LESSON ELEMENTS from VOL. 1: My COMPLICATED Week
The materials below were designed to assist educators, parents, grandparents, and other adults who are using the Annabelle-Please-Don’t-Tell! books to help children understand concepts, express ideas and questions, absorb information, and practice skills. The lists and ideas may be used in preparation for readings and discussions at home, or in the construction of lesson plans for the classroom. They may be coordinated with the activities on our “Fun to Do” page for children. You are invited to share your own ideas and experiences on our Grown-Ups’ blog.
CONCEPTS:
Primary Concept: Dealing with complications that seem perplexing, overwhelming, and/or frightening.
Secondary Concepts:
Persevering to acquire information, improve skills, increase self-confidence, and enjoy a life of continual growth.
Giving, and receiving, assistance and encouragement.
Prudently trusting self and others.
Delighting in differing perceptions among diverse characters (including, of course, the dog).
Crafting a compromise that benefits everyone.
Circle Discussion Ideas:
Teachers may sit in a circle with children to discuss ideas from the book that are relevant to their own lives. Parents, grandparents, and other caregivers can use these discussion ideas in at home. Here are some topics from My COMPLICATED Week.
- 1. Each of the main characters has complicated tasks and wishes. These include physical challenges (e.g., properly installing bike pedals) and abstract ones (e.g., resolving a problem with a best friend). What complications are dealt with in each chapter?
- 2. How do the characters help and encourage one another?
- 3. What examples of teamwork did you notice in this book?
- 4. When does Annabelle learn a lesson about trusting her Dad’s mystifying advice and trusting herself?
- 5. Why does Annabelle suggest to Kayla that they keep their trade secret? How does Kayla react to this suggestion?
- 6. When is Annabelle afraid that Andrew will accidentally give away a secret? How does Andrew handle the challenge of keeping it?
- 7. How does Grandma handle the situation when she catches Annabelle and Andrew doing something they shouldn’t do? How do you feel about the way Grandma handled it?
MATH & Pre-GEOMETRY:
My COMPLICATED Week uses cookie baking to present measuring. In this same context, “dozen” and “half dozen,” are defined and multiple dozens are considered. Addition and subtraction are presented, including demonstration of borrowing for subtraction, and calculating “leftover” amounts. Another chapter describes the deconstruction of a one-piece costume into 6 pieces so that 5 inserts can be used to enlarge the costume.
VOCABULARY with Page Numbers:
complicated book cover
floating 9
wiggles 9
rumbling 9
kitchen 9
giggles 12
laughing 12
prefers 13
sparkly 13
Peru 13
gigantic 14
wrench 14
announces 16
tightens 16
training 19
balance 20
scratchy 20
asphalt 20
breath 20
leash 22
traffic 22
sweaty 26
Kayla 28
favorite 28
thumbs-up 29
nickname 29
pedaling 29
secretly 29
enough 29
Jupiter 31
luckily 33
pretending 37
serious 37
confused 37
computer 38
irises 38
hydrangeas 42
permitted 45
medium-size 47
whispers 49
because 49
costumes 51
expressions 52
remember 53
pointing 54
shelves 54
pretend 54
hungrier 54
friendly 55
icing 55
pieces 55
stretch 55
backward 56
dessert 56
spaghetti 59
quickly 59
molecule 59
Elizabeth 59
science 59
fingers 59
stickers 60
shuttle 60
figure 61
explain 61
everything 61
astronaut 62
returns 62
underneath 62
tricycle 62
parade 66
echo 69
protect 69
maintain 69
continues 70
wobbles 70
beginning 70
tomorrow 70
afternoon 70
delicious 73
sifter 73
measured 74
extract 74
ingredient 74
cinnamon 74
raisins 74
fortune 76
oatmeal 77
squeeze 78
managed 79
delicious 79
powdery 80
disappears 80
dough 80
exactly 80
expand 80
balloons 80
crooked 82
sandwiches 84
treasure 84
dozen 86
delectable 87
practiced 88
teamwork 89
Lillian 89
including 89
nineteen 89
contains 92
broccoli 92
confident 95
earrings 96
dangle 96
watermelon 97
gobbles 97
grocery 98
delivery 100
Trevor 101
carrying 101
message 102
definition 102
dictionary 102
worth 103
stares 103
written 103
foreheads 103
guessing 104
drawer 104
chocolate 104
fitness 104
Emily 104
sneaking 105
gather 105
oddly-shaped 105
fantastic 105
saxophone 105
weird 107
Daniel 107
puzzled 109
imaginary 109
discover 110
leftover 110
suitcases 111
explode 112
permission 112
sneeze 112
confess 113
adventures 113
Merriday 114
recipe 114