Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum Galore!

*The beloved favorite written by Kevin Henkes. The following are different ideas of how you can utilize Chrysanthemum in your classroom. It might be a good idea to get the Big Book edition, follow the link!

The Importance of Names

         Read Chrysanthemum and discuss how Chrysanthemum feels about her name. How does she feel about it in the beginning? In the middle? Why did she change the way she feels about her name? In the end? What made her change the way she feels about her name?

         Discuss how names are important! That everyone has a right to be called by their name and that being kind to one another is using each other’s name and not making fun of each other.

Being a Friend

         Discuss how Chrysanthemum classmates were not being good friends. Discuss what makes a good friend, make a list. Was Victoria being a bully?

Weather and Chrysanthemum’s Mood

         Kevin Henkes uses the weather to show how Chrysanthemum’s mood changes during the book. When she is happy, it is sunny. When she is sad, it is raining or storming outside. The weather in the story helps make inferences about how Chrysanthemum is feeling about what is happening at school.

         After reading have students think about their mood and have them create a water color painting that matches their mood.

Act it out!

         In Chrysanthemum there are many instances where you can have your children act out different parts. How did she feel going to school the first time. Sometimes I like it when my students use their faces to match the mood of Chrysanthemum and track it how it changes going back and forth between home and school.

My favorite words for my students to act our are: miserably, wilted, absolutely dreadful, she blushed, she beamed, she bloomed. 

If you would like more ideas buy Teaching with Favorite Kevin Henkes Books