Guia Keiko Kasza
Guia Keiko Kasza
Guia Keiko Kasza
Curriculum
Connections
with
Keiko Kasza
A Teacher’s Guide to
Using the Books Written and Illustrated
by Keiko Kasza
For Use in Grades K-4
Guide developed by Junko Yokota
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................3
ABOUT KEIKO KASZA..............................................................................................................3
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................................3
VISUAL LITERARY: INTERPRETING AND UNDERSTANDING THE ILLUSTRATIONS.......5
UNDERSTANDING LITERARY ELEMENTS..............................................................................6
ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
LIBRARY CONNECTION............................................................................................7
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS CONNECTIONS.....................................................7
LANGUAGE ARTS CONNECTIONS.........................................................................8
SOCIAL STUDIES CONNECTION.........................................................................9
THE ARTS CONNECTIONS...................................................................................10
SCIENCE CONNECTION.........................................................................................10
MATH CONNECTION...............................................................................................11
HEALTH CONNECTIONS..........................................................................................11
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Keiko Kasza’s picture books delight readers of all ages. She is a worst grade. Now, as an illustrator and writer, her goal is to
storyteller who selects her words carefully so that through create text and art that is simple, uncluttered, and funny. She
minimal text, she communicates effectively. Her stories have uses child-like language and child-appealing art to tell her
enormous child appeal because their themes center on issues stories. She believes that it was her childhood of playing
that matter to children—friendship, family, growing up, self- with neighborhood children (with minimal adult intervention)
concept, and so forth. She offers messages that empower chil- that taught her the “life lessons” about relationships and
dren, yet her books are not didactic. Moreover, her charming how children think and feel.
illustrations convey much of the meaning of each story
humorously so that viewers enjoy studying the pictures.
Without a doubt, Kasza’s books are to be enjoyed repeatedly
A NNOTATED
by children, and teachers will find many opportunities to help B IBLIOGRAPHY:
engage them as learners. This guide offers an overview of her RESÚMENES DE LIBROS
New!
works and a few ideas for extending the reading experience The Dog Who Cried Wolf
itself into curricular connections that maximize the learning Moka the dog is happy to spend time with his owner, Michelle,
opportunities for children. Making connections between books until the day she reads him a book about wolves. She tells
and across multiple learning opportunities will surely enhance him that he is kind of like a wolf. That discovery then leads
the book experience for children! Moka to contemplate how wolves run free, hunt wild animals
and stay up late to howl at the moon while he is nothing but
A BOUT K EIKO K ASZA a house pet who is made to dress up for Michelle’s tea par-
ties. He sneaks away, runs to a mountain top and leads the
Keiko Kasza was born and free life—but finds that catching your own food and encoun-
raised on a small island in tering real wolves is not as enticing as he thought.
Japan. As is typical in 0-399-24247-3 hc
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V ISUAL LITERACY:
INTERPRETING A N D
U NDERSTANDING
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
Kasza’s books offer the youngest of viewers an opportunity
to experience images that help them hone their ability to
make sense of illustrations. Her illustrations do much more
than merely reiterate the text with good pictures; they offer
viewers as much information about the story as the text
does, and in this way they present a more complete experi-
ence for the child reader. In fact, much of the humor of her
stories is conveyed through the illustrations, and the conclu-
sion of most of her books is typically presented entirely
through illustration alone. Visual literacy is a form of com-
prehension, and it needs to be taught and honed as much as
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As you read the entire book aloud, you may want to pose • Setting – All of
key questions throughout the story that have them focus on Kasza’s books pro-
deepening their understanding of the story by interpreting vide a mixture of
the illustrations. After reading the entire story to students, reality and make-believe in the settings, with most aspects
go back and have students come up with words to describe tipping the scale toward make-believe where animals that
the wolf’s actions and thoughts that go beyond what the don’t normally interact with one another live in a setting that
words in the story express. is a predominantly “human” world. However, in The Dog Who
Cried Wolf, Michelle is a human girl so the logic of her living
in a house for humans is more “real” than in most of Kasza’s
other books. Look through the illustrations in her books and
make separate lists of the real aspects and the make-believe
aspects of the settings.
• Trama
Plot – In When the Elephant Walks, the story unfolds
through a series of actions, one causing another to happen.
In a circular pattern, this story both starts and ends with the
elephant and a mouse. Read other Kasza titles to see if this
circular pattern is used in any other title.
cakes were from the wolf, and proclaims to all her children
A CROSS THE C URRICULUM that they were not presents from Santa Claus but that they
WITH K ASZA’S BOOKS were from Uncle Wolf. What inferences did the chicken make
in stating their earlier assumption that the gifts were from
Library Connection Santa Claus? What inferences did she make in now attribut-
Finding Books in the Library ing them to “Uncle” Wolf? Look at the pages on which the
Explain to students that books are organized in specific ways in illustration shows the wolf with the mother chicken and then
a library. Show them the call number on all of Kasza’s books with all one hundred of the baby chicks. The text does not
and how they can find other books she has written by looking give any clues as to how the wolf felt. But the illustrations say
in the picture book section under the author’s last name. it all — they specifically show emotions of how the wolf must
Although there are no other authors currently creating books have felt when he was compared to Santa Claus when he had
for children with the same last name, use this opportunity to intended to eat the chicken as soon as she was fat enough.
explain to children how books are organized by last name, then
In The Dog Who Cried Wolf, there is a line stating, “And even
by first name if there are multiple authors with the same last
a field mouse made fun of him.” Clearly, it is through the
name, and then alphabetically by title within each author’s set
illustration that children must visually infer what the field
of books. If you bring in nonfiction books for the science con-
mouse did and how he made fun of Moka the dog. Children
nections, show children how books are organized by topic, and
must make the inference that the mouse dug a hole to
that the Dewey numbers group books of similar topics togeth-
escape from Moka and has surfaced behind Moka, unseen,
er. Take a trip to the library to practice finding books.
and is making a teasing face to the dog’s back side.
Problem Solving
Children need opportunities to see examples of others solv-
ing problems, and to see themselves as problem solvers. In
many of Kasza’s books, the protagonist encounters a prob-
lem to be solved.
In The Rat and the Tiger, when Tiger pushes Rat too far by
bullying him constantly, Rat declares him to be a big, mean
bully and that the two are no longer friends. At this point,
children can discuss problem-solving strategies — what can
be done to save this friendship? Fortunately, the story begins
with the two friends recanting this problem as a “past prob-
lem”. The reader will know that the two are now best friends
again so they can be reassured that Rat and Tiger have
figured out how to save their friendship.
Critical Thinking Skills Connections
Making Inferences Sequencing
Learning to read facts that are presented in order to infer One of the ways children can learn about sequencing events
information that is not explicitly stated is an important crit- in an order that makes sense is to work from a published story.
ical thinking skill that requires attention to detail and trying Have the children draw a series of 4-7 events following the
to figure out additional information. Challenge students by reading of a story. They should use a separate piece of paper
asking them what they can infer at various points in each for each event drawing. Number each picture in order on the
story when an unstated detail can be inferred from text or back. Shuffle the pictures around. Ask the children to
through the pictures. rearrange and check for accuracy by comparing the numbers
For example, in The Wolf ’s Chicken Stew, the chicken discov- on the back of the pictures. This is a particularly good activ-
ers that the delicious presents of cake, doughnuts and pan-
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ity as a lead-in to doing a retelling. Children can use their pic- a book about wolves. The expression on his face seems to
tures for cues as they do an oral retelling of the story, recant- indicate that he is thinking about what he sees in the book.
ing the events and details as they remember them. What might be on his mind?
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Keiko Kasza creates her illustrations with watercolors. Her Bringing nonfiction books to the attention of children can help
style of using simple strokes to create child-like images has a them see the connections between real animal behavior and
particular appeal to the young readers of her books. Her how Kasza plays those qualities out in her stories. You may
cartoon-style is appropriate for reflecting the light-hearted wish to guide them to the most appropriate sites on the
tone and humor of the stories. Internet or print out the most salient information. Audiovisual
and nonprint information may also offer additional resources.
Offer children the opportunity to paint pictures in the style
of Keiko Kasza. Encourage them to experiment with water-
color as a medium by mixing colors, altering the proportion
of water vs. paint used to see the effects watercolor creates.
See if they can recreate “shading.” They may want to por-
tray a character from the story or create another potential
character. Ask them to pay particular note as to how Kasza
relies on body language and facial expressions to convey
much of the emotion that accompanies each story.
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books; not only is she reading a book about wolves to her Health Connection
dog, but in the illustrations, we see books about fish, Talking About Feelings
monkeys, and birds. The book that propels this story is one
about wolves. Select nonfiction books about wolves and Kasza taps into children’s emotions through the behaviors
dogs, and have students compare the differences and similar- of her characters. Encourage students to talk about the
ities between the two animals. various actions of the characters and what feelings are
evoked by the actions. Discuss what could be considered
appropriate and inappropriate emotional responses.
Self-Concept
Many of Kasza’s books explore the main character’s sense
of self. Have students form small groups and discuss recom-
mendations for what specific characters can do when faced
with self-doubt.
Math Connection
Making Graphs and Charts
Although Kasza’s books are not specifically focused on mak-
ing math connections, teachers can provide opportunities for
children to respond in ways that offer math connections. For
example, have students express their choice of which animal
is the mightiest in The Mightiest and visually represent the
information in graph or chart form.
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