to write and illustrate an ending for the book "Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear!"

If you aren't familiar with the story, the mouse hears a story about a big, hungry bear that never gets anything for Christmas because he's so mean.  The mouse feels sorry for the bear, so he goes to deliver the bear a present.  The mouse is very nervous about this, but follows through.  When he gets to the bear's den, the bear isn't there, but has left the mouse a HUGE, wrapped present.  Then the story ends.  We have no clue what's inside the big box.  The kids had fun trying to figure out what might possibly be in the box.  A big piece of cheese?  Maybe it's the bear himself?  A Christmas tree?  Who knows??!!!  What's your guess?

"In the present was a bear."

Books to Read:
Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! by Don Wood
Tale of the Christmas Mouse by Judith Frinquello
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown
Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson