EARLY LITERACY SKILLS:
PRINT AWARENESS: Let’s look at the cover of this book. What do you see? What do you think this book might be about?
PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Make the sounds of knocking, and point it out.
Phonological awareness: make the sound of knocking, and point it out.
Letter knowledge: Point out shapes such as the star on the police officer’s shirt, other shapes in the collages. Spell out Omu as you point to the letters. Point out the letters spelling Thank you Omu on the last page.
Vocabulary: There are many words in this book that mean delicious—tasty, scrumptious, delectable. Say the repeated phrase together “scrumptious scent wafted out the window”— and talk about what the phrase means.
Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu's delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself?
Debut author-illustrator Oge Mora brings to life a heartwarming story of sharing and community in colorful cut-paper designs as luscious as Omu's stew, with an extra serving of love. An author's note explains that "Omu" (pronounced AH-moo) means "queen" in the Igbo language of her parents, but growing up, she used it to mean "Grandma." This book was inspired by the strong female role models in Oge Mora's life. (Credit: Amazon Books. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Omu-Oge-Mora/dp/0316431249 )
Storytime Song
Stir, Stir, Stir the Stew (To tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Stir, stir, stir the stew
Stir it all day long.
Add some (insert food name here),
Take a taste (slurrrp!)
Stew will make us strong. (flex arm)
If You’re Thankful and You Know It (To the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re thankful and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re thankful and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re thankful and you know it then your face will surely show it
If you’re thankful and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re thankful and you know it, stamp your feet
If you’re thankful and you know it, stamp your feet
If you’re thankful and you know it then your face will surely show it
If you’re thankful and you know it, stamp your feet
If you’re thankful and you know it shout,
Thank You If you’re thankful and you know it shout,
Thank You If you’re thankful and you know it then your face will surely show it
If you’re thankful and you know it shout, Thank You
If you’re thankful and you know it, do all three
If you’re thankful and you know it, do all three
Credit: Mora, O. (2018). Jumpstart: Read for the Record. Retrieved from https://www.jstart.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/PR5579C_Thank_You_Omu_Jumpstart_Activity_Guide_final-English-Classroom.pdf
After reading the Spanish version of the book, Gracias Omu! by Oge Mora, children make a thank you card to give to someone they are thankful for.
Older children can make a collage Thank you using white cardstock.
Instructions: Using all sorts of colorful paper scraps and glue, design some beautiful collages to turn into Thank You cards for people in your life and/or community.
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