Shared Reading Plan

Book Information:
Book: Fuzzy Buzzy Bee
Author: Maribeth Boelts
Illustrated by: Holly Clifton-Brown
Level: Kindergarten/1st Grade

Introduction:
Fuzzy Buzzy Bee is fictional but realistic book. It is about a little girl that is in a
wheelchair who follows a bee when she wakes up. She follows this bee from flower to flower,
and then follows the bee back to their home, honeycomb, where the bee makes the honey. The
little girl then goes home with this honey to make a snack that consists of bread and honey.
This book is ideal for a shared reading lesson because it helps the students identify print
concepts, identify consonants, identify syllables and sounds, identify similar words by their
sounds, and identify sight words. There are many lessons that can be incorporated into the
classroom using this book as a guide.
Focus 1 - Alphabet Knowledge

Standard/Indicator:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D:

Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Activity to Teach Alphabet Knowledge: Pipe cleaners

Alphabet knowledge is important for students that are just learning how to read. They
need to know their alphabet to decode words and read with fluency. With knowing the alphabet,
students need to know the differences between upper and lowercase letters. Using pipe
cleaners would be a perfect way for students to use a hands-on approach to practice their
alphabet. Students would use the pipe cleaners to make the most frequent letters from “Fuzzy
Buzzy Bee”, which are b, f, and z. By using pipe cleaners’ students will be able to construct
letters b, f, and z. By doing this, they will become more familiar with these letters and how to
write them. Before doing this activity, the teacher should have the class point out where these
letters are on an alphabet chart, so they can use that as a reference if they get stuck on one of
the letters.
 Focus 2: Phonological or Phonemic Awareness
Standard/Indicator:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2

Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.E

Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new
words.

Activity to Teach Phonemic Awareness: Matching sounds to pictures

Phonemic Awareness is the break down of sounds that make up a word. The students can
practice hearing sounds in words by matching letters to pictures of objects that begin with those
sounds. In this case we will still use the most frequent letters used in “Fuzzy Buzzy Bee” and
other frequent letters that we may have heard in previous books. The students will get a letter on
card and a group of pictures. They will then place the pictures of objects on the letter that
matches the sound at the beginning of the word. Teachers can then further practice sounds by
having students place all the sounds that make up a word on top of the pictures. By hearing
sounds of the words, they can begin to spell them. While doing this activity it is important that
students sound out the words out loud, so they can physically hear the sounds that make up that
word.

Focus 3: Sight Words

Standard/Indicator:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.C

Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).

Activity to Teach Sight Words: Shaving cream

Sight words are crucial for a child’s literacy development. If they know their sight words
and can say them with ease, then they can read with more fluency because sight words make up
about 75% of words in books. The students will practice their sight words from “Fuzzy Buzzy
Bee” by using shaving cream to write out the words on the table as they come up in the book.
This may be a little messy, but children love to be messy, so this would be a great way for them
to practice their sight words. For example, some sight words in the book might be your, the, are,
you, etc. This is a great way to get students engaged in the story and practice their sight words all
in one.
 Day 4: Analogizing Words

Standard/Indicator:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.D

Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Activity to Teach Analogizing Words: Consonant Blends

Analogizing words consists of students finding similar words and matching the sounds of
the letters that make up those words. The students can practice analogizing words by using
consonants blends. Students will get a stack of consonants blends (Sh, Ch, Bl) and must find an
object in the room that has that blend in the word. Before doing this activity, the teacher should
make sure there are multiple objects for each blend, if needed she/he should bring in more
objects.

Blended Consonant Examples

SH Shoe

Ch Chair

BL Anything Blue

Focus 5: Phonics

Standard/Indicator:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Activity to Teach Phonics: Flower Mix

Phonics is how a word is broken down. As students develop their word knowledge they
may have to decode words as they get harder. The teacher can use the word flower, which is
frequently used in “Fuzzy Buzzy Bee”. The students will then have to come up with words that
originate from the letters that make up flower. Students can use other books, resources around
the classroom, their tablets, etc. to help them develop words. By doing this activity, students are
learning more words and strengthening their word knowledge.

Conclusion:

All these activities are important to incorporate into a shared reading plan about “Fuzzy
Buzzy Bee”. By students breaking down words, learning their alphabet, finding similar words
from sounds, and using sight words, they can better their literacy development.