Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

by
Bill Martin, Jr and John Archambault
illustrations by
Lois Ehlert



Everyone loves Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and I am no exception. The 26 lower case letters in this alphabetic, rhythmic book are just plain fun. When "A told b, and b told c, 'I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree'" the other letters feel that they can meet as well. The block illustrations show a dignified, straight, green palm tree on the first page. It soon begins to groan and bend. First the coconuts fall off, then the letters also end up in a big pile underneath the tree. This is a very popular book with adults as well as children. It is a must for every child's library.

There are plenty of activities that can be done to highlight this book.

1. The rhythm of this books is so catchy that I like to supplement the book by filling
empty water bottles with beads or buttons (to make noise) and lots of plastic letters.I generally like to put only one letter in the bottle, but plenty of them. The children go around the room in a circle chanting the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom chant. When they get to a part where the letter speaks, the letter stops and says something. Such as: When the part A told B, "Meet me at the top of the coconut tree." The child holding the letter A turns to the child holding the B and says, "Meet me at the top of the coconut tree." Then they begin the chant again.
2. This is an excellent book to discuss phonemic awareness. Talk about the similarities and differences of the words in the book. Chicka, chicka and boom boom are the same. Have the children listen to two different words from the story and tell if they are the same or different.
3. Ask the children to draw a large coconut tree on a sheet of paper. Then give them letters cut out from cardboard where they slip them under the paper with the coconut tree on it. They are to do rubbings to see the letters under the tree. I like to have them work in groups where one child hides the cardboard letters under another child's paper. They do the rubbings to discover the hidden letter.
4. Be sure to discuss the rhyming words on the pages after reading the book. You might even have the rhyming words printed on cardboard and when the children here a rhyme they chant quietly, "rhyme, rhyme, rhyme..." until a designated child gets the two rhyming words and places them in a location where the children can see.
5. A stalk of celery with the leaves on it looks like a coconut tree. If you smear cream cheese on the stalk and then add alphabet cereal, you have a great snack!
6. Use the letters made in step 1 to make a bowling game. Simple get some coconuts and have the children place the bottles in an area. Use the coconut to roll and hit the bottles of letters. The children should name the letters that have fallen.
7. Make or purchase a magnetic book where children can place the letters under the tree as they read the story.
8. Children love to watch the video.
9. Make a coconut tree with empty paper towel tubes. Ask the children to cut out leaves and glue them at the top of the tree. Then give them stickers to stick on teh bottom of the tree.
10. Make an art project. Paint the child's forearm with brown paint, then press teh arm on paper to make the trunk of the tree. Then wash the arm. Paint teh children's hands green and press onto the top of the tree trunk. Now you have a coconut tree.
11. Put the plastic letters in a sandbox under the coconut tree (inside or outside.)See the palm tree at the bottom of the page.
12. Give each child a large cardboard letter. The children stand wnd when thir letter is read, they move in any way they wish. Then they sit.
13. Take pictures of the children holding a letter while in the position of climbing. Make a large tree on the bulletin board and afix the children climbing the tree.
Watch the video on Utube!