Have you read The Leaf Thief to your class? If not, this is your sign to snag a copy ASAP and make it part of your fall read aloud rotation. This silly book follows a squirrel who thinks someone is stealing the leaves from his tree. Students will giggle along as squirrel tries to solve the mystery of the missing leaves. Keep reading for Leaf Thief book activities to accompany this read aloud!

Check out these related posts:

• Apple Activities for Kindergarten
• Pumpkin Kindergarten Activities
• Turkey Trouble Book Activities

GRAB THIS ACTIVITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM SIMPLY KINDER INSIDE THE UNLIMITED PRINTABLE MEMBERSHIP HERE!

OR GRAB THEM FROM THE SHOP HERE:

Story Sequence & Retelling

Focus on comprehension, but make it fun! Help students identify the story sequence of The Leaf Thief with story sequencing cards. Complete this activity together using large sequencing cards on a pocket chart or use smaller cards for a small group approach. These cards can also be given to groups of students and they can work together to sequence the story. Have students complete a cut & paste sequencing sheet as you sequence as a group or independently.

Another great idea to strengthen reading comprehension is with an interactive story retelling mat. Students use story characters and props to retell the story. Simply attach story pieces to popsicle sticks and students can work in pairs to practice retelling The Leaf Thief.

For added fun, encourage students to use character voices when retelling this fun story.

Craft Activities

Who doesn’t love a craftivity? Support creativity and comprehension through various craft options.

• Craft Hat – Students will color squirrel and his missing leaves to create a keepsake hat. There is also an option to create a story sequence hat to reinforce comprehension.
• Squirrel Craft – Students use a squirrel template that can serve as a standalone craft OR these can be added to a brown paper bag to create a puppet. Students can use the puppets to practice retelling the story.
• Squirrel Writing Topper – this adorable craft incorporates writing. Students will write or draw their favorite part from the story and add the squirrel topper to jazz up their writing. These make a great display for the hallway or bulletin board.

Math Activities

Stay on theme with math centers and printables that reinforce math concepts students are learning.

• Math Printables – Practice addition, subtraction, shapes, and counting quantities with themed math printables. These printables are great to toss in math bins or offer as early finisher options.
• Number Center – Students match a number with different representations of that number. Tallies, dots, and dice are used to represent each number in this set.
• Addition Game – Students need a game board, cubes, die, and small markers (bingo chips or mini erasers work well) to play this game. Each players rolls the die, moves their cube, adds an equation, and covers the corresponding sum in the middle of the game board. The first player to connect four wins the game.

Literacy Activities

Choose from an abundance of literacy activities. There are read & respond options, phonics printables, and centers.

Literacy Centers

• Spin & Rhyme – Students can practice rhyming and CVC words with a spin & rhyme BINGO style game. This can be done as a whole group or in small groups.
• CVC Cards – This activity can be used for students to build words with magnetic letters. Students can also use chips to count and tap the sounds in each word. Differentiate based on the needs of your students.
• Feed the Squirrel – This engaging activity strengthens decoding and blending as students feed the squirrel a mixture of CVC words.

Read & Respond

Students can respond to the story by focusing on targeted comprehension skills. Check out how to utilize these response sheets below.

• Story Elements
• Beginning and End
• Character Traits
• Text to Self-connections
• Alternate Book Cover

Phonics Printables

Review various phonics skills with The Leaf Thief themed literacy printables. Students will practice letter formation, decode and blend CVC words, and encode CVC words.

The Leaf Thief Book Activities Set

If you love these activities and want MORE then grab The Leaf Thief Book Companion from Simply Kinder HERE. This set includes over 150 pages of crafts, centers, and printables. Save time with low-prep activities that will fully immerse your students in this fall read aloud!