I Wanna Iguana
by Karen Kaufman Orloff
Illlustrated by David Catrow

Karen Kaufman Orloff

Meet the Illustrator
 

Respond to this book on the Powers Ferry blog

Consider using the Frayer Model to organize your discussion of these words.
 

Curriculum Connections
 

Have you ever tried to convince your parents to let you have something?

Literacy/Language Arts

Persuasive Writing

• Chart the reasons Alex gave his mom
• Chart the reasons Mom gave Alex
• Notice the points and counterpoints that they make

Commas - Notice the use of commas in the body of the first letter from Alex

Letter Writing

• The parts of a letter
• Notice the different closings
• Notice the different signatures
• Introduce P.S.
• See Related Websites below

Reading Strategy:  Making Connections - After reading I Wanna Iguana students can make text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections.  For more information on this strategy visit Making Connections Web Resources.  Have students use Kidspiration to publish their work.

Activities Integrating Technology
 

Timeliner - Create animal life cycles.  Add pictures and sound and view it as a presentation.

Kidspiration/Inspiration -

• Create two super groups (Kidspiration):  Wants/Needs, Animals that are good for pets/Animals that are not good for pets
• Create word web for pets.  Add connections for food, care, etc.

Graph Club - The following questions could be asked in order to create graphs:

• What kind of pets do you have (home/classroom)?
• If you could choose a pet which one would you choose?

Video Streaming - Listed below are titles that are available at www.unitedstreaming.com.  Please preview any videos before using them with students.  You may also want to import the video into PowerPoint and then create questions to use with Beyond Question. 

• Animal Profiles:  Lizards
• All About Animals:  Reptiles
• Introduction to Picture Books:  Stories About Pets
• Pets and Their Care

Related Websites
 

Internet Extensions - Has several links for related information.

Booktalk - A quick introduction for this book.

Lesson Plan:  Persuasive Writing - This lesson includes a nice rubric.

Clifford the Big Red Dog - Write a letter to Clifford or Emily Elizabeth and they will immediately write back.  Great introduction to letters for Kindergarten.  This site is accessible through netTrekker and the read aloud feature can be used to read the letters aloud.

How to Write a Friendly Letter - This is a PowerPoint file that could easily be integrated with Beyond Question.

Letter Generator - An interactive tool that allows students to explore the parts of a letter then compose and print their own.

Dinosaur Dilemma - A webquest that has students researching dinosaurs in order to choose which one would be best suited to live in their backyard.  The students then write a letter to their parents to explain their choice.

Updated On:  January 4, 2007