My oldest bug, M, really enjoys the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, so I knew he would find Jan Brett’s The Three Snow Bears entertaining as well. If you haven’t read Brett’s rendition of the classic fairy tale, it is a story, set in the arctic, of an Inuit girl named Aloo-ki who comes across a large igloo belonging to a family of three snow bears: Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby bear. Aloo-ki wanders inside the igloo and makes herself at home, tasting and trying out the bear’s belongings, and eventually falls fast asleep in Baby Bear’s bed. When the snow bears return home they soon discover that someone has been snooping around their home, and they eventually come across Aloo-ki sleeping in Baby bear’s bed. When Aloo-ki opens her eyes, she is face-to-face with the family of snow bears. She leaps from the bed, and dashes outside to escape on her dog-sled.
The Three Snow Bear: Venn Diagram
First we read/ listened to Goldilocks and the Three Bears on the iPad to refresh our memories of the events that occur in the story. M is already really familiar with the story. One of his favourite story apps is the Kidztory Treasury. They have a good collection of many interactive, classic fairy tales, including Goldilocks and the Three Bears:
Then I read aloud Jan Brett’s The Three Snow Bears. As I was reading, I stopped every once in a while to see if M could spot any differences or similarities between the two stories. When we were finished reading, I overlapped two paper plates and stapled them together to create a venn diagram. I wrote the headings ‘Only in Goldilocks and the 3 Bears’ on one plate, ‘Only in The Three Snow Bears’ on the other plate, and ‘Same’ (or Both) on the area where the two plates overlapped.
Next, I printed off a copy of The Three Snow Bears- Venn Diagram Pictures I put together earlier in the day. Then I had M cut and glue the pictures onto the venn diagram to compare and contrast the two stories (this is also really great fine-motor practice!).
M had no problem figuring out on his own which pictures should go where.
And when he was all finished, he was eager to read the book again and again :).
Click the link for more winter picture book activities (there are more on the way!).
Thanks for stopping by!
Oh my gosh, I love this so much! Thanks. :O)
Thanks Beth! I’m glad you like it 🙂