Going Green with Books and Things
April, 2008 -

Stop! Don’t throw it away!
Surely that box can have another day.
Use your imagination and take a look!
Turn that trash into a book!

“If they make it, they will read it!” How true it is! Children enjoy constructing, writing, and then reading books from all sorts of materials! The ideas you’ll find this month can be used to make collaborative books where each child in the room adds a page. Many ideas can also be adapted for individual projects. Integrate the books with literacy, math, science, social studies, holidays, or themes. Add value to the books by sending them home for the children to share with their families!

Cracker Jack Book - Cut the front and back off a box of Cracker Jacks. Cut paper the size of the box and give each child a piece to draw a picture of what they’d like to find for a prize. Punch a hole in the upper left corner and tie with a ribbon.

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Animal Cookie Book - Cut the front and back off a box of animal cookies. Cut paper the size of the box and ask children to draw a picture of their favorite zoo animal. Staple their drawings between the front and back of the box. Re-attach the string handle.

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Pets - Cut the front and back off a box of dog biscuits. Cut paper the size of the box and give a sheet to each child. Children draw pictures of their pets and write stories about them. (If they don’t have a pet, encourage children to draw a picture of a pet they would like to have.) Put their pictures in between the front and back of the box , hole punch, and bind together.

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