1. Arkansas Association of Intructional Media
Making Connections to the Real World through the Literature of Dr. Seuss
Arkansas Association of Intructional Media
AAIM
Blazing New Trails
April 3-5, 2011
Hot Springs, AR

2. The Wonderful World of Dr. Seuss and the 10 Themes of Social Studies
Nancy P. Gallavan, Ph.D.
Professor
University of Central Arkansas (UCA)
Department of Teaching & Learning; MAT Program

3. NCSS Theme 1. Culture
The Cat in
the Hat
(1957)

4. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
NCSS Theme 1. Culture
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
(1958)

5. The Cat in the Hat Songbook
NCSS Theme 1. Culture
The Cat in the Hat Songbook
(1967)

6. NCSS Theme 1. Culture
The Sneetches
and Other Stories
(1961)

7. The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961)
Culture Wheel
Give each student a copy of the Culture Wheel. Discuss the various cultural characteristics.
You may select more, less, or different characteristics.
Ask each student to identify her or his cultural characteristics by writing in each segment of the Culture Wheel. You may want students to complete the Culture Wheel with a family member. Be sure to write an appropriate introductory letter with this assignment.
Place students with a partner or into small groups to share their Culture Wheels.

8. The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961)
race
gender
age
ethnicity
religion
nationality
appearance
language

9. NCSS Theme 2. Time, Continuity, & Change
Dr. Seuss’s
Sleep Book
(1962)

10. NCSS Theme 2. Time, Continuity, & Change
You’re Only
Old Once
(1986)

11. NCSS Theme 2. Time, Continuity, & Change
My Many
Colored Days
(1996)

12. NCSS Theme 2. Time, Continuity, & Change
The Zax
from
The Sneetches
and Other Stories
(1961)

13. from The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961)
The Zax
from The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961)
Conflict Management
Select a controversial issue about which you feel quite strong or passionate. In the left oval, describe the issue from your point of view. In the right oval, describe the issue from the opposing point of view.
In the overlapping section of the diagram, describe how you could manage the conflict through compromise so you don’t become a Zax.

14. NCSS Theme 2. Time, Continuity, & Change
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
(1938)

15. Packet Resources for Timeline
Bartholomew goes to town.
Bartholomew meets the King in his carriage.
Bartholomew is carried up to the palace by the Captain of the King’s Guards.
Bartholomew goes to the Throne Room.
Bartholomew meets Sir Alaric –Keeper of the Records.
Bartholomew meets Yeoman of the Bowmen.
Bartholomew meets the Magicians.
Bartholomew meets the Executioner.
Bartholomew, the King and the Grand Duke led Bartholomew to highest turret to push him off.
Sir Alaric notices the hats began to change!
451 had two feathers.
The 500th Hat sells to the King for 500 pieces of gold.
Bartholomew gets to go home.
Packet Resources for Timeline

16. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938)
Timeline Activity
Students will create timelines using Bartholomew Cubin's hats. Explain to students how a timeline is a sequence of events that occur in order.
Divide students in groups; handout butcher paper size posters and rulers. In group packets have strips of events, hats for students to design their timelines. Read the story.
Brainstorm with students what events happened in the story. Have them make a timeline marking each event in order as it appeared in the story. Advise students to be sure the hats are in correct order on the timeline too.
Have students paste their timelines together in sequence and explain why they used the order they did.

17. NCSS Theme 3. People, Places, & Environment
Hunches in Bunches
(1982)

18. NCSS Theme 3. People, Places, & Environment
Oh! The Places
You’ll Go
(1990)

19. NCSS Theme 3. People, Places, & Environment
The Lorax
(1971)

20. The Lorax (1971)
Debate
The story of the Lorax serves as a catalyst for debating the multiple uses of land to serve and please the public. To organize a debate in your classroom, begin by asking students to brainstorm the various used of land. Ideas might include:
Leave it natural
Preserve it as a national park
Allow recreational commercial use
Construct residential housing
Build small commercial businesses
Develop an industrial area
Then divide the class so each use has four or five students representing it. Allow time for students to plan ways to strengthen their agendas. Then take turns presenting ideas and debating choices.

21. NCSS Theme 4. Individual Development & Identity
Green Eggs
and Ham
(1960)

22. NCSS Theme 4. Individual Development & Identity
My Book About Me
(1969)

23. NCSS Theme 4. Individual Development & Identity
I Can Lick Tigers Today and Other Stories
(1969)

24. NCSS Theme 4. Individual Development & Identity
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky
You Are?
(1973)

25. NCSS Theme 4. Individual Development & Identity
What Was I Scared Of? Glow-in-the-Dark Encounter
(1973)

26. A Glow-in-the-Dark Encounter (1973)
What Was I Scared Of?
A Glow-in-the-Dark Encounter (1973)
Journal Writing
explore factors that contribute to one’s personal identity such as interests, capabilities, and perceptions;
analyze a particular event to identify reasons individuals might respond to it in different ways;
In this activity students explore the meaning of objects. Objects tell a story about us and the perpetual process of design that is central to human existence. Students will conduct research on the history of pants, and write an imaginary story about a pair of pants. They will host a presentation to share their journal stories.
Optional: Give each student a magazine. Have them cut out a picture that contains a pair of pants. Have students create a group story about a pair of pants.

27. NCSS Theme 5. Individuals Groups, & Institutions
The King’s Stilts
(1939)

28. NCSS Theme 5. Individuals Groups, & Institutions
If I Ran the Zoo
(1950)

29. NCSS Theme 5. Individuals Groups, & Institutions
If I Ran the Circus
(1956)

30. NCSS Theme 5. Individuals Groups, & Institutions
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
(1975)

31. NCSS Theme 5. Individuals Groups, & Institutions
Hooray For Diffendoofer Day
(1986)

32. Hooray For Diffendoofer Day (1986)
Give students a copy of the graphic organizer with the circles. Tell students to label the center circle as themselves. Then work your way around the circle.
Each of the circles represents a different teacher or staff member at the school. Students should label each circle and include a few descriptive phrases noting how that particular person is special and unique.

33. NCSS Theme 6. Power, Authority, & Governance
I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew
(1965)

34. NCSS Theme 6. Power, Authority, & Governance
Marvin K. Mooney, Would You Please Go Now!
(1972)

35. NCSS Theme 6. Power, Authority, & Governance
Horton Hears a Who
(1954)

36. Smallest Shirker, Jo-Jo
Horton Hears a Who (1954)
Design a hierarchical concept map of the Who-ville town. Discuss with how a hierarchy shows who answers to whom and the importance of voices in a democracy. Have students design a concept map of their own town, city or life at home.
Mayor of Who-ville
Who-ville People
Smallest Shirker, Jo-Jo

37. NCSS Theme 7. Production, Distribution, & Consumption
McElligot’s Pool (1954)

38. NCSS Theme 7. Production, Distribution, & Consumption
Fox In Socks
(1965)

39. NCSS Theme 7. Production, Distribution, & Consumption
How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (1995)

40. How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (1995)
Students will design a time capsule after doing an archeological dig of their trash. Day before activity, student should look in their own home trash and write down up to 10 items; five items can be food, five items should not be food. Arrange students in groups of four to five.
Step 1: Have them select five items from their archeological dig they would like to place in the time capsule.
Step 2: Have the group develop five more items to place in the capsule, so 100 years from now, historians can develop theories about what people produced, distributed and consumed in the year 2009.
Step 3: Have student design a group time-capsule on ½ poster board, present their items and display around the room.

41. NCSS Theme 8. Science, Technology, & Society
And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street
(1937)

42. NCSS Theme 8. Science, Technology, & Society
On Beyond Zebra
(1955)

43. NCSS Theme 8. Science, Technology & Society
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
(1949)

44. Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949)
Writing Exercise.
Inventions impact on society, the pros and cons.
Use the book as a source to show the pros/cons of Oobleck.
Pros Cons
Brainstorm with the class after reading the book the pros/cons of the Oobleck.
Have students develop an idea for a new invention. Be sure they list the pros/cons for that invention and how it would impact society. Writing Prompt: What would happen if you could invent something new? If I could invent ___________________. Or
Describe something you'd like to invent (realistic or outlandish) that would make your life easier.

45. NCSS Theme 9. Global Connections
Scrambled Eggs Super
(1953)

46. NCSS Theme 9. Global Connections
Thidwick
The Big-Hearted Moose
(1948)

47. NCSS Theme 9. Global Connections
The Butter Battle Book
(1983)

48. The Butter Battle Book (1983)
Role Playing
Read the book aloud to the class
Divide the class into groups of no more than three students in each group for a total number of even-numbered groups.
Assign the groups as either Yooks and Zooks.
Ask each group to identify their situation.
Then team one group of Yooks with one group of Zooks.
The first task is to role play the story to understand the battle.
The second task is to create a new, workable ending.

49. NCSS Theme 10. Civic Ideals and Practices
Horton Hatches the Egg
(1940)

50. NCSS Theme 10. Civic Ideals and Practices
One Fish,
Two Fish,
Red Fish,
Blue Fish
(1960)

51. NCSS Theme 10. Civic Ideals & Practices
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
(1958)

52. Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (1958)
Mock Trial Grades 3-6th
Case Scenario—Yertle is the dictatorial and oppressive king of a pond. He decides his kingdom is too small and demands that the other turtles stand on each other’s backs to build a high, then higher, then higher throne for the Mighty Yertle. Yertle’s reign is toppled by a simple, innocent act committed by the lowest turtle in the stack.
Original story adds a new angle. One of the turtles in the middle of the stack is name Sadie. Sadie’s mom was angry and said that King Yertle had no right to tell a young turtle to bear the weight of other turtles. Sadie’s local reptile doctor finds a thin crack in her shell which may never heal properly.

53. Thank you!

54. And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street 1937
The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins 1938
King's Stilts
Horton Hatches the Egg
McElligot's Pool
Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
If I Ran the Zoo
Scrambled Eggs Super!
Horton Hears a Who
On Beyond Zebra!
If I Ran the Circus
Cat in the Hat
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Cat in the Hat Comes Back
Yertle the Turtle & Other Stories
Happy Birthday to You

55. Green Eggs and Ham
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish 1960
Dr. Seuss Sleep Book
Dr. Seuss ABC
Hop on Pop
Fox in Socks
The Foot Book
I Can Lick Thirty Tigers Today and Other Stories 1969
My Book About Me
Sneetches and Other Stories
I Can Draw It Myself:
By Me, Myself with a Little Help from My Friend Dr. Seuss
1970
Mister Brown Can Moo, Can You
The Lorax
Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now 1972
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? 1973

56. Shape Of Me and Other Stuff 1973
Great Day for Up!
There's a Wocket in My Pocket!
Oh! The Thinks You Can Think!
I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
Oh, Say Can You Say?
Hunches in Bunches
The Butter Battle Book
You're Only Old Once
I Am Not Going to Get up Today!
The Seven Lady Godivas
The Tough Coughs as He Ploughs the Dough 1987
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew 1992
Daisy-Head Mayzie
My Many Colored Days
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!