Who could resist this furry rascal? Jason Cat likes to nap on my keyboard, so it comes as no surprise that he decided to write a book. His book is a poem called Jason’s String. Here, in his own words, is a story about Jason’s very favorite toy, a fancy piece of string.
The vocabulary of Jason’s String is at a level for early readers, kindergarten or early first grade, but pre-schoolers will enjoy hearing it read aloud. Older students will also enjoy this story, which is enhanced by appealing photos and movies of Jason searching for his string.
Supporting Phonics Activity
The wealth of ing words in the Jason’s String story suggested the theme of the supporting book, ING Is A Powerful Thing. A comic-book style superhero, ING-Man, serves as the guide throughout this beginning level phonics book. I’ve used both serious photos and some funny examples to make this book both memorable and enjoyable.
Available In Many Formats
You can download both Jason’s String and ING Is A Powerful Thing in Classroom Suite®, Clicker 5®, HyperStudio 5®, My Own Bookshelf®, PowerPoint®, and PDF formats. The Classroom Suite versions have custom IntelliKeys® overlays attached, and there are Dynavox® versions of these overlays available to download.
See the Special Needs Access section on the System Reqs page for information on controlling the Classroom Suite version from PRC devices. See the HyperStudio is Back! page for information about downloading players to read these activities in HyperStudio format.
Both books can also be read online. Find links to the Annie’s Books Online versions at the bottom of this page. These books were revised to HTML5 versions in 2018, so they now will play sounds and movies in all modern browsers and on all devices, including iPad! I’ve added recorded text, too, which plays automatically on most devices. On iPad®, click the Play Sound button on each page. The updated desktop versions play sounds and movies on all devices, and need no internet connection.
Bonus: Puzzles and Photo Collection
I’ve made puzzles out of several of the photos from Jason’s String. Puzzles in Classroom Suite and HyperStudio 5 are included in the main zip file you download for this activity set. You’ll find links to online puzzles just below the link to the online books, at the foot of this page. There are also Printable Puzzles to download.
All the photos from Jason’s String and many of the illustrations from ING IS A Powerful Thing are included in the Jason’s String Photo Collection.
If you wish there were more puzzles from this activity set, try your hand at making them yourself! Use images from the Photo Collection and puzzle templates from Annie’s Resource Attic to make more puzzles in Classroom Suite, HyperStudio, or Printable Puzzle format. Click HERE to go to the download page for puzzle templates.
Application needed: Intellitools Classroom Suite, Clicker 5, HyperStudio 5, My Own Bookshelf, PowerPoint, Acrobat Reader, web browser
Subject area: Reading.
Level: Grades K-3.
Online Links-Activities
Online Books
Jason link: jason/index.html Menu leads to online versions of Jason’s String and ING Is A Powerful Thing to read online. HTML5 format and updated movies and sounds run in modern browsers, including on phones and tablets. On iPad, be sure to click the Play Sound buttons!Users of pre-IE9 browsers will be seamlessly switched to the old version online, which uses QuickTime.
Desktop version of Jason books link: jasonDesktop.zip Jason’s String and ING Is A Powerful Thing books to read from the desktop using a web browser, including on iPad. No internet connection needed now; books are HTML5. Not for pre-IE9 browsers. For details on using Annie’s Books Online, click here.
Online Puzzles
Jason And His String link: CLICK HERE. Jason And His String online puzzle. Image is Jason holding his string from the Jason’s String activity set.
Jason Finds His String link: CLICK HERE. Jason Finds His String online puzzle. Image is Jason in a tree from the Jason’s String activity set.
For details on using Annie’s Puzzles Online, click here.
Downloads-Activities
Printable Activities
JasonString.pdf (3.2 MB) Jason’s String book to print or read onscreen. Acrobat Reader.
INGIsAPowerfulThing.pdf (3.4 MB) ING Is A Powerful Thing book to print or read onscreen. Acrobat Reader.
JasonPrintablePuzzles.zip (1.9 MB) Four printable puzzles with images from the Jason’s String book to print.
Clicker 5
JasonStringClicker5.zip (28 MB) Jason’s String activity set in Clicker 5. Integrated study unit includes Jason’s String and ING Is A Powerful Thing books and connecting menu. For details on installing integrated study units, click here.
Classroom Suite
JasonActivitiesSuite.zip (55.6 MB) Jason activity set runs in Classroom Suite v.3 or later. Set includes Jason’s String, ING IS A Powerful Thing, and two 6-piece puzzles. Custom IntelliKeys overlays attached. See the Special Needs Access section on the System Reqs page for information on controlling the Classroom Suite version from PRC devices.
JasonOverlaysDynavox.zip (31.8 KB) Jason activity set overlays saved as Dynavox package files.
HyperStudio 5
JasonHS.zip (55.2 MB) Jason activity set in HyperStudio 5 includes Jason’s String, ING IS A Powerful Thing, and a Jason puzzle.
SoftTouch
JasonStringMSB.zip (34.3 MB) folders with Jason’s String book and movies to import into My Own Bookshelf.
INGPowerfulThingMSB.zip (8.3 MB) folders with ING Is A Powerful Thing book and movies to import into My Own Bookshelf.
PowerPoint
JasonActivitiesPPT.zip (6.8 MB) Jason interactive books saved as a compressed .ppt file. Zip file includes Jason’s String and ING Is A Powerful Thing. PowerPoint 2003 or later.
Downloads-Resources
JasonStringPhotoCollection.zip (6.6 MB) Jason Photo Collection includes the photos from Jason’s String and some of the ING Is A Powerful Thing illustrations in JPEG format. To preview the collection, click here.
