Tell Me a Story Activities
Episode 3
Tell me a Story is a
Literacy-based Program on CAT-TV
Produced by the Bennington Free Library
Sponsored by the Greater Bennington Tell Me a Story Project with Funding from the Vermont Humanities Council
Books featured in Episode 3
*The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch *The Very Smart Pea & the Princess-to-Be by Mini Grey
*Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole *Princess Furball by Charlotte Huck
The Paper Bag Princess
by Robert Munsch
Illustrated by
Michael Martchenko
“Elizabeth was a beautiful princess...She was going to marry a prince named Ronald. Unfortunately, a dragon smashed her castle, burned all her clothes with his fiery breath, and carried off Prince Ronald. Elizabeth decided to chase the dragon & get Ronald back. She looked everywhere for something to wear, but the only thing she could find that was not burnt was a paper bag…”
See what you can do with a paper bag…
For starters, try this hat on for size!
*Paper Bag Hat
You will need: paper bags, standard grocery size or slightly smaller
tape, glue, scissors, hole punch
ribbon, pom-poms, feathers, pipe cleaners & other craft supplies
construction paper
Roll down the top of a bag until it reaches the hat size you want to wear. Pinch the brim to adjust the fit, staple or tape it in place. Now, add craft materials and create a hat any prince or princess would be proud to wear!
*Adapted from www.familyfun.com
More Websites to Check Out:
www.robertmunsch.com
www.annickpress.com
The Very Smart Pea
and the Princess-to-Be
by Mini Grey
From pod to palace, this very smart pea takes charge of this very old tale to become a matchmaker extra-ordinaire! You, too, can take charge of growing green peas that are yummy enough to share with your family & maybe a princess or two.
Plant Peas for You & Me
You will need: pea seeds
potting soil
plastic cups
water
stickers
permanent markers
Decorate a plastic cup with stickers & marker.
Fill the cup with potting soil and drill three
holes into the soil. Drop in pea seeds. Cover
seeds with a sprinkling of soil and water. Put
on a sunny windowsill & watch them grow!
Mini Treasure Box Necklace
The Pea in this story became “A Very Important Artifact” displayed in a very special case. Make this matchbox necklace for one of your favorite mini-treasures.
You will need: empty matchbox
beads, glitter, gel pens, sequins
decorative paper
ribbon or yarn, 34”
Decorate the outside of the box with lots of
materials. Slide the length of ribbon or yarn through the box top and knot the ends. Find a
tiny treasure & tuck inside.
Princess Smartypants
By Babette Cole
Princess Smartypants is pretty, rich and single and she’d like to stay that way. She wants to live in her castle with her pets and do exactly as she pleases. Make a friendly dragon to keep the Princess company as she fends off suitors and fends for herself.
Friendly Dragon
You will need: 12, 4” squares
card stock for the tongue, feet & tail
scissors, glue
wiggly eyes
In this step, always fold the right sides of the paper together. Fold a square in half. Open the fold. Refold in the other direction. Open the fold. Fold corner to corner, & open the fold. Turn the square over. Push down on center fold, so the center points down. Continue to bring the diagonal fold lines together, & flatten shape into a perfect square (1/4 the size of the original square). Repeat with remaining squares. To form the body, glue first 2 squares together w/folded point to folded point. Rotate 3rd square one-half turn to the right so the square opens out to the side instead of up & down. Glue to the 2nd square. Glue on the 4th square, matching folded point to folded point. Rotate the 5th square one-half turn to the left and glue it on. Repeat this pattern, gluing next square folded point to folded point. Glue on the last 2 squares folded point to folded point. Stretch out dragon & let it dry completely. Use card stock to create mouth & tongue. Open the first fold & glue mouth to the top of the first square on the inside. Add paper tail & feet. Finish with a pair of wiggly eyes.
Princess Furball
By Charlotte Huck
Illustrated by Anita Lobel
Forget the fairy godmother and magic wand for this Cinderella tale. Princess Furball takes things into her own hands and still manages to charm a handsome king—with her brains, her beauty & her SOUP!
Veggie Soup Fit for a King
You will need:
2 potatoes, diced 1 carrot, diced
4cups water 1/2 lb. snow peas
3 garlic cloves 2 zucchini, diced
1 tsp. salt 1 gr. pepper, strips
1/2 lb. green beans minced herbs
1 cup broccoli
Place potatoes & water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat & simmer until potatoes are soft.
Add garlic & simmer a few minutes more. Puree potatoes & garlic in cooking water. Add salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
Steam the vegetables until tender. Heat the potato puree shortly before serving. Stir in the steamed veggies and add a light
sprinkling of herbs.
Crunchy Soup Croutons
You will need: baguette
olive oil
Brush thin slices of baguette on both sides with oil. Bake on a tray in a 350 F. oven until crisp, (8-12 minutes,
depending on the thickness).
More Books to Share:
*East of the Sun & West of the Moon
by Mercer Mayer
*The Frog Prince,Continued
by John Scieszka
*The Invisible Princess
by Faith Ringgold
*The Princess and the Moon
by Daisaku Ikeda
*Princess Gorilla and a New Kind of Water
by Verna Aardema
*Snow White
by The Brothers Grimm
*The Storytelling Princess
by Rafe Martin
*The Tale of the Firebird
by Gennady Spirin
Click for Episode 1 Activity Page
Click for Episode 2 Activity Page
Click for Episode 4 Activity Page
Click for Episode 5 Activity Page