The Pout-pout Fish (Pout-Pout Fish Adventure) (Pout-Pout Fish Adventures): 1

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Is it more important that he feels better or that he has this new purpose? What is the connection between the two? This book is about a fish that goes to school for the first time and he ends up in the wrong class and he thinks he is not smart, he will never get it, he doesn’t belong, and he should just forget it. He continues to move on to find the class that he thinks he belongs in and continues to think he doesn’t belong. Mr.Fish begins to leave school and right before he gives up completely a nice teacher named Miss Hewitt tells him,” yes you do belong, you belong in my class for the brand new fish. Mr. Fish realizes that he is smart, he will get it, he does belong, and he won’t forget it. Deborah Diesen is an American children's book author. Her book The Pout-Pout Fish was chosen by Time magazine as a Top 10 Children's Book of 2008. [1] It was also selected for the Michigan Reads! literacy program. [2] I really thought this book was super cute and taught a very important lesson for young children that they should never give up when things get hard. The part of the story that made me feel this way was when Mr. Fish runs into Miss Hewitt and she encourages Mr.Fish that he is smart. I would highly recommend this story to any younger elementary class, especially on the first day of school or the first week or two. As the Pout Pout Fish swims through the ocean with his big pout in our featured story today all of the other animals offer advice on how to cheer up. This is a wonderful example of friendship and empathy for preschoolers who often have ideas about what might cheer up their friends.

The activity that I would have 1st graders do would write a piece about their very first day of school and what they remember. We did an activity with this on the first day of school and how it is different or similiar than their first day of Kindergarten. In the second half of the book, Mr. Fish is kissed by the Silver Fish and transforms into a happy, kissing fish with the purpose of making everyone else feel better with one of his joyous kisses. This transformation, as a result of the kiss, seems to make his life much better. One of the thoughts that come to mind when reflecting on this transformation is whether Mr. Fish’s life is better because he is happy or because he now has a purpose in life. This book allows for a facilitated discussion and debate about happiness versus purpose. Is it important for the Pout-Pout fish to be happy, or is it more important that he now has a purpose? And what is the connection between the two? Can someone be happy without a purpose? Or have a purpose, but not be happy? I chose The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School for the “First Week of Kindergarten” text set because Pout-Pout fish expresses many of the same worries students will have about school. A positive theme is reiterated throughout the book: You are smart, you can get it, you belong, so don’t forget it! This is a message I want my class to embrace as we begin to build classroom community in the first week of school. This book encompasses anxiety in children who experience doubt and fear in their abilities and the pessimism that comes with it. This is amplified in the school environment where there is usually an emphasis on grades and performance, thus Mr. Fish's troubled mantras of self-deprecation. But through support and positive reinforcement from teachers and/or adult figures, it can drastically change the views of how children, and in this case fish, perceive themselves.

Why do the other sea creatures want the pout pout fish to be happy? Is it okay for them to want this? How do you think this makes Mr. Fish feel? The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Deisen is a wonderful book that helps to begin age appropriate conversations with children about emotions and feelings. The Pout-Pout Fish is a story about Mr. Fish who has a perpetual frown on his face. He always feels sad much to the concern of his friends in the ocean. His friends try to give him advice and want him to smile and be cheerful, but Mr. Fish is convinced that this is just the way he is. That is until one little fish gives him a kiss and changes his whole outlook on things. The Pout-Pout Fish becomes the Kiss-Kiss Fish and sets about making his friends as happy as he is. In addition to Mr. Fish’s sadness, the other fish don’t understand his emotions and exclude him because of this. The jellyfish, squid, and octopus all complain that Mr. Fish mopes too much. Is it okay for the sea creatures to expect Mr. Fish to be happy when he is not? Is it okay for Mr. Fish to not feel happy? These types of questions delve further into the role of well-being and happiness in personal relationships. For Mr. Fish, the sea creatures attempt to prevent, correct, or mitigate his sadness and assume it is a generally undesirable trait to be sad. However, this approach isolates Mr. Fish, which presumably furthers his sadness. What would be a better path of action for the sea creatures to take? How can the sea creatures take better care of their friend? These questions can be used to open up a discussion regarding personal relationships hindered by the challenges facing a friend. Purpose and Meaningfulness As part of the Virtual Book Club for Kids, my co-hosts and I share activity ideas for preschoolers to help extend beloved books. While reading aloud is absolutely enough, kids often enjoy crafts and learning activities based on their favorite books. Below are some ideas if you want to extend some of your favorite ocean read alouds.

After the Silver fish kisses the Pout-Pout fish, his life seems much better. Do you think it is because he’s feeling happy or because he has a new purpose in making others feel better by kissing them?

Great Read Alouds

I think this book is pure genius. It is suspenseful and funny and so well illustrated. It is the first in a series of 3 books and still my favorite. For today’s purposes take the time as you read to pause and discuss with your listeners how the two main characters are feeling at different points in the book. For example, when the big fish discovers his hat missing you could ask “How do you think the big fish feels right now?” and maybe follow that up with “What do you think would make him feel better?” This book also asks the important question of what role purpose plays in having a meaningful life and whether a purpose needs to be meaningful or not. Some may believe that the Pout-Pout fish’s life seems to go from having no meaning to being meaningful after finding his purpose. Others may disagree and claim that his purpose is meaningless. This debate asks the important question of whether it is up to you or someone else to decide if your purpose is meaningful or worthwhile. Many activities can seem like a waste of time if one focuses on it, but perhaps it is a matter of perspective and how it affects people’s lives differently. For example, a man who spends his life counting all the blades of grass on his lawn may seem like he has a pointless purpose, but it may be completely meaningful to him or maybe even some others who know him to count all the blades of grass on his lawn. Considering this, we can begin to think about what makes a purpose worthwhile and meaningful. Does his purpose even need to have meaning? Hopefully, through this book, we can produce a productive conversation about purpose and meaningfulness. Questions for Philosophical Discussion Happiness

My friends,” says Mr. Fish, “I should have known it all along. I thought that I was pouty, but it turns out I was wrong. I’m a kiss-kiss fish…”Have you read any books about Pout-Pout Fish before? If so, tell me some things you already know about Pout-Pout Fish. If this is your first time reading a Pout-Pout Fish book, we can use his name to learn a little bit about him. Pout means to push your lips out, like Pout-Pout Fish is doing on the cover. Let’s all give it a try! Why might you pout like Pout-Pout Fish? How do you think he feels about going to school? We’re going to read to find out why Pout-Pout Fish is worried about going to school. We’ll also find out what changes his mind and makes him smile. This book is about Pout-Pout the fish who starts his very first day of school. He is very scared at looking at all of the classrooms. He begins to go into Math, Art, and Writing class, and he does not think he is good at anything. He gets very discouraged and wants to go home. Before he left the school, a new teacher had come across him and asked for him to go with her since he was not in the right classroom. She was his Kindergarten teacher and he was very happy to be in a place where he was smart and he could do well in. Original questions and guidelines for philosophical discussion by Tristan Leigh and Sally Donovan. Edited June 2020 by The Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics. Preschoolers and Kindergartners who are eager to be friendly often have creative ideas for what might cheer up their friends. This early writing activity is meant to extend the conversations you had during story time while working on communicating ideas through pictures and writing.

Diesen lives in Grand Ledge, Michigan. [3] In addition to a writer, she is the financial manager for a nonprofit. [4] Bibliography [ edit ] The Pout-Pout Fish [ edit ] Encourage the kids to share what makes them feel happy or smile when they are sad with drawings or words. I also like to encourage conversation at our table while we write and draw. A simple phrase like “Tell me about your picture” can get a kid talking and often lead to conversation. Mr. Fish lives with a constant pout on his face. He always seems to be sad and frowning. Octopi, clams, and other various sea critters all tell him to smile a little and be happy, but the Pout-Pout fish claims that this is just the way he is. Then, all of a sudden, his frown is turned upside-down after he is kissed by a shimmering silver fish. After he is kissed, the Pout-Pout fish becomes the Kiss-Kiss fish, giving all of his sea friends kisses and making everyone as happy as he is. What does the Pout-Pout fish do after the Silver fish kisses him? Why might that make him feel better? Do you think the Silver fish should have asked the Pout-Pout fish before they kissed? Playful rhymes. Repetitive text. A comically drawn main character. And a book that talks about turning that frown upside down. Really what more could you want in a read aloud? I can’t even look at the cover without smiling.It is a wonderful story about a beautiful, shiny fish who doesn’t like to share. He does however want friends. One day he shares just a single rainbow fin and with another fish and discovers the wonderful joy that comes from giving to others. Flowing, watery illustrations and developmentally appropriate concepts, it isn’t hard to see why this book has become a classic. How much does having a meaningful purpose contribute to having a good, happy life? Can someone be happy without a purpose? Or have a purpose, but not be happy? Pippa and Percival, Pancake and Poppy: Four Peppy Puppies, illustrated by Grace Zong, Sleeping Bear Press, 2018 Questions for Philosophical Discussion » Summary The Pout-Pout Fish is a story about happinness and the role of purpose in making a life meaningful. In the story The Pout Pout Fish, the main character is described as quite glum until another fish surprises him with a kiss. It is a sweet story that brings up different ways that might cheer someone up.