Author & Text

Author Laura Joffe Numeroff was born in 1953.

Date
July 14
Calendar Activity Type
Author & Text

Event Description

Circle this date on your calendar! Picture book author Laura Joffe Numeroff was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953. Her books, such as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Give a Moose a Muffin, rely on circular plot structure to tell their stories.

Classroom Activity

Because of their circular plot structure, Numeroff's books are natural resources for classroom activities on cause and effect and making predictions. Using one of Numeroff's books as a model, students can use the circle plot structure as a culminating project for nearly any unit of study. For instance, consider such project titles as the following:

  • If You Tax Our Tea, for a unit on colonial America
  • If You Recycle an Aluminum Can, for a unit on the process of recycling
  • If You Visit a Rainforest, for a unit on the plants and animals in a rainforest

The online Circle Plot Diagram can help students gather their ideas, and then they can publish their work with the ReadWriteThink Printing Press.

Websites

Find a biography and full bibliography on this site.

This PBS website uses documentary film, photography, artwork, and music to honor and explore Native American storytelling, including the importance of circles and cycles in Native American stories.

This page offers links for teachers to resources related to Laura Numeroff and her books. Included are links to biographical information about Numeroff, as well as lesson plans and activities for several of her books.

Related Resources