Storytime with Mrs. Holder ~ Pettranella ~ Betty Waterton

We carry Pettranella in our picnic bag to the park outside our home.  After setting up lunch on napkins and reciting words from His Word, I pull out the picture book and begin reading to listening ears.

It is interesting how learning can be the layering of knowledge, not necessarily intentionally, but just because there has been wonderful experiences set in place before. 

As I begin sharing the story of Pettranella and her family immigrating to Canada,  the girls are reminded of how Great Grandma's family had once crossed the wild Atlantic to emigrate from Norway. As Pettranella and her family set out towards their homestead, the girls are able to visualize all about that pioneering adventure from many stories before.  And when Pettranella and her family sleep under the stars and witness the northern lights, the girls make sense of the scene because Exploring Creation with Astronomy had just taught them that the auroras are simply solar flares bursting from the sun.  We read about red winged blackbirds that sing around Pettranella's homestead, and remember the red winged blackbirds singing around our own heads just last month at the park.  And when Pettranella decides to leave some of her flowers "to grow beside the trail, that other settlers might see them and not feel lonely" we think about Miss Rumphius and her scattering of lupine seeds to make the world more beautiful.

May this sweet story be a learning blessing to you and your family too.

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Related Social Studies Topics and Activities:


Family ~ Discuss with your child your own family tree. If desired, draw out your family tree or use a printable like these. To learn a bit  more about the country of your heritage, get a book from the library, colour its flag, taste a specific food item, or find something that symbolizes its culture.     Take your child's learning further by encouraging him to present his findings to your family or to a group of friends.

Mapping ~ Take a peek at the world map with your child.  Find the countries of Europe, where it is likely that Pettranella emigrated from, and follow a route across the Atlantic.  What "wide river" and "lonely land" would Pettranella and her family be travelling up and across.  Can you find a wide river and the land leading west on your map?  Can you find a "settlement" where two rivers meet where Pettranella's father may have gathered his supplies?  Can you find Manitoba on a map of Canada?  Do you live to the east or to the west of Manitoba?

Early Settlers Fieldtrip ~ Have you and your child visited your community's museum?  Even tiny communities have some sort of historical memorial to recognize the beginnings of the community.  Why not take a fieldtrip and visit your nearest historical museum.  Take time to notice and discuss how "things" have changed from then to now.

Related Links:
Petranella Mini Unit Study
Canada Picture Book Notebooking Page

Be a Blessing!
Pettranella's grandmother blessed her at the beginning of the story by giving Pettranella a special and meaningful gift to remember her by.   At the end of the story Pettranella becomes the one who provides the blessing by choosing to leave some of her flowers to grow beside the road for others to enjoy.  Perhaps there is someone in your child's life who could use a little lift in their spirit through a thoughtful and meaningful gift.  Perhaps a lovely little gift card would look adorable attached with an encouraging word inside?

For now, a reason why the children and I continue to learn together at home ...
God's will is not something hidden that needs to be found but, rather, something revealed that needs to be done.
~ Sally Clarkson ~ Seasons of a Mother's Heart


And a reminder along the way ...
Women like to make sacrifices in one big piece, to give God something grand, but we can't. Our lives are a mosaic of little things, like putting a rose in a vase on the table.
~ Ingrid Trobisch ~  Heartstrings of Laughter and Love

Teaching Tip Tuesday ~ Embracing Poetry

The best description that I have found of poetry and it's poetic elements is here:

Poetry appeals to the reader's emotions. It often gives a sharp picture (mind's-eye image) of the subject. Poets use certain devices in their work including: repetition, rhythm, sometimes rhyme, personification, metaphoric language, alliteration (the repetitive consonant sounds in a line of poetry  - "silver slivers shine in the sun"), onomatopoeia, and hyperbole (exaggeration - "he climbed near the sun"). These literary devices can be found in prose too, but you expect a poet to make greater use of them. ~ Five in a Row, Volume 1 ~ Jane Claire Lambert

Lambert also suggests that the greatest way to teach children poetry, is to read to them poetry! As you read poetry to your child, keep in mind the poetic elements and make sure to point them out to your child as you come across them.  Focus on  one or two poetic elements and then gradually add more as your child shows confidence in identifying the previously learned elements.

Below are some poetry books that Lambert suggests for young children:

Now We are Six ~ A.A. Milne

When We Were Very Young ~ A.A. Milne

The World of Christopher Robin ~ A.A. Milne (This is a volume of the previous two titles combined.) 

Favourite Poems, Old and New ~ Edited. by Helen Ferris

Joyful Noise (Poems for Two Voices) ~ Paul Fleischman (recommended for grade 4 and higher)

Sing a Song of Popcorn ~ Edited by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers


Here are a couple of Christian Curriculums that have poetry books available:

Rod and Staff - Christian Poetry for Children and Adults

Christian Light Publications - Poetry


Here's a link to the Nursery Rhyme book that is recommended in the Accelerated Christian Education kindergarten program:

Christian Mother Goose Big Book


And here's a link to another classic:

Child's Garden of Verses


Poetry Writing Teaching Plan:
1. Expose your child to several poems that include the poetic element(s) that you want to focus on (i.e. rhyming and repetition).

2. Choose a general topic for your child to write a poem about, and ask your child to draw a picture to represent the topic (i.e. winter).

3. Ask your child to describe her picture while you record a list of what is dictated.  Encourage descriptive language, but don't worry if it is not given.

4. Depending on the age/ability of your child, ask for a first line of the poem .  (For the younger child, you may provide the first line of the poem.)  Encourage your child to refer to the descriptive list of her picture (step 3) to gather ideas.

5. Continue to work with your child to create the lines of the poem, and gently encourage the use of the poetic element(s) of focus.  If poetic element(s) don't present themselves easily in the initial writing of the poem, then wait until the poem is finished to look for places to insert them.  {For example, to insert alliteration into the poem, choose a line of imagery such as, "the moon is shining bright" and encourage your child to think of "b" words to describe the moon.  A line like this may be created,  "the brilliant moon beams bright".  To insert repetition, have your child choose to repeat the last line of the poem, or to repeat the first line of the poem at the end.}

Below are a couple of poems that were penned in my home.  The five-year old wrote her poem with a lot of input from me, while the seven-year old was surprisingly able to pen the poem almost independently.  Enjoy.

Final Teaching Tip:  When writing poetry, allow your younger child to dictate the words of the poem to you, while you act as the recorder.  Poetry is about word choice, not about the fine motor skill of writing.  By having you take on the physical task of writing, your child is able to focus more on her thoughts and creativity.

A post from the archive ~ Thank you for grace as

 I regroup after a week of guests.