Little Bear Goes to the Moon
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Activity:
Little Bear Goes to the Moon
Lesson plan developed by Aurora Tollestrup, BS Ed.
Age Group:
* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with toddlers.
Objectives:
Children will:
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II.5.1a
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a) Activities involve developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences
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Materials:
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Procedure:
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Assessment:
- Ask the children to explain how the craters were made and why different rocks and marbles made different sized craters.
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Promoting Creativity
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Maurice Sendak books are worthless if not stirring the pot of imagination for countless young people worldwide. In the book Where the Wild Things Are, Max uses his imagination to be taken to a far-away land where the Wild Things live with their terrible teeth and exaggerated features. What is possibly most interesting about this children’s book is that the inspiration for the Wild Things actually came from a young Sendak’s childhood opinions of his relatives. While it is generally not accepted to speak ill of one’s relatives, Sendak identifies with the fact that children are caught in a difficult place where they are not always kind but instead are sometimes painfully honest. He identifies with children and the difficulties in their lives throughout his entire adult life which allows him to create masterpieces which enchant and delight. Capturing these honest views of life are what Sendak draws his inspiration from, resulting in creative works of literature.
In 1963 his most famous book Where the Wild Things Are was published which took the children’s literature world by storm. Sendak both wrote and illustrated the book which became an instant classic. The tale of a boy who is punished by his mother and embarks on a vivid imaginative journey to where the wild things are combined fantasy with remarkable illustrations that allows a child’s mind to soar.
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“What I do as best I can is out of a deep respect for children, for how difficult their world is.”
-Maurice Sendak |
Maurice believed that children lived very difficult lives and that books and illustrations could be a safe haven or escape for those difficulties. While adulthood is ridden with fear and stress, he argued that at least there was an element of control. In childhood, he would often say, there is no control and constant uncertainty with no escape from it. Though most children experience happy childhoods, this is not always true. Giving students an outlet to escape from stress with a book or creative expression activity can prove to be extremely beneficial. As a teacher or caregiver, you should seek out opportunities to allow for this, whether it is in reading a Maurice Sendak book or an open-ended art activity.
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In the Night Kitchen
 
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Nutshell Librar
 
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Higglety, Pigglety, Pop
 
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Outside Over Ther
 
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