One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish Lesson Plan
Use the Dr. Seuss Book to Teach Reading Skills and Math Patterns
Feb 16, 2009
Since its release in 1960 by Random House, the book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss has inspired kids of all ages to read. Primary teachers can use Dr. Seuss’s text filled with rhyming, high frequency words to teach language arts and math lessons.
Create a One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish Class Book
Primary school students can use story One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss [Random House, 1960] to practicing reading and writing. The teacher reads the trade book with the students and explains that they will change the words in One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish to write a class book.
The teacher tells the class that will substitute the words first grader or kid for fish in the story. The class refers to the first six pages of One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish to compose their own version. The teacher writes the new story on chart paper.
The students work in groups to illustrate One First Grader Two First Graders Red First Graders Blue First Graders. The story pages are then bound into a class big book. The students build fluency skills by using their story for repeated readings.
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish Word Activities
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish can be used to teach phonogram or word units. Dr. Seuss uses rhyming words and phrases throughout the book that increase students’ awareness of and ability to read different word endings.
Teachers can use the One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish as a foundation for phonics or decoding lessons by creating a Dr. Seuss word wall. After the class reads and discusses a new word chunk, such as the “ish” phonogram in fish, the teacher adds the “ish” words from the story to the word wall. Words with the same ending are written in the same color.
The teacher repeats the procedure with the rest of the phonograms she wants the students to be able to learn. The students review the words on the classroom word wall and use highlighter tape to identify the words in the Dr. Seuss book.
The teacher can also create a Word Family Match Game with the Dr. Seuss word wall words. The words are written on index cards and placed face down on a table. When a student turns over two words with the same phonogram or word chunk they get to keep them. Whoever has the most card pairs at the end of the game wins.
Teach Red Fish Blue Fish Math Patterns
Primary school teachers can use One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish as an introduction to a math pattern lesson. The teacher uses colored fish-shaped crackers to represent a math pattern. The students use crackers to replicate the teacher’s pattern at their desks. The teacher then passes out worksheets with different fish color patterns on them and the students use their snack fish to complete the patterns.
When students are able to successfully create the patterns on the worksheet the teacher can set up a One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish math center in the classroom. Laminated cut-outs of different color, shape, and size fish are placed in a basket. The students can use the fish manipulatives to complete fish patterns on the provided worksheets.
How to Make Red Fish Blue Jell-O® Bowl Snacks
Students can celebrate successful completion of the One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish reading and math lessons by making and eating a fish themed treat. Teachers should follow the directions on the back of the box to make blue Jell-O®. The mix is then poured into clear plastic disposable cups and allowed to chill for 1 ½ to 2 hours. When the Jell-O® begins to thicken a red gummy fish is pressed into the blue mixture. The Red Fish Blue Jell-O® Bowls are then chilled for an additional 2 hours until firm.
When primary teachers use the trade book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss to teach reading and math concepts students have fun while learning.
For more Dr. Seuss lesson plans read: The Cat in the Hat Language Arts Lesson Plan, Dr. Seuss Sound Words Language Arts Lesson Plan, and Dr. Seuss Writing and Vocabulary Lesson Plan.
