Poky Little Puppy Unit Study for Kids

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Discover what happens when five little puppies dig a hole under the fence and explore the wide, wide world. Then, let your students complete this free Poky Little Puppy unit study!

I remember reading The Poky Little Puppy when I was a child. Then, I remember reading it to my own children. Now, I’m anxiously awaiting the day I read it to my grandson.

This charming story is a classic for sure, and there are so many fun lessons you can complete with your kids to extend the storybook fun.

The Poky Little Puppy Unit Study

Science

• Sort the Animals: Use the cards included in the printable (download it at the bottom of this post) to practice sorting. Your students can sort by color, body covering, or number of legs. Sorting is a great way to have kids work on their visual discrimination and classification skills.

• Five Senses: Throughout the story, the puppies perk up as they hear, smell, and see things. Discuss and explore the five senses with a five senses sorting activity.

• Nature Scavenger Hunt: Take the kids outside today for a nature scavenger hunt inspired by The Poky Little Puppy. Kids will enjoy hunting for the things the puppies encountered on their trips out into the wide, wide world.

Math

• Counting by Fives: There are five little puppies in this story (even though the focus is mainly on the poky little puppy). Kids can practice counting by fives by assembling the skip counting puzzle included in the printable pack below.

• Number Words: Let students practice matching number words to their numerals with the Poky Little Puppy number puzzles included in the printable unit study pack.

• Word Problems: Kids will love working through the beginning word problems page in this pack. Pick the puppies out of this set of animal math counters, and let your kids use them to solve the problems if necessary.

Art Projects

• Add some art to your Poky Little Puppy unit study in the form of playful pups newspaper art or footprint puppy dogs.

• Or, you can add some simple puppy crafts like a heart puppy paper bag puppet, no-sew washcloth puppy dog pals, or easy origami dogs.

• Because strawberries and strawberry shortcake are mentioned in the story, you could have your kids make a strawberry craft. They can make a handprint strawberry craft or a paper plate strawberry craft.

Cooking

Just like the dogs’ mother, you could make a tasty dessert for/with your kids. Try any one of these recipes:

• Strawberry Shortcake
• Rice Pudding
• Chocolate Custard

Language Arts

• Adjectives: Point out that poky and little are adjectives. Explain to your students (or review) that adjectives are describing words. Kids can complete the “Poky Little Puppy Adjectives” worksheet for additional practice.

• Prepositions: Prepositions tend to be direction words. The puppies did under the fence, climb over the hill, and run up the road. Complete the “Where’s the Puppy” worksheet included in this unit study.

• Vocabulary: Introduce new vocabulary with the vocabulary cards in this pack. Then, have kids match the vocabulary words to images and definitions.

• Word Search: Reading is Fundamental has a word search inspired by the story. Kids can complete it online, or you can print it out.

• Build the Words: Print out one copy of the recording sheet and one set of word cards. Students will choose a card, build it with scrabble tiles/magnetic letters/letter beads, and then write it on the lines.

Writing

• Budding writers can write about a variety of topics – spring, puppies, and more – with the enclosed Draw and Write pages.

Social Studies

• Exploration: Talk about what it’s like to explore new places. How can kids explore new places safely?

• Wide, Wide World: Kids can draw a picture of where they live. Can they find their state on a map? Where do their grandparents live? How would they get from their house to their grandparents’ house?

Character

• Obedience and Consequences: In this story, the puppies were not obedient. They weren’t supposed to dig under the fence, but they did anyway. As a consequence, they didn’t get dessert (well, except that silly poky puppy). Talk with your kids about why there would be a rule about digging under the fence. Why wouldn’t want Mommy Dog want her puppies to go out in the wide world all alone? Are consequences a good thing? Are rules helpful or not?

Can your students apply this conversation to their own lives? Can they see how the concept of obedience and consequences in this story can apply to them, as well?

Download Your Poky Little Puppy Unit Study.

All of the printable activities I mentioned above can be found in my Poky Little Puppy Book Companion. To download your copy, click the button below. Enter your email address, and you’ll gain access to this free printable.

In addition, you’ll become a member of my mailing list. As a member of my mailing list, you’ll receive my weekly newsletter which is full of fun ideas, book lists, and activities you can use as you teach with children’s book.

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