The Snowy Day.

Our group has narrowed down the topics for our final presentation, and the winner is... The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats!
Here's a list of reasons why I am so excited about this project:
1. It's a personal favorite book of mine. Something about the beautiful illustrations makes me want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa!
2. It is one of the few books from the 1960's that represented a minority through its characters. While I don't remember actively recognizing it as a child, I think as a teacher it is important to find works in which many children can find representations of themselves.
3. To elementary aged kid, reading a book that won The Cadecott Medal was like reading a selection which won the Nobel Peace Prize or the Pulitzer. You felt smart and in the know when you read them, and the teachers thought you had good taste. Most importantly: they were good books.
4. I think that snow represents a magical, twilight-time in childhood. For those of us in climates where snow was a big deal, we slept with our spoons under our pillows or our pajamas inside out to induce a snow day. A Snowy Day captures that magic and makes it tangible for adults who may have lost a piece of that wide-eyed innocence along the way.

Here is what to expect from our project: three lesson plans which instruct educators on how to teach the book. Each lesson will focus on one discipline: dance, music, and theatre. Our websites will also include resources to facilitate the teaching.

Sounds like a perfect use of technology in the classroom to me!

-- Christina