Grade Levels: K-3

These family and homeschool activities are designed to complement the Jon Scieszka topic on BrainPOP Jr.

Your Own Tale

Read a variety of fairy tales or folktales together. What elements are similar across the genre? Guide your child to see how these tales often begin with “once upon a time” or end with “happily ever after.” You may want to point out how many stories have a lesson or moral, or feature animals that talk or other imaginary and magical characters. Then challenge your child to write or tell his or her own fairy tale. Encourage your child to create an outline, write a rough draft, revise, edit, proofread, and illustrate the story. Then share it with friends and family as the final stage of the publishing process.

Another Curse!

Read Math Curse together. Try to solve the math problems together. If the problem is too hard, above level, or impossible, then challenge your child to write another math problem to take its place. On a separate piece of paper, have your child write and illustrate his or her math problem. If you own the book, slip your child’s page into it. You may want to revisit the book and see if your child can answer more questions at a later date, and create more problems.