PA One Book Activities for The Great Cookie Kerfuffle

The Pennsylvania One Book initiative is a valuable program that highlights the importance of early literacy development in preschoolers and the significance of reading early and often to children, as well as engaging them in conversation and other activities around books. The program has remained successful in part due to the partnership of collaborating agencies that all support early childhood literacy efforts.

Printable Activity Guides

English

Spanish

Additional Printable Resources

Bookplates for Family Engagement
(Avery Label Template 94506)

Printable Bookmarks

Approaches to Learning through Play

Activity Title: Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • AL.1 PK.C Engage in complex play sequences with two or more children.
  • AL.2 PK.D Recognize and extend simple patterns.

Materials: Bean bag or plastic cookie

Instructions:

  1. Have children sit in a circle and close their eyes.
  2. While all the children have their eyes closed, walk around the outside of the circle and select one child to be the “cookie thief.” Give them a bean bag or plastic cookie to be the cookie prop. Ask the child to hide the “cookie” out of sight– in a pocket, right behind them, sit on it, etc.
  3. Now everyone can open their eyes!
  4. Ask for someone to make a first guess for who stole the cookie. Then begin the rhyme. Encourage children to tap their knees or clap their hands as they chant along with the song:
    1. EVERYONE: Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
    2. EVERYONE: [Insert name- Sarah, for example] Sarah stole the cookie from the cookie jar.
    3. SARAH: Who, me?
    4. EVERYONE: Yes, you!
    5. SARAH (if she does not have the cookie): Couldn’t be!
    6. EVERYONE: Then who?
    7. SARAH can guess the name of another child.
  5. The pattern repeats until the cookie thief is guessed correctly. The student with the cookie can pull it out and pass it around the circle as if “sharing” with the rest of the class.
  6. Feel free to hide multiple “cookies” if you have a big group. Just be sure to tell the class in advance how many cookie thieves they have to find.
  7. When repeating the game, you could ask the child who had the cookie to select the next “cookie thief.”

Social and Emotional Development

Activity Title: Charades

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 16.1 PK.A Distinguish between emotions and identify socially acceptable ways to express them

Materials: None

Instructions:

  1. Have all the children stand up in a circle.
  2. State an emotion the animals felt during the book.
  3. Ask the children to act out that emotion.
  4. Discuss what it means to feel that emotion.
  5. Repeat until children are no longer engaged.

Language and Literacy Development

Activity Title: How Should They Share? 

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 1.4 PK.W With guidance and support, recall information from experiences or books.

Materials: None

Instructions:

  • Ask: What should the animals have done with the cookie
  • Do: Children draw their solution and dictate or write a sentence explaining their thinking.
  • Focus: Support ideas with simple reasoning.

Activity Title: Story Retell with Props

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 1.3 PK.A With prompting and support, retell a familiar story in a sequence with picture support.

Materials:

  • Simple puppets or pictures that look like the characters from The Great Cookie Kerfuffle.

Instructions:

  • Provide character puppets (squirrels, mouse, cookie).
  • Support children in retelling the story in sequence (beginning, middle, end).
  • Encourage use of story vocabulary: argue, share, solve, fair.

Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Activity Title: Five Little Chocolate Chips

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 2.1 PK.A.1 Know number names and the count sequence
  • 2.1 PK.A.2 Count to tell the number of objects

Materials: None

Instructions:

  1. Choose five children to be the chocolate chips and stand up. If you have more than five, depending on the size of your group, you could adapt the rhyme to the total number of children.
  2. Sing the rhyme:
    • Five little chocolate chips
    • In a bowl of dough
    • They knew into a cookie
    • They soon would go
    • Then on came the oven (all the rest of the children wave hands toward the “chocolate chips” to pretend to be heatwaves)
    • And the dough turned brown
    • And one of those chips melted right down (one child sits down)
  3. Repeat with the rest of the children, one at a time, counting down until zero chocolate chips are left.
  4. While they’re singing, have all the children show on their fingers each number as they count down from five (or whatever number you’re using) as each “chocolate chip” is melted.

Activity Title: What’s that Number?

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 2.1 PK.A.1 Know number names and the count sequence
  • 2.1 PK.A.2 Count to tell the number of objects

Materials:

  • Magnetic or felt numbers
  • Bag or box that you can’t see through

Instructions:

  1. Hide magnet or felt numbers (or puzzle pieces) 1 through 5 in a bag or box.
  2. Pull a number out one at a time and have the children call out what number it is.

Activity Title: Cookie Counting Fun

Standard Connection:

  • 2.2 PK.A.1 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.

Materials:

  • Magnetic or felt numbers
  • Bag or box that you can’t see through

Instructions:

  1. Hide magnet or felt numbers (or puzzle pieces) 1 through 5 in a bag or box.
  2. Pull a number out one at a time and have the children call out what number it is.

Activity Title: The Great Kerfuffle: Big or Small 

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

    • 2.1 PK.A.3 Compare numbers.

Materials:

Choose one to use:

  • stuffed animals
  • cut out pictures
  • drawings
  • blocks
  • figurines

Instructions:

  1. Give each child two mice, four hens, and six dogs.
  2. Have each child lay out the animals in front of them, matching the animals.
  3. Ask the children which group has the smallest number.
  4. Ask the children which group has the biggest number.
  5. Have the children create their own groups, mix and match the animals.
  6. Play as long as the children are engaged.

Scientific Thinking and Technology

Activity Title: Animal Habitats Exploration

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 3.4 PK.A Identify natural resources available to people in their daily lives.

Materials:

  • Pictures of various animal habitats
  • Blocks
  • Sticks
  • Leaves
  • Moss
  • Twigs
  • Old newspaper

Instructions:

  • Discuss where squirrels, mice, and other animals live.
  • Compare habitats (trees, burrows).
  • Build simple habitat model in the block area using gathered materials on newspaper.

Activity Title: Cookie Comparison

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 3.2 PK.A Different kinds of matter exist, and matter can be described and classified by its observable properties.

Materials:

  • Printed images of a variety of cookies

Instructions:

  1. Print pictures of several different types of cookies, enough for children to each get at least one cookie.
  2. Pass out one cookie to each child and have them turn to a friend to compare cookies.
  3. Model the types of questions the children can ask as they observe the two cookies side-by-side:
    • How are the two cookies the same?
    • How are they different?
    • Are they the same shape?
    • Do you think they have similar ingredients?
    • Have you ever tasted this type of cookie before?

Activity Title: Do Cookie Ingredients Sink or Float?

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 3.2 PK.A Different kinds of matter exist, and matter can be described and classified by its observable properties.

Materials:

  • All-purpose flour (in sealed bag)
  • Sugar (in sealed bag)
  • Chocolate chips
  • Large clear bowl of water
  • Chart paper
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Explore flour, sugar, chocolate chips.
  2. Predict and test which items sink or float in water.
  3. Chart children’s predictions on chart paper.
  4. Discuss the results compared to children’s predictions.

Social Studies Thinking

Activity Title: Classroom Constitution – Sharing Rules 

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 5.3 PK.F Identify appropriate behaviors for responsible classroom citizens
  • 5.2 PK.A Identify self-membership of a group such as the class or family

Materials:

  • Chart paper
  • Markers
  • Paint (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Discuss fairness and community rules.
  2. Create a “Sharing Agreement” poster.
  3. Have children sign their names or use their handprint as their signature.

Activity Title: Problem-Solving Role Play 

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • AL4 PK.C Attempt problem-solving activities to achieve a positive outcome

Materials:

  • Toy, like a doll or truck

Instructions:

  1. Act out a disagreement over one toy.
  2. Practice using words like “Can we take turns?” or “Let’s split it.”
  3. Ask children to reflect:
    • How did it feel to solve the problem peacefully?
    • Why is talking through problems better than hitting, kicking, or yelling?

Creative Thinking and Expression

Activity Title: Paper Plate Cookie

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 9.1.V. PK.E Use imagination and creativity to express self through visual arts.

Materials:

  1.  Paper plates
  2. Crayons or markers
  3. Glue Sticks
  4. Black or brown construction paper, cut into small circles
  5. Tissue paper, in a variety of colors, cut or torn into small pieces
  6. White or silver glitter

Instructions:

  1. Color a plate to look like a type of cookie; some ideas are brown, black, or yellow.
  2. Glue on any of the following ingredients that the child would like in their cookie:
    1. Chocolate chips- small round pieces of black or brown construction paper
    2. Sprinkles- small pieces of tissue paper
    3. Sugar crystals- Glitter
  3. Ask the children to describe their unique flavor of cookie!

Activity Title: Bake a New Cookie

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 9.1.V PK.B Combine a variety of materials to create work of art

Materials:

  • Construction paper
  • Tissue paper
  • Glue
  • Crayons, markers, or colored pencils

Instructions:

  1. Have children to create their own cookies, using a variety of materials.
  2. Tell children to name the cookie and describe ingredients. Support them in writing out the names and ingredients, or write it out as they dictate what they made.
  3. Create a class “Cookie Cookbook” that children can use in the dramatic play center.

Activity Title: Dramatic Play Bakery

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 9.1.D PK.E Use imagination and creativity to express self through dramatic play

Materials:

  • Paper pads
  • Play money
  • Trays
  • Pretend cookies, pastries, bread, bagels, etc.

Instructions:

  1. Set up a bakery stand in the dramatic play center
  2. Encourage children to practice using social language as they pretend to run and visit a bakery.

Health, Wellness, and Physical Development

Activity Title: Pass the Cookie

Corresponding PA Early Learning Standard:

  • 10.5 PK.B Coordinate eye and hand movements to perform a task

Materials:

  • Cookie plush or plush that kids can pretend is a cookie
  • Speaker or other way to play music

Instructions:

  • Have children sit in a circle.
  • Play music. Have children pass the cookie while the music plays.
  • When the music stops, have the child with the cookie share one thing that they can do to help solve a problem.

Supplemental Book List

Counting Books

Toddler:

Bear Counts by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Quack and Count by Keith Baker

Fish Eyes by Louis Ehlert

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett

How to Count to One by Caspar Salmon, illustrated by Matt Hunt

Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang

Count with Maisy, Cheep, Cheep, Cheep! By Lucy Cousins

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani

Eggs 1 2 3 by Janet Halfmann

Preschool:

Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh

10 Minutes till Bedtime by Peggy Rathmann

Counting Crocodiles by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

Fish, Swish! Splash, Dash! by Suse MacDonald

Mouse Went Out to Get a Snack by Lyn Rossiter McFarland, illustrated by Jim McFarland

Over in the Meadow by Louise Voce (many versions, Ezra Jack Keats)

Everybunny Count! By Ellie Sandall

One Two That’s My Shoe! By Alison Murray

One Moose, Twenty Mice by Clare Beaton

Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.

Ten Hungry Rabbits: Counting and Color Concepts by Anita Lobel

Soup for One by Ethan Long

Pre-K:

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller by Kate Read

Construction Countdown by K.C. Olson, illustrated by David Gordon

Counting on Community by Innosanto Nagara

Frankie Works the Night Shift by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Jennifer Taylor

Teeth, Tails & Tentacles: An Animal Counting Book by Christopher Wormell

The Long, Long Line by Tomoko Ohmura

Kindergarten:

123 Dream by Kim Krans

Flight 1-2-3 by Maria Van Lieshout

Ten Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Cookie-Themed Books

Toddler:

Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington

Bookie and Cookie by Blanca Gómez

Cookies! An Interactive Recipe Book by Lotta Nieminen

Preschool:

Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? By Margaret Wang (combines count down)

Who Put the Cookies in the Cookie Jar? by George Shannin, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? By Karen Beaumont

Pre-K:

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin

The Case of the Missing Cookies by Cindy Leaney

The Cookie Fiasco by Mo Willems and Dan Santat

Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? By Bonnie Lass

Kindergarten:

The Smart Cookie by Jory John and Pete Oswald

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

Cookie Time by Jessie Sima

Fortune Cookie Fortunes by Grace Lin