I was so sad to hear that Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert passed away this week. Both contributed so much to children’s literature and leave an amazing literary legacy. In both the classroom and in my own home, their books are favorites! So here are my three favorite books from both Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert with activities for each.

Eric Carle Activities and Books

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book by Eric Carle Activities

Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Published: June 1969
Quick Summary: Colors, Days of the Week, and Counting seemingly blended together in a fun and beautifully illustrated story. The story is about a little caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Activities:

1) This is my favorite- sequencing!

Put the food in the order of how the caterpillar ate it! Teacher’s Pay Teachers has a free download for a similar worksheet here. And a butterfly lifecycle one here.

2) Symmetry activity

Paint one side of a butterfly on a piece of paper, fold it in half to make a full butterfly!

The Mixed-Up Chameleon Book by Eric Carle Activities

Book: The Mixed Up Chameleon
Published: 1975
Quick Summary: The Chameleon is tired of being a lizard. There are so many more exciting animals! The chameleon learns that there it’s awesome to be yourself.

The Mixed Up Chameleon Activities

1) Sequencing and Story Telling

Teachers Pay Teachers has a great free download packet with several different storytelling and sequencing activities here. You could also have the students journal about what animal they would try to be first.

2) Mix It Up!

Pick three different animals. Now mix up parts of those animals into one mixed up animal!! Or if your crafters are younger, print or cut out different animals that they can mix up without having to draw them.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear Book by Eric Carle Activities

Book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear (Eric Carle Illustrated this book)
Published: 1967
Quick Summary: This is one of my favorite pre-reading board books! Kids quickly start to pick up on the order of the animals and ‘read’ the book themselves. The children see so many animals with so many different colors.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear Activities

1) Sequencing

Teacher’s Pay Teachers has a good free printable for this here. Put the animals in the order that the children see them in the book!

2) Matching

Cut out some colored circles that match with the colors from the book. Work together to match the circles with the animals in the book.

Other Wonderful books by Eric Carle

Lois Ehlert Books and Activities

Leaf Man Book by Lois Ehlert Activities

Book: Leaf Man
Published: September 2005
Quick Summary: Follow the leaf man as he goes on an epic adventure and finds lots of other things in nature.

Leaf Man Activities

1) Make a LEAF MAN!

Take a nature walk and pick up some things that you can use to make your own leaf man! Use liquid glue to attach the pieces and if you want it to last- make everything on the page flat and laminate it or use clear packing tap over it.

2) Journal It

What journey would your leaf man go on? What else could you make with the leaves that could go on an adventure??

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Book by Lois Ehlert Activities

Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Lois Ehlert illustrated this book)
Published: 1989
Quick Summary: The lowercase letters are racing up the alphabet tree, but then BOOM! All the letters fall down and the capitol letters have to come help them up. It’s a fun, rhyming, alphabet classic!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities

1) Decorate the Tree

Make a tree out of felt and take turns putting the letters on the tree and BOOM BOOM, let them fall off! If felt is to expensive or difficult, cut out the letters and tree from construction paper. When you want the letters to fall, you can just pick up the paper!

2) Match Upper and Lower Case Letters

Teachers Pay Teachers has a free download right here you can use.
Or you can write capitol letters on a tree you’ve drawn and then write the lower case letters on blank stickers. Then they stick the lower case letters on to the upper case letters.

Growing Vegetable Soup Book by Lois Ehlert

Book: Growing Vegetable Soup
Published: 1987
Quick Summary: This is a great introduction to understanding that food comes from gardens, farms and other sources. It’s a fun story and might encourage kids to eat more vegetables!

Growing Vegetable Soup Activities

1) Grow a Bean in a Window!

Beans sprout pretty quickly, so they are fun to start growing in the window! Grab a clear baggie, a very wet paper towel and a bean! Seal the bag and tape it up to a window and watch the bean grow!

2) Make a Recipe Card

Make a recipe card based on the book. Gather the ingredients together. Then make the vegetable soup together and try it!!

Other Wonderful books by Lois Ehlert

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