No Big Deal: The Enormous Potato + Core Vocabulary Activities
The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis is a humorous book about a farmer who grows a potato so big that he needs help to manage it. He enlists the help of his entire family (including pets) to pull it out of the ground. Then the whole town comes over to eat the potato with them.
This book contains the core word “big” in a few different forms (e.g., “biggest”) as well as synonyms of “big”. Model “big” and “little” using the child’s AAC system as you read the book and throughout these activities…
Craft
Download this free craft. Help the child cut and paste each vegetable on the side labeled “big” or on the side labeled “little” according to its size.
Big and Little Toys
Gather toy food (or other items like toy cars or blocks) of various sizes then help the child sort them (e.g., “this tomato is big… this one is little“).
Song
“This is Big Big Big” is a sweet song written by Melissa Depper, a children’s librarian. Use actions or gestures to emphasize the meaning of the lyrics:
This is big big big
This is small small small
This is short short short
This is tall tall tall
This is fast fast fast
This is slow slow slow
This is yes yes yes
This is no no nohttps://kcls.org/content/this-is-big-big-big/
Big and Little Movements
Go outside or go into a room with plenty of open space. Contrast big and little steps, jumps or other gross motor movements.
Sensory Activity
Make food out of Play-Doh. Contrast big and little food items.
Snack
Enjoy two snacks in one! Find big and little versions of the same food like these mini and full-sized Oreos.
Daily Routines and Activities
Don’t let the little opportunities pass you by! Model “big” and “little” throughout your everyday interactions. There are many idioms that include these core words – e.g., “the big picture”, “big shoes to fill”, “a little bit”, “too little too late”, etc.
A little piece of advice… click here to explore more core vocabulary resources in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
