Clifford and Other Dogs...an Online Unit!

When the first graders enter school in September, they enter a classroom that may look quite different from the one they grew accustomed to in kindergarten. For this reason, I like to start the year with a literature unit that centers around a familiar character -- Clifford, the Big Red Dog! Most children are familiar with Clifford, the popular Norman Bridwell series. Here are just some of the Clifford titles we'll read:

Clifford the Big Red Dog
Clifford the Small Red Puppy
Clifford's ABC
Clifford's Birthday Party
Clifford at the Circus
Clifford's First School Day
Count on Clifford
Clifford's Family
Clifford Gets a Job
Clifford Goes to Hollywood
Clifford's Good Deeds
Clifford Keeps Cool
Clifford and the Grouchy Neighbors
Clifford's Kitten
Clifford's Manners
Clifford's Pals
Clifford's Puppy Days
Clifford Takes a Trip
Clifford and the Big Storm
Clifford's Tricks
Clifford's First Autumn
Clifford Makes a Friend (Easy Reader)

CLIFFORD RAP
A Poem about Clifford by Siri Christiansen

Clifford, Clifford, you're a good friend
Emily Elizabeth, I like children
Razzle dazzle and clap, clap, clap
Emily and Clifford do the friendship rap.

Clifford, Clifford I do like you
Emily Elizabeth, I like you too
Razzle dazzle and clap, clap, clap
Emily and Clifford do the friendship rap.

Clifford, Clifford do you want to play?
Emily Elizabeth, I do! Hurray!
Razzle dazzle and clap, clap, clap
Emily and Clifford do the friendship rap.

Clifford, Clifford, come on let's run
Emily Elizabeth, we're having fun
Razzle dazzle and clap, clap, clap
Emily and Clifford do the friendship rap.

Clifford, Clifford you're nice to me
Emily Elizabeth, you are friendly
Razzle dazzle and clap, clap, clap
Emily and Clifford do the friendship rap!

One of the first Clifford activities involves reading one of the newest paperbacks, "Clifford's First School Day." As an extension activity, each child receives a teacher-made booklet called "Clifford Goes to School" and an accompanying sheet of pictures to color and cut. On each page of the booklet there is a picture of Clifford to color, and a pattern sentence to read. The first page reads "Clifford rides the school bus." The children must "read" the sentence and cut and paste the appropriate picture of the school bus next to Clifford. On the last page, it reads "Clifford likes _________ at school" and the children must write a word (or more if they are able) to finish the sentence. This activity provides them with an early opportunity to match text with pictures and to use predictable text to feel successful as readers.

After reading "Clifford's Family" we do a Venn Diagram activity where we chart who has brothers, sisters, both or none. Another lesson involving the Venn Diagram (a great tool for comparision) is a Big and Red Venn. After reading "Clifford the Big Red Dog" we list items which are big, objects that are red and items that are both big AND red. This is a wonderful sorting and classifying activity for early first grade.

We the read more about Clifford's early days, beginning with "Clifford, The Small Red Puppy." We create our own book entitled "Too Big, Too Small." Each child completes a page that says "Clifford is too big for ________. Clifford is too small for _______." They also write a page about themselves...."I am too big for_________ and I am too small for __________."

Because a review of the alphabet is a good way to begin the first grade school year, we read "Clifford's ABC." I make enlarged copies of Clifford and each of the alphabet letters found on the inside cover of this book. I cut them out and distribute one to each child (some may receive more than one.) They then fill out their contribution to a class book called "Clifford's Alphabet." Each page reads, "Clifford says ______ is for _________." The child writes the letter and a word beginning with that letter, then illustrates it, and colors and glue the Clifford and letter picture he/she has received. This makes a nice class book!

To review early math skills such as counting and number recognition, we use "Count on Clifford" as a starting point. I use a teacher made worksheet featuring enlarged copies of Clifford and the numerals, and the children must practice writing the numeral, drawing a set of that number, and writing the number word, which for most first graders might be a new skill. There is also a commercially-made Clifford card game which we use for early math activities.

A highlight of this unit, and often the culminating event, is our Clifford Birthday party! Of course, we begin by reading "Clifford's Birthday" and we come to school dressed in red...some years, we've even made red headbands with doggie ears! We bring any stuffed or toy dogs to school as the party guests, and a class parent brings in bone, dog and doghouse cookies (the cookie cutters came with a Clifford Cooking book.) We even use Clifford partyware!

During this unit we also read other dog stories, particularly those featuring dogs in a series of books. Some of the titles include:

Harry the Dirty Dog (Zion)
Harry and the Lady Next Door
Harry By the Sea
No Roses for Harry!
McDuff Moves In (Wells)
McDuff Comes Home
McDuff's New Friend
McDuff and the Baby
Ribsy (Cleary)
Socrates
Webster, the World's Worst Dog
The Last Puppy (Asch)
My Dog (Belanger)

We use these dog stories to compare to those of Clifford. The story of "Harry the Dirty Dog" inspires us to do our first writing workshop! After reading the story, we cut and paste 3 pictures from the book in sequential order, then write a sentence about each. We talk about the "shortest story in the world" having at least three sentences...
beginning, middle and end. We discuss what makes an interesting story, and together as a class we develop a word bank, which is a list written on the chalkboard of words which we might want to use when we write.

A cute art project that we make is a Clifford cup! Using an inverted red cup, we draw Clifford's face on the cup and add red ears hanging down from the sides! Makes a cute display!

Another early skill that we want to work on in first grade is handwriting. We use a Clifford Dictionary to do this during September. The cover is a red oval, with Clifford ears and each child draws his face. Stapled inside are 10 pieces of lined paper. Each day we write a word and sentence, starring Clifford! We discuss ABC order, and the concept of "definitions."

Also during this unit we read a few nonfiction stories about dogs, and begin to discuss "fact vs. fiction." Some books we read include:

How Puppies Grow
Four Little Puppies
The Little Puppy
Puppies Love...
Arf! Beg! Catch! Dogs from A to Z (Horenstein)
Our Puppies are Growing (Otto)
Dogs (First Discovery Book)
Puppies are Like That (Pfloog)

This Clifford poem remains a favorite for the rest of the year!

C - L - I - F (spelled)
F - O - R - D
Clifford, Clifford,
He's the dog for me!
He's BIG and he's RED and he EATS a lot!
He's the best friend that I have got!

The poem is on sentence strips in a pocket chart, and we substitute descriptive and action words. Then each child receives a copy for his/her poetry binder, and writes three words to complete the poem.

Feel free to share any ideas! etonn@worldnet.att.net

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