Jennifer Snoek-Brown

SLIS 5960.001

Multicultural Literature Activity

Children’s Book:

Ø DePaola, Tomie. The Legend of the Bluebonnet: An Old Tale of Texas. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1983. 32 pp. Reading Level: 3.7.

About the Book:

The Comanche Indians pray to the Great Spirits for rain after a long drought and famine. The shaman tells them the Great Spirits are angry with the tribe because they have used the Earth for selfish reasons and have not given anything back. To end the drought and famine, the people must make sacrifices of their most valued possessions. A little girl named She-Who-Is-Alone lost her entire family to the famine and has only a warrior doll with feathers of the blue jay to remember her family by. She burns her doll and offers it to the Great Spirits in order to save her people and end their suffering. The girl was then known by the name One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People. Because of her sacrifice, the rains came, and a blue flower, now called the bluebonnet, spread all over the hills of the land now called Texas.

About the Author and Illustrator:

Tomie dePaola was born in 1934 in Connecticut (as Thomas Anthony), and he is of Italian and Irish descent. He received his BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 1956 and his MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1969. Most famous for his children’s books, dePaola also worked as a graphic designer, greeting card illustrator, and stage set designer. He has also been an art instructor and is still a popular speaker. His distinctive illustration style is reminiscent of folk art, with its simple lines, poses, and frequent details of doves, hearts, and quilt patterns. DePaola has written many folktales from different cultures and religious stories, and the theme of family is strong in all his works. He has won many awards, including a Caldecott Honor in 1976 for Strega Nona, a Newbery Honor in 2000 for 26 Fairmont Avenue, the Regina Medal in 1983, and the Smithson Medal in 1990 (given by the Smithsonian Institute for significant contributions to American culture). He currently lives in New Hampshire in a renovated barn with his beloved dogs

Before Reading Activity:

What Am I? Game

Give a group of ten students one card each (see handout below). Each card has a vocabulary word or phrase and a separate definition on it, which relate to the story. One child begins the game by reading out the definition from the card with the arrow and asking, “What am I?” The child with the correct word/phrase reads out the answer by stating, “I am…,” and if he/she is correct, then reads the separate definition printed on his/her card. The game ends when all the correct answers are given to the definitions.

This game provides interaction for the students and introduces them to vocabulary and cultural phrases that will help them understand the story.

After Reading Activity:

Character Map:

Have each student cut out a pattern of the bluebonnet flowers from white construction paper and cut out a pattern of the wide green stem out of green construction paper (see handout of flower patterns). Encourage them to color in the blue flowers. Glue or staple the green stem to the flowers. Each child will write down on the green stem a word(s) that describe the main character, She-Who-Is-Alone, or things she did in the story or how she felt. Encourage them to talk as a group so there is no duplication of words or phrases. After each child is finished, attach the bluebonnets to a bulletin board or display. The girl’s name will be listed above, with her traits and actions spread out below her. Arrange the flowers so they look like the flowers spread on the hills as illustrated in the book.

This activity provides a craft project for the students as well as an exercise in thinking about the story and coming up with details of character, emotions, and plot to describe the main character.

Variation:

Separate the children into two groups. One group will come up with words that describe the main character, She-Who-Is-Alone. The other group will write down things the girl did in the story, or how she felt during certain times in the story. The two groups will write these down on the green stems they have cut out. Each group will then attach their bluebonnet flowers on a bulletin board, under the heading of the girl’s name.

What Am I? Game Cards

Ø Bluebonnet	courage
************	************
A North American tribe that lived	A shelter usually made of buffalo hide
on the Southwestern plains and in	that was round in shape and supported
Texas. They had many horses and	by wood poles.
relied heavily on buffalo for food,
clothing, and shelter.
tipi	drought
************	************
A story or song that has been	Mental or moral strength to stand
passed down orally through a	up for what you believe,
culture or group	regardless of uncertainty, fear or danger
Great Spirits	shaman
************	************
There is not enough food	The official state flower of Texas
to feed a person or group, and
there is extreme hunger.
Comanche	sacrifice
************	************
When there is no rain, and	The Comanche Indians worshiped
crops and plants cannot grow	many gods, collectively known as this,
	and each god had a special skill or trait
famine	folktale
************	************
Also known as a "medicine man,"	Giving up something that is
this person is considered a healer	very precious and valuable to you
and a seer of dreams and the future

Flower Patterns

Flower Stem