We didn’t choose just 1 book, but we focused on all the books in the Pigeon series written by Mo Willems. If you haven’t read these books before, you have to read them ASAP! They are so great to read to children because they are silly and fun. Earlier this week, we spent a whole day with Pigeon activities inspired by Mo Willem’s books.
Does your class love classic books as much as mine? What is it about kindergarten that they just fall in love with The Pigeon books,No, David! and Pete the Cat?
- Kids will have a blast playing games, making crafts and practicing writing, math, science and social studies skills with their favorite Mo Willems characters. Download this guide for activities sure to bring smiles to the faces of young readers, such as playing cookie toss with The Pigeon, holding a dance party with Elephant and Piggie, going.
- What is it about kindergarten that they just fall in love with The Pigeon books, No, David! And Pete the Cat? Here is a 'Don't Let the Pigeon' writing activity you can do with your kindergarten class. Let me share my favorite Pigeon books to read before this activity, how to do it and give you a freebie to help you make it happen.
Here is a 'Don't Let the Pigeon' writing activity you can do with your kindergarten class.
Let me share my favorite Pigeon books to read before this activity, how to do it and give you a freebie to help you make it happen.
What is the 'Don't Let the Pigeon..' activity?
Students will create a guided drawing of the pigeon, create a background setting and add a writing piece.
The goal: students come up with their own thing that the pigeon should absolutely NOT do.
You can easily do this activity after reading one (or many) of the Mo Willems Pigeon books. (And just a heads up that these are affiliate links. It’s so kind of you to support a fellow teacher with your clicks)
For this exact activity, I recommend:
They love this activity. First off, I will warn you that by teaching your students how to draw the pigeon, you will see pigeon drawn during every writer's workshop opportunity for a few days following {wink}
Let's break it down and start with the whole group part of the lesson.
Step 1 - Teach how to draw the pigeon
Do a guided drawing (or directed drawing) lesson where you model one step with verbal directions and a model they can see and students copy that step on their own paper. You continue with each step until you've got a pigeon.
These are all valid ways of teaching how to draw Pigeon for kindergarten:
My kinders were usually on the carpet area with their pencil boxes next to them and a lap board/clipboard underneath their work.
I always liked to have the book open to a page with the entire pigeon visible so they can see the end goal.
Alright, let's cover the next step.
Step 2 - Prepare a background and fun lettering
Each student needs a new large piece of construction paper for their background and some lettering that looks like it came from a Mo Willems pigeon book.
Let me help you out with that. I've made some lettering right here that you can easily download and use. [terms of use][downloading help]
See? I've got your back.
Students cut out each word and glue it onto their construction paper - in order.
Then they cut out their pigeon. (I recommended cutting rectangles for the legs)
Step 3 - Do the 'Don't Let the Pigeon' writing and drawing
Kindergartners are so creative. I don't think I had to tell anybody what to pick.. but of course, there were a few who picked the bus {wink}
In kindergarten, pictures they make are just about as important as the words they write.
They draw and color a scene (or really, the thing that the pigeon should absolutely not do).
They complete their glued on sentence to finish the statement, 'Don't let the pigeon..' by writing their own idea to match their illustrated scene.
Their pigeon gets glued on top of their scene to finish it off.
Or, if they think outside the box (or off the page) like this little guy below, they may ask you for a solution on how to make the pigeon look like he's coming out of the firetruck.
That's it! Your class can totally do this 'Don't Let the Pigeon' writing extension activity too.
You could turn them into a class book, but we liked to hang them up as masterpieces! Game pigeon win hacks.
Let's wrap it up
There you have it - a 'Don't Let the Pigeon' writing activity you can do with your kindergarten class.
I hope you and your class enjoy doing this activity together and that they feel proud of their final masterpieces.
Are you into using classic books in your classroom? Then you just may love this Pete the Cat teacher resource collection with freebies and more.
Ready for more writing projects? Then you'll enjoy this 3D Zoo Animals Writing Project for Kindergarten.
If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
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Best friends Elephant and Piggie introduce kids to their favorite books—brought to life in original stories created by a variety of award-winning contemporary children’s book authors and illustrators.
Mo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions (for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity). Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! was also an inaugural inductee into the Indies Choice Picture Book Hall of Fame. Mo's celebrated Elephant & Piggie early reader series has been awarded two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals (for There Is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside?) and five Geisel Honors (for We Are in a Book!, I Broke My Trunk!, Let’s Go for a Drive!, A Big Guy Took My Ball!, and Waiting Is Not Easy!). In 2019, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC named Mo the first-ever Education Artist-in-Residence. Mo began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards.
If you would like to send Mo an e-mail, please ask a grown-up to write to: MoMail@PigeonPresents.com.
Pigeon Books Games Activities 4th Grade
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are unable to receive physical mail at this time. We cannot guarantee that Mo will be able to personally respond to your e-mails, but every e-mail will receive a reply.