Chicks and Salsa
Booktalk:
Chicken Feed! Do you know what chicken feed is made out of? Chicken
feed is dried corn, roasted soybeans, oats and other not so exciting
dry ingredients. Chicken feed is dry, crunchy, and did I mention dry?
How would feel eating this same recipe day after day?
Chicken Feed is the only choice on the menu for the chickens at Nuthatcher's
farm. It's a farm just like any other, with a barn, farm animals and
the daily routine of farming chores. But the chickens on Farmer Nuthatcher's
farm are complaining about the lack of variety in their daily meals.
They are tired of eating the same old chicken feed every single day.
They want to spice up their diet and they want something new to eat.
The Rooster, who as everyone knows is the leader of the chickens, has
been spying on the Farmer's wife. She spends time watching the cooking
channel and this gives rooster a great idea! Why not spice up their
meals a bit! Before you know it the rooster and the chickens are stealing
vegetables from the Farmer's garden to add a little something tasty
to their plate. One thing leads to another and soon the ducks are mumbling,
and the pigs are rumbling, and all the farm animals are in on the culinary
quest to spice up life!
Then a discovery is made:
"The scallions had been stolen!
The peppers had been pilfered!
The limes had been lifted!"
This change in cuisine is too good to be true. Will the Farmer notice
that his garden has been robbed? Will the Farmer's wife be enticed by
the savory smells coming from the barn? What will happen when all the
animals get together and bring their snacks?
Author Aaron Reynolds has written a story that will tickle you with
humorous personification of hungry farm animals. Illustrator Paulette
Bogan uses vivid primary colors to liven up the typical barn yard neutral
colors - the animals, their decorations and their recipes. Chicks
and Salsa is so tantalizing to readers that they won't be able to
resist trying the recipes for themselves.
Curriculum Connections:
After reading the book in the library or classroom, students can discuss
some of these questions: What vegetable would you pick from the garden?
What recipe or dish would you make with the vegetable you choose? What
kind of food would you eat at a fiesta? Why do we have fiestas? What
are some of the things that your family celebrates? What are family
foods that you usually make at your fiestas?
For a follow-up activity, link to the torn paper collage vegetables
in the lesson plan.
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