Lion Lessons
Looking for a new skill or hobby? Consider taking Lion Lessons. Readers will love following the main character through the seven “easy” steps toward achieving a lion diploma: looking fierce, roaring, selecting meals, prowling around, sprinting, pouncing, and most importantly, looking out for your friends. The student in the story must perform these required tasks in front of his teacher, who is none other than a lion himself! Readers of this book will find it hard to resist practicing the seven steps along with the student. In fact, if reading aloud with children, prepare for an uproar!
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
Before beginning the tasks required to earn a lion diploma, the lion tells the student they must stretch. Children will enjoy practicing the yoga poses, as well as joining in alongside the student as he takes on each task. A fun idea would be to create a lion obstacle course where children must make their way to the tree on the hill, just like the characters in the story. After reading the story, adults can lead children in brainstorming other favorite animals. What steps might be involved when earning a dog diploma or a fish diploma? Adults can ask children what types of lessons they have participated in, such as dance, sports, music, etc. Children can reflect on and share the tasks they needed to learn during their unique lessons, and if possible, demonstrate them for others.
Adults can have a lot of fun reading this story with children by becoming a Lion’s Lessons instructor themselves. Before reading the story to their children, adults can create a checklist that includes the seven steps to becoming a lion, as well as a lion diploma. As adults and children read through the story together, adults can pause so that children have the opportunity to participate in the required tasks along with the main character in the story. As children complete each step, adults can model checking that step off of the list. (Note: It may be important to review safe “pouncing” prior to the story!) Creating lists is a valuable literacy skill that can be used in many circumstances. Adults can model list-making when getting ready to go to the grocery store, packing a bag for a trip, etc., and can encourage children to contribute to the list and also check off the items when completed.