Part 3: Picture Books: Corduroy

Corduroy by Don Freeman

In this book, Corduroy, a stuffed bear, wants nothing more than to be taken home with someone. When a little girl’s mother points out that he is missing a button, it sets Corduroy out to find his missing button.

This lesson can also begin with the teacher reading the book aloud. Along with all the benefits children get when books are read aloud to them, it also serves as an example for them. “Teachers should do the oral reading aloud themselves…the teacher’s participation carries an important message to the class; that is, ‘Our teacher wants to be a part of this activity, so it must be important’” (CL 416). While reading, you can stop at certain places (such as when Corduroy decides to go looking for his missing button, or when he falls off the bed) and ask the students what they think will happen. This book would make a good read aloud book for several reasons. It has an interesting plot and I think the idea of a stuffed animal coming to life is an appealing concept for younger children. And Don Freeman, who also draws the pictures, uses bright, bold colors that children will like. Although this book was published more than 40 years ago, it is still a story that children will enjoy and relate to today.

After the book has been read, again ask the students for their thoughts and reactions. Did they like it? Did they not like it? Why or why not? What was their favorite part in the book? “This conversation should flow naturally. Try not to get in the middle of it too soon; allow the children to lead the way. All you need [to] do is keep the conversation going with good questioning and rephrasing of what has been said, always attempting to help them make connections” (CL 241).

Although Corduroy is missing a button and “doesn’t look new,” Lisa wants to take him home anyway (Freeman 3). Have the students draw and describe their favorite stuffed animal or their favorite toy on a blank sheet of paper. Ask them if their animals and toys look as new as they probably once did. Why do the children love them anyway? Do the children think that they could love something that is not new or does not look new like Lisa can?

For this lesson, students can also bring in an old stuffed bear (or another animal if they do not own a stuffed bear). Have the class count and sort the bears (and animals) in different ways such as by color, size, the position the bear is in, what kind of clothes/ribbons/bows it might be wearing, age, or name. You can also use the stuffed animals to count how many eyes, ears, arms, and legs there are.

Late at night when the department store is closed, Corduroy goes on an adventure to find his missing button. Using the bears they have brought in, have the children write a short story about the kinds of adventures their bear goes on at night. The story can be set in the classroom or their home/bedroom, or even the store their bear was at before the child bought/received it. Have the students include pictures to accompany their story. The story can be put together on a “story board” (a large piece of construction paper folded into sixths or eighths where a scene is depicted in each box) or the scenes can be done on separate pieces of paper stapled together in a book (be sure to have a color piece of construction paper for the cover).

Let the students make their own bears. Cut construction paper into bear shapes and let the students decorate them with buttons and ribbons. If the students want clothing for their bears, help them cut out clothing. You can also provide different shaped stamps that they can use to decorate the bear and the clothing. When they are done, ask them to count things such as how many buttons they used and how many of each shaped stamp they used. Ask them to give their bear a name.

If the children like this book, suggest that they read the other Corduroy books or other books by the same author.



Works Cited

“Corduroy Extension Activities: A Bushel of Bears.” Scholastic. 28 November 2009. http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=579

Darigan, Daniel L., Michael O. Tunnell, and James S. Jacobs. Children’s Literature: Engaging Teachers and Children in Good Books. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002.

Freeman, Don. Corduroy. New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1968.