• Multiple copies of Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont
• Animal images
• Rover’s doghouse image
• Scissors

• Glue sticks
• Markers or crayons
• Paper bags
• Popsicle sticks (optional)

Puppetry can be a valuable tool for children's language development, storytelling, creativity, and fine motor skills. By working with puppets to reenact a story, children can better understand the narrative structure and its elements (characters, setting, plot, and problem-solution). Additionally, the process of making puppets can enhance children's fine motor skills as they use scissors, glue, and writing utensils. In the parent/caregiver education lesson, participants learned about predictable texts and how they benefit their child's literary skills. Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont is a cumulative story, each time a new event occurs, all the other events are repeated. When children retell a cumulative story, they are not only demonstrating their comprehension of the story, but also developing their ability to sequence events.

To begin, parents/caregivers will read Move Over, Rover! with their child. After reading the book, using basic puppets made from paper cutouts, children will have the opportunity to reenact the tale. The animal and doghouse images provided can be cut out and used as simple puppets. To create the doghouse, cut out the black square to form an opening for Rover, and then attach it to a paper bag using glue. See images below for guidance. Remind families to place the skunk into Rover's doghouse at the start of the story. Extend learning by encouraging families to be imaginative and develop new stories and characters.

The rhythm and rhyme within Move Over Rover! can capture even the youngest of audience. However, if attention wanes, feel free to skip pages as the cumulative rhyme will maintain the story. Point to the animals within the illustrations and make their corresponding sounds or tap fingers on the pages to imitate the pouring rain.

After reading, use the animal images to introduce puppetry. Mimic the sounds of the animals and tell a simplified version of Move Over, Rover! together by placing each animal into Rover's doghouse one by one. Use the animal images to act out new stories using animal sounds.

Cut out the animals and doghouse prior to the lesson. Consider attaching the animals to popsicle sticks to make it easier for the child to hold.

Predictable texts are particularly important for toddlers and infants as they are just beginning to develop their literacy skills. Predictable texts help toddlers to develop their phonological awareness, as they begin to notice and predict the sounds and rhythms within the language.

Read the book with your child focusing on using interactive reading strategies. Encourage early readers to read the words they know and repeat recurring phrases together.

Next use the animal images to introduce the concept of retelling. Invite children help cut out and attach Rover’s doghouse to the paper bag to help develop their fine motor skills. Talk about the story, name the animals, and mimic their sounds when creating puppets together. Invite children to customize their puppets by using markers or crayons to color. After the bag and puppets are created, reenact the story. Place the skunk in the paper bag first so when all the animals run out, the skunk is still left in the bag. Assist children in retelling the story. Ask them what animal comes next and have them place them in the bag. Have the child sound out or act out each animal as they place it into the doghouse.

Retelling is an important aspect of early literacy development because it helps children to understand and make connections between different stories and texts. Children develop their vocabulary and language skills, as they use new words and phrases to describe the events in the story.

Consider extending the activity by repeating phrases throughout the book as you place the animal into the bag such as “Skit-scat Cat! Move over, Rover!”

School-aged children may be able to read to the parent or caregiver. While the child is reading, the parent/caregiver can make the reading interactive by pausing along the way to ask clarification questions or echoing repetitive phrases throughout the book.

Next use the animal images to introduce the concept of retelling. Have the children help cut out and attach Rover’s doghouse to the paper bag to help develop their fine motor skills. Invite students to customize their puppets by using markers or crayons to customize the images. After the bag and puppets are created, reenact the story. Place the skunk in the paper bag first so when all the animals run out, the skunk is still left in the bag. Have the child retell the story going over key details and repeated elements.

Talk about the story: "What might have happened if the skunk had never entered the doghouse?" Encouraging reflection and critical thinking through questions will help solidify the child's understanding of the story.

Retelling stories is a valuable activity for school-age children, as it helps to develop their language and communication skills, as well as their comprehension and understanding of narrative structures. When children retell a story, they are able to practice their listening and speaking abilities and learn to organize their thoughts in a coherent and logical manner. Retelling stories allows children to engage with the material on a deeper level, as they must recall details and events from the story and make connections.