Use The Macaroon Moon for practicing familiar reading at school and at home by 
linking your students' prior knowledge to the poetry in the book. 

Explore children’s personal understandings by drawing upon their own experiences with the animals, children, sneakers, bubble gum, potato chips, ice cream, storms, faces, books, birds, bees, snakes,  
cat, wheelchair, snow, flowers, and macaroons in The Macaroon Moon. Discuss what children know about these items by asking some of the following questions to probe their prior knowledge:  

? What do you know about birds? How are birds alike?  

? What kind of animal slithers on the ground?  

? How many different kinds of storms can you name?  

? How many different kinds of cookies can you name?  

? Have you ever eaten a macaroon?  

? What is fog? Can you see fog? Have you ever been lost in fog?  

? Do you have a favorite pair of sneakers? Are your sneakers red like the ones shown with the poem entitled "Sneakers?"  

? How many of you have a pet cat? Does your cat sleep on your bed as shown in the art for the poem "A Book?"  

? What is your favorite ice cream flavor? What flavor is the green ice cream shown in the art for the poem "When the Chips Are Down?"?  

? When you are finished chewing bubble gum like the boy in the poem "Bubble Gum Trouble," how do you throw it away?  

? Do you know anyone who has had to use a wheelchair as shown in the art for the poem "Under the Snow?"  

? What is "Under the Snow" in the winter?  

? As it says in the poem, "Flying Fun," do you think flying looks like fun? Have you ever flown in an airplane?  

? Why do you think the author titled her butterfly poem, "Busy Butterfly?"  

? Have you ever seen a Mountain Laurel? Do you think birds might like to make nests in it?  

? What do birds do during a thunderstorm?  

? Concerning the poem "The Face Place," how many of you have had chicken pox rashes?