"Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom" in My Classroom

A simple ABC craft using the popular "Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom" story by Bill Martin Jr.

      I taught this simple craft to three year olds at our school. Although our school is a private one, this would also be an easy craft to assemble and teach at a public nursery/early learning center as well. "Chick, Chicka, Boom, Boom," by Bill Martin Jr. is a very popular book in secular schools. I've listed the directions and supplies below and also have included a palm leaf pattern for those of you who would prefer that your students color their branches instead of cutting these from green construction paper.

      Cutting the palms would be an appropriate task to be included in this little lesson if it were done in a first or second grade classroom. Students in these grades should have been using scissors long enough to be able to cut curves and fringe the edges of paper without cutting them entirely off altogether. 

"Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom" cover

Craft Supplies:

• ABC stickers
• green, black and brown construction paper
• markers
• white school glue
• scissors (optional) 
• palm leaf pattern
• sandpaper (for the cocoanuts!)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Teachers may download and print the pattern in multiples prior to the lesson. Cut these out in advance for students who have yet to become very familiar with using scissors.
2. Cut also tree trunks from light brown construction paper and round cocoanuts from sandpaper.
3. The students should color their palm leaves first.
4. Then glue these onto their black background paper and then glue the trunk on top.
5. Then students may color their palm tree trunk.
6. Give each student a variety of alphabet and number stickers to peal and stick onto their "chicka, chicka, boom, boom" picture. The pealing of the stickers is an important manipulative skill to teach three year students. This requires young children to practise small motor skills in order to complete the task successfully. Encourage them to peal the stickers by themselves and give them lots of praise when they accomplish it on their own.

Three year old children can easily complete this little craft.

Download and enlarge these palms in a Word Doc before printing.

 More Lesson Plans, Games and Ideas for "Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom"

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom lesson from Hubbard's Cupboard
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: Learning letters and sounds at a zoom!
• Free alphabet activity to accompany the "Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom book 
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom More games and a craft!
• Before the ABCs did the Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom, Carmen Miranda did the Chicka Chicka, Boom Chic!