Summary: The First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac and Anna
Vojtech is considered a children’s folklore for grades kindergarten- second. This
book is a re-telling of a Cherokee legend, which explains how strawberries came
to be. Long ago, the first man and woman quarreled. The woman left in anger,
but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife's retreat.
Art Style: I love almost every page of
this book, because of the glowing paintings which perfectly complements the
simple, lyrical text. She uses bright colors to keep the reader’s attention and
to lighten the mood.
Personal Thoughts: Personally, I love everything about this
story, I am signed up with the Dolly Parton series, and this was one of the
books that I received. I absolutely would read it repeatedly. This would be a
nice story for children who are studying the Cherokee people and folklore. The
values and life lessons in this story are relatable and shows is about knowing
when to stand up for yourself, apologize for your actions, and to forgive and
move on.
Discussion Questions:
What is the woman doing in the picture on the cover of the
book?
What was life like for the man and the woman at the beginning
of the story?
How did the man express his anger?
How did the strawberries help the woman to forgive?
Motivational Activities:
One activity that I would do is have my students retell the
story by making paper bag puppets of the characters (the man, woman, sun,
strawberries, etc.) and use them to retell the story in a puppet show.
Another activity that I would have planned out is (hopefully)
have a strawberry farmer visit the class and talk about how strawberries grow,
propagate by tubulars rather than seeds, etc. I would have each student ask at
least one question.
If you enjoyed this book, check out some other books
written by Joseph Bruchac and Anna Vojtech!
Some Examples:
A Tree Can Be…
Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi
Elephant Walk
Resources:
Bruchac, J., & Vojtech, A. (2013). The first strawberries: A Cherokee story. Columbus, O.H.:
Zaner-Bloser.
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ReplyDeleteThe First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac and Anna Vojtech is a good story that entails a love story. It teaches the children how to love oneself and how to love the nature. Good people will be rewarded and they will prosper. Your motivational activity is engaging. I also suggest the activity, What Will Happen Next. In this way, the children will think about what will possibly happen after an event. Also, the children will be engaged and they will wait for the answer if their guess is correct or not. This activity will lead them to be more tied up while the lesson continues. Lastly, the teaching and learning process takes place. Thank you.
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