How Can I Help? Version for Differentiated Learning

Mommy Frog squatted low on the ground, her big orange eyes gazing into the eyes of Finley. "Thank you," said Mommy Frog, "for all of your help. You know I needed your help more than ever."&nbsp;

They gathered food and hopped along the path to see their friends. But Finley noticed a problem. The path was full of sticks and mud and rocks, and Finley was carrying a heavy load. She looked worried. The skin on her forehead started to scrunch up.

We dedicate this book to all of the resilient children who are experiencing life in this pandemic, listening to their parents and caregivers and helping in many different ways. The book has been designed to accommodate the needs of a variety of learners. These features are described on page 41.

Finley liked to play a game with her webbed feet, seeing how many times she could bounce the ball on each foot."One…two...three…four….five…six! Mommy, I got a six!" shouted Finley.

"Finley," said Mommy Frog, "most of these books are very heavy. I need your help."

Pop art yellow

Mommy Frog looked worried. Finley could see the skin on her forehead was all scrunched up. "I need your help more than ever," said Mommy frog. "How can I help?" asked Finley. "What do you think, Finley? I'm not quite sure," said Mommy Frog.

"I need your help, Finley," said Mommy Frog. "Many of our friends are sick. With all the dust, they're sneezing and coughing and sniffling. They can't dip under water and breathe through their skin, the way we do. They need us."

Mommy Frog said, "Thank you for playing by yourself. Try keeping the count in your head. Let's see if you can reach a new score."

A Story for Children, Parents and Caregivers Who Are Experiencing Life During the Pandemic This version of the book was created for differentiated learning

By Trevor Buser and Sharon Sherman Illustrated by Sharon Sherman

"Maybe I can help Tic-Tac! I'll move her back into her little bowl." Finley found a net for scooping Tic-Tac into her bowl. "Here, Mommy," said Finley, as she handed over the net.

"We can bring them food and set it at their door," said Finley. "If Neighbor Bird is sick, she might have trouble flying. And if Neighbor Snake is sick, he might have trouble hissing. And if Neighbor Turtle is sick, she might have trouble crawling." Mommy Frog liked this idea very much.

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"My friends must be hiding in their homes," Finley thought to herself. Finley dipped her head underwater. The water was cloudy with mud, and she couldn’t see a thing. She wanted to see Mommy Frog.

Finley hopped to the bathtub and said, "It’s going to be OK, Tic-Tac. We’re coming to help you."

Mommy Frog scooped Tic-Tac out of the bathtub and placed her in the bowl. "Bath time is over," said Mommy Frog. "Back to your home now."

She put books on the bookshelf and filled the refrigerator with tasty treats: two flies, one mosquito, and a moth. "Yummy in my tummy," Finley thought to herself.

Clouds pattern

It all started with a rock. This rock was very, very large. In fact, it was bigger than anyone could imagine.

And Tic-Tac, her pet goldfish, was swimming...

"I know," said Finley. "There's a whole new world starting up." "Our way home has some rocks in the way," said Mommy Frog. "But, maybe, it will also be...a little bit fun."&nbsp;

Her home was underground, but the front door was covered in dirt and branches. "Mommy," yelled Finley. "Are you here? You won't believe what happened. A rock hit the ground with a loud thud, and it stirred up all the dust." "I am here," said Mommy Frog, in a soft, quiet voice.

Here's what you can do after you read the story. 1. Retell the story in your own words. 2. Tell your own story about how you and your family members are living during this time. 3. Draw pictures about your own experience during this time. 4. Make a video or audio recording to share your experience during current challenges. 5. Look at the illustrations and describe the emotions they portray. 6. Discuss the feelings and emotions you are having during this time.

"How can I help?" asked Finley. "I wonder if you could be quiet and play, while I do my work, cleaning up the house." Finley felt sad, because she didn’t like to play by herself. She liked to play with Mommy Frog.

We hope you liked this story and will have some time to talk with your family about your own experiences during difficult times.

Her pants were on the bookshelf. Her books were inside the refrigerator.

The rock was made far up in the sky. This rock had been a friend of the stars. But one day the rock made a visit to earth. It fell all the way down from the stars and crashed into the ground with a loud thud.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Trevor Buser, PhD, teaches mindfulness-based mental health counseling at Naropa University. He is a certified school counselor, licensed professional counselor, and board certified coach. Most importantly, he is a father to a spirited, joyful, wondrous little boy named, Eli. He can be reached at tbuser@cardiffhealth.com. You can follow him on Twitter @tjay06 Sharon Sherman, EdD, professor and dean emerita of the College of Education and Human Services at Rider University, has many decades of experience working with children, teachers, and school leaders. She has been a classroom teacher, PTA president and school board member. She is a grandma who enjoys reading to all children who love books. She can be reached at ssherman@rider.edu. You can follow her on Twitter @sharonjsherman

"I am so happy to see you," said Finley.&nbsp;"I was getting scared."

"There's a whole new world starting up," said Mommy Frog. "Look at our home."

Finley could hear the branches and dirt rustling. Mommy’s two orange eyes poked through the mess at their front door.

There was dust everywhere. She could barely see the sun, it was so gloomy. Everything was very, very quiet. And she couldn’t find any of her friends.

Finley swam through her little stream. It was full of sticks and twigs and stones. She jumped over the rocks in her path. "This is a little bit fun," Finley thought to herself.

"Sorry, Mommy," said Finley. Finley went back to playing. In a soft, quiet voice, she counted the bouncing ball: "one…two…three…four…five...six...seven." She whispered to herself: “Seven! A new record!”

"Nothing to it but to do it," said Mommy Frog, with a smile. They climbed over rocks and glided down muddy hills. At the end of the path, there was a deep hole. Finley and Mommy Frog leapt through the air. "This is a little bit fun," said Mommy Frog. Finley smiled.

Paper texture

This book has been designed to address the needs of a variety of learners. Here are some of the features: We've chosen a font that works well for children with dyslexia. Audio support is built in with one voice reading the text. The read-to-me feature allows children to see and hear the text at the same time. Illustrations help children understand what is happening in the story. Many of the illustrations show emotions that Finley and Mommy Frog experience. Alt text, also called alt attributes or descriptions, are constructed for those who use screen readers. This enables better understanding of the image on the page. Below the audio button on each page is the transcript that describes the illustration.

Finley sat quietly for a moment. "What would be most helpful to Mommy?" Finley wondered.

Mommy looked around at the mess of a house. "What should I do next?" she wondered. "I suppose we need the refrigerator to hold food instead of books." Finley giggled. "I don’t like cold books," said Finley. "They make my hands hurt."

Finley the Frog was out playing, and she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Mommy Frog opened the front door and stepped outside. Everything was out of place. Trees were lying upside down. Bird’s nest was sitting on a turtle’s shell.

1A.A1. Identify emotions (e.g., happy, surprised, sad, angry) expressed in "feeling faces" or photographs. 1A.A3. Identify ways to calm yourself. 1A.B4. Demonstrate patience in a variety of situations. 1A.B6. Practice self talk to calm yourself. 1A.D6. Demonstrate an awareness of how your behavior affects others. 1B.A5. Identify reliable adults from whom you would seek help in an emergency. 1B.A8. Demonstrate a special skill or talent you have. 1B.D3. Describe ways in which you help out at home. 1C.D1. Identify how obstacles have been overcome in achieving a goal. -Social Emotional Learning Standards from ISBE.net

This is a photo of Tic-Tac, the Goldfish, swimming in the bathtub.

They tip-toed to the door of each house and set down the food. They were very quiet, in case Neighbor was resting.

The loud thud had shaken her home to pieces, and everything was out of place. Finley’s bed was on top of her dinner table.

Mommy Frog did a lot of work. She moved Finley’s bed into her bedroom. She tucked Finley’s pants inside the dresser.

But Finley could see that Mommy Frog was worried. Mommy Frog wasn’t smiling as much, and her lips were making a frown. "Nothing to it but to do it," said Finley.&nbsp;

"How can I help?" asked Finley. "I'm not quite sure," said Mommy Frog.

Finley sat quietly for a moment. "What would be most helpful to friends?" wondered Finley.

RESOURCES FOR HELPING FAMILIES COPE WITH THE PANDEMIC <a href="https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Family-Members-and-Caregivers/Learning-to-Help-Your-Child-and-Your-Family">National Alliance on Mental Illness: Learning to Help Your Child and Your Family</a> <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/samhsa_families_family_support_guide_final508.pdf">Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association: Helping a Loved One </a> <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</a>: "Free and confidential support for people in distress" 1-800-273-8255 <a href="http://mentalhealth.gov/talk">MentalHealth.gov</a>: Lists of services, associations, and resources for children, adolescents, and families.

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