A Pocketful of Cricket Unit Study & Lapbook

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This unit study includes lessons and printables based on the book A Pocketful of Cricket by Rebecca Caudill.

One afternoon late in August, before the start of a new school year, Jay finds Cricket. Cricket fits just right in small spaces-like under a tea strainer or in Jay’s very own pocket-and Cricket makes the most exciting sounds. But what happens when it’s time to go back to school? Will Cricket come too?

This classic story is the foundation for lessons about crickets, courage, nature study, and more. Pick and choose the lessons based on your student’s needs and have a fun week with our A Pocketful of Cricket unit study.

Thanks to Mary Machado for writing the lessons for this A Pocketful of Cricket unit study.

A Pocketful of Cricket Book Activities

Here are some sample lessons from the A Pocketful of Cricket Unit Study.

Language Arts: Sensory Imagery
The story is full of words that help us experience the book through a variety of senses (examples: the beans felt cool, heard an owl hooting, saw a gray goose feather). Make a list of all the things Jay saw, heard, tasted, felt and smelled as he explored the countryside on his walk. The list can be general or divided into categories by each sense.

Language Arts: Onomatopoeia
In the book the cricket makes a noise, “chee” when he fiddles. This is an example of onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia is a word or a grouping of words that imitates the sound it is describing, such as “bang,” “click,” “buzz,” “pop,” or “zing.” Have the student think of other words that imitate sounds.

Science: Nature Study
Jay experienced nature on his walk home from the pasture. When we get out in nature and make observations and discoveries, we develop a relationship with the world around us and with God. Nature study provides a foundation for studying other sciences—geology, biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy can all be observed in nature. Take your student on a nature walk and start to build a habit of regular nature study. When we take time to observe nature our senses become more alert.

Math: Sorting
Jay decides the next items he will bring to school for show-and-tell are the beans he found. The stripes on every bean were different from the stripes on every other bean. Sorting items by finding their differences is a fun activity. Using at least 3 different types of dried beans (examples: pinto, black, lima, kidney), take about 1/3 cup of each bean, mix together in a bowl, and have student sort out the beans into piles for each type.

You can grab a copy of the entire A Pocketful of Cricket Unit Study and Lapbook in an easy-to-print file at the end of this post.

A Pocketful of Cricket Lapbook Printables

In addition to the unit study lessons, the file includes these mini-books for your student to create A Pocketful of Cricket lapbook:

New Words Flap Book
Insects vs. Spiders Venn Diagram Flap Book
Sensory Details Tab Book
Nature Scavenger Hunt Pocket
Prepositions Pocket Folder
Prepositions Chart
Pet Care Layer Book
Cricket Onomatopoeia Simple Fold Book
Cricket Envelope Fold Book
Courage Quotes Book
Story Colors Pocket & Crayons

How to Get Started with Your A Pocketful of Cricket Unit Study & Lapbook

Follow these simple instructions to get started with the A Pocketful of Cricket Unit Study:

Buy a copy of the book, A Pocketful of Cricket, or borrow one from your local library.
Print the A Pocketful of Cricket unit study.
Choose the lessons you want to use with your student (a highlighter works great for this).
Choose and prepare the lapbook printables you want to use with your student.
Enjoy a week of learning all about nature with A Pocketful of Cricket.