Feel a cold coming on? Read, Chicken Soup by Heart

Chicken Soup by Heart
written by Esther Hershenhorn
illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger
Laptime: preschool - early elementary
Story Circle: preschool - early elementary

We've all heard the medicinal wonders of chicken soup for colds and flu. In Chicken Soup by Heart we learn the secret of Chicken Soup's healing powers - stir in a loving story about the soup-eater.

Rudie Dinkins babysitter Mrs. Gittel is sick with the flu. Mrs. Gittel is the chicken soup queen who makes Rudie special soup whenever he is sick. Her secret ingredient is the story of a loving memory about her soup eater that she stirs into each pot of soup. Rudie is determined to help Mrs. Gittel get better by making her a pot of Rudie Dinkin's chicken soup. Of course, Rudie stirs in some stories about Mrs. Gittel and a few secret ingredients of his own.

Laptime Activity
Make Chicken Soup

• You can try Rudie and Mrs. Gittel's Chicken Soup recipes that are listed on the last page of the book or make your own favorite recipe. Kaboose.com has some delicious and easy soup recipes to try.
• Read the recipe together and gather all of the ingredients.
• Be sure to allow each child to add ingredients and stir the soup. Kids can peel the veggies but an adult should do the chopping.
• While the soup is simmering, sit around the table and allow each person, child and adult, to tell a nice story about someone else who will be eating the soup.
• Eat the soup together or take it to someone that is sick as a get well gift.
  

Story Circle Activity

• If you are allowed to cook in your classroom, Make some Chicken Soup. You can use the recipe at the back of Chicken Soup by Heart or use your own.
• Write the ingredients on the board or a large piece of paper or poster board so that everyone can see and read together what goes into the soup.
• Use a crock pot to simmer the soup. A crock pot wont get quite so hot as an electric stock pot but you will need to allow it to simmer linger.
  
• Be sure that you have your ingredients organized and ready to go.
• If you would like to have the class peel the vegetables, use child safe peelers.
• For Tips for Successful Classroom Cooking click here.

Make Your Own Recipe Book
You will need:
Drawing and writing paper for each child.
Pencils and crayons.

1. Give each child a piece of writing paper and have them write or dictate their version of a recipe for chicken soup.
2. Below the recipe have them write or dictate a nice story about the person that they would like to have eat their soup.
3. Give each child a piece of drawing paper and have them draw a picture to go with their story.
4. Combine all of the pages into one Chicken Soup Recipe book.
5. If you have readers allow each child to read their recipe and story to the class. If you have a class of early readers or young preschoolers the teacher may read the recipes and stories to the class.
6. Make copies of all of the pages and bind them together for a take home book that the children can read to/with their families.