The Three Cabritos

           By Eric A. Kimmel

 Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin 

 

 

 

Summary

This Texas twist on “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” is a fun tale of three cabritos on their way to a fiesta in Mexico. However, they must be wise to get passed the Chupacabra!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activities

 

1.   Language Arts

 

      A.   Compare/Contrast: The students will read “The Three Cabritos” and a more traditional version of “The            Three Billy Goats Gruff.” (See literary connections)  Then the students will create a Venn diagram            comparing the two stories.

             TEKS: Kindergarten 2; First Grade 2; Second Grade 2

 

2.   Math

 

      A.   Larger/Smaller: The story “The Three Cabritos” uses many comparisons of size.  The students will            compare themselves to the size of classroom objects.  They will fold a piece of paper in half and make two                columns. One will say object that are larger than me and the other will say objects that are smaller than me.             They will sketch pictures of the objects as they explore size.

             TEKS: Kindergarten 15; First Grade 13; Second Grade 14

 

3.   Science

 

      A.   Pitch: Using Brain Pop Jr., watch the video on sound.  Then print out the activity about pitch.  You can also            do it on your own by filling 5 glasses with different amounts of water.  Then tap the glasses with a spoon to            hear the different pitches.

             TEKS: Kindergarten 2, 4; First Grade 2; Second Grade 2, 7

 

4.   Social Studies

 

      A.   Let’s Learn Spanish: Using Culturegrams.com, the students will compare English and Spanish basic            vocabulary words.

             TEKS: Kindergarten 12; First Grade 15; Second Grade 15

Where in the World is Mexico? Using Google Earth, type in the “Rio Grande.”  This will help to locate the Mexico/United States border.  The students can navigate to locate the relationship Mexico has to other important places such as Abilene. To reinforce this concept, read the story “From Here to There.”

    TEKS: Kindergarten 15; First Grade 5; Second Grade 6

 

5. Art

          

Edible Diorama: The children will work with a partner to create an edible diorama of the setting from the story “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” The materials needed are a paper plate, chunky peanut butter for the dirt, coconut dyed green for the grass, a large Frito for the bridge, 3 white marshmallows (mini for little one), a purple grape for the Troll (Chupacabra), and a blue Fruit Roll up for the stream.

           TEKS: Kindergarten 2; First Grade 2; Second Grade 2

 

6. Music

 

           A. Instruments: The children will watch Musical Max on Safari Montage.  Then the students will choose 2            instruments from the story (fiddle, guitar, accordion, and harmonica) and compare and contrast them. (How            do they look? How they sound? How are they played?)  The students can also create their own instruments            using cups, rubber bands, wax paper, toilet paper rolls, and boxes.

                    TEKS: Kindergarten 1; First Grade 1; Second Grade 1

 

 

 

Internet Resources

 

      Author’s Website        http://www.ericakimmel.com

 

 

      Other Web Resources

                      Safari Montage

                      Culturegrams.com

                      Google Earth         

                      Edible Diorama adapted from MotherHubbard’sCubbard.com

                      Brain Pop Jr.

 

Literary Connections

 

Carpenter, Stephen.  The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  HarperFestival, 1998.

 

Galdone, Paul. The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  Sandpiper, 1981.

 

Cuyler, Margery. From Here to There. Henry Holt and Co., 1999.

 

 

Submitted by Cynthia Ladyman, Carolene Duff, Dorothy West, and Candice Stuart