A Letter from the Authors
Dear Reader,
Thank you for being so enthusiastic about our book, How Full
Is Your Bucket? For Kids. We hope you’ll have as much fun
reading it as we did writing it!
The story of filling or dipping from buckets that Felix learns
from his grandfather is a story our dad and grandpa shared
with us when we were kids. (And we really did play with a dog
named Buster!)
We hope this book helps you understand that the things you
say and do every day impact the way others feel. Whether you’re
3 years old, 10 years old, or 100, you make a difference in the
world, and YOU have the power to change your environment!
We hope after reading our book that you’ll want to fill buckets,
because in doing so you’ll be making your classroom, school,
and family both happier and healthier.
Here’s to bucket-filling!
Your friends,
Tom & Mary
Scholastic Book Clubs
Use the following ideas to create an entire
unit around How Full Is Your Bucket?
For Kids.
These fun classroom activities reinforce
reading and writing skills!
Thinking Within the Text
After reading the story, discuss these
questions with your class.
1.Who is the main character in this story?
How do you know?
2.Why does the little sister, Anna, knock down the tower of blocks?
3.How does Felix feel when his bucket empties and fills?
How do you know?
4.How and why does Felix help Anna at the end of the story?
Writing Connections
Interview a water droplet! After researching the water cycle with a
partner, write down questions to ask a water droplet. Then pretend you
are a water droplet and respond to the questions.
Scholastic Book Clubs
Created with help from Elizabeth Madarang, a teacher in Chester Springs, PA
Fun Lesson Plans
Math Connections
1.Count all the drips (out of the bucket) and all the drops
(into the bucket). Which number is greater?
2.Build it! Using similar blocks, build the highest tower you can.
How many blocks did you use?
How tall is your tower in inches? In centimeters?
Science Connections
MATERIALS
Cotton balls, eyedroppers, small cups of water
DIRECTIONS
1.Have the students split up into pairs. One student should hold
the cotton ball, and the other should hold the eyedropper.
2.Have students predict how many drops of water it will take to
make the cloud (cotton ball) rain.
3.Count the drops of water as they come out and land on
the cotton ball. How many drops does it take? Compare
the estimate to the actual number.
4.Try it several times (each with a new cotton ball).
Does it take the same amount each time? Why or why not?
5.Add food colouring to the water to make a colourful cloud!
Scholastic Book Clubs
Created with help from Elizabeth Madarang, a teacher in Chester Springs, PA
Math & Science
Connections!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Use this graphic organizer to think about the parts of the story.
Title:
Author:
Characters: Who are the people in the story?
Setting: Where did the story take place?
Problem: What is the main problem in the story?
Solution: How does that problem get solved?
Scholastic Book Clubs
Created with help from Elizabeth Madarang, a teacher in Chester Springs, PA
Story Blocks!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Create your own bucket-story cartoon using the conversation bubbles.
Remember to draw buckets!
Written by:
Scholastic Book Clubs
Created with help from Elizabeth Madarang, a teacher in Chester Springs, PA
Make Your Own Comic!
Created with help from Elizabeth Madarang, a teacher in Chester Springs, PA
The Water Cycle
INSTRUCTIONS:
Colour the picture of the water
cycle and fill in the parts of the
cycle using the word bank.
Water Cycle Word Bank:
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Scholastic Book Clubs
Created with help from Elizabeth Madarang, a teacher in Chester Springs, PA
Be a
Bucket Filler!
✄
INSTRUCTIONS:
B
U
C
K
E
T
Name:
✃
Use each letter to start a sentence saying
how you can help fill someone’s bucket.