Ten Flashing fireflies by Philemon Sturges, is a wonderful book to read to your littles. It has soft nighttime illustrations that help bring the feeling of catching fireflies to life. It brings back loving memories for me when I was little. I loved catching fireflies in a jar when I was little. I would put them on my nightstand and when I was sound asleep, my grandparents would take the jar and let them all go. The next night I would get to go out and catch them again. It was always so much fun and a summertime activity I looked forward to each year. Maybe your littles can listen to this fun text, then wait for night fall and collect fireflies for their night stand.
Read Aloud
Here is the read aloud for you to enjoy with your little:
Read Aloud with Activities
The read aloud with the activity will look different each time we read. For Ten Flashing Fireflies we will read the book and use the ten frame at the same time.
*** Parents: As we are reading the book please stop the video and allow your little to manipulate the counters and answer the questions themselves. Also if your child is able to allow them to write the math problems to help them understand the addition and subtraction facts that match the ten frame.***
Then we will do an art project for your little to watch and try at home. There is also a writing activity you can do with your little.
Ten Flashing Fireflies with Activities
Ten Frame:
- Materials: ten frame jar, 10 yellow counters (circles, skittles, counters, M&M’s, what ever you have), book or the read aloud
- Activity: We will read and move counters into the ten frame jar. Then I will ask: How many are in the jar? How many more do we need to fill up the jar? How many did we take away from the sky? How many are left? For older children you can have them write the addition and subtraction facts for the number 10 based on the number in the jar and the number out of the jar. You can also discuss one less and one more with them.
*** Parents: As we are reading the book please stop the video and allow your little to manipulate the counters and answer the questions themselves. Also if your child is able to allow them to write the math problems to help them understand the addition and subtraction facts that match the ten frame.***
Art:
- Materials: crayons, black water color paint, paint brush, white paper
- Activity: Have your little draw a picture with yellow fireflies in the sky. They need to press very hard and make sure the crayon is on thick. Then they will lightly paint with the black paint over the picture. The crayon should resist the water color so they can see their fireflies and trees and the paper will be black.
*** Parent: for the very little 2-3 years old, you will want to have the picture drawn and ready for them to paint. ***
Writing:
- Have your little catch fireflies in a jar. Then have them write a story about what they did to collect the fireflies. Make sure to have them illustrate the story. You could also take pictures of the catching the fireflies and have them write about what they are doing in each picture.
- Have your little make up a story about the fireflies and what they are doing, thinking, eating, etc. Make sure to have them illustrate the picture. This would be a great activity to create a comic strip.
