Patricia Polacco Visits Wyncote Elementary School on May 5, 2000

Ms. Polacco was welcomed by fourth graders who sang their rendition of Just Plain Fancy. A talented parent, "Miss D" provided the music and guidance for the writing of four verses and a chorus. Every student wore a "babushka" in a style of his/her own choosing which had been decorated in art class.
Students have become familiar with the body of work by Patricia Polacco beginning with a reading of Luba and the Wren by our principal who visited all twenty-three classrooms. Parents were organized to be guest readers in the classrooms. One of our parents made a chart listing all of the classes and thirty-one of the author’s books. When classes came to library, they reviewed titles of books they heard and appropriate stickers were placed in the correct boxes made by the grid. Children were reminded that the chart was a way to keep track of titles that had been read to them and was not meant to be a contest. In addition, children were given their own printed list of titles so they could check titles they had heard or had read themselves.
Wyncote School was very fortunate to have two parents co-chair the author visit. They installed a grove of trees in the lobby and invited students to create animals, flowers, butterflies or any objects inspired by the author’s stories to place on the branches or walls.

Patricia Polacco’s books were divided by theme for each grade level in our school which were as follows: Kindergarten – animals, dolls, and nursery rhymes, Grade One – holidays, Grade Two – nature, Grade 3 – important people, and Grade 4 – memoirs. Mrs. Berger, the art teacher, generated projects for each theme; for example, kindergartners made three-dimensional cats which were placed in groups on tables in the lobby beneath the tree branches, second graders made a huge mural titled The Landscape of Patricia Polacco which she said when she visited "looked more like the real thing than we might imagine," third graders drew portraits of an important older person in their lives, and fourth graders made book covers held by hands with just the top of a head peeking over the top. Fourth graders also made a stained glass window featuring folk art objects that looked beautiful during the assembly with the colored light pouring in from the outside.
In addition, each classroom chose one of the author’s books as their specialty. Students under the direction of their teacher decorated their classrooms doors using ideas from their chosen book. I Can Hear the Sun and Appelemando’s Dream were two stunning examples of this project. One child’s father made a huppa to put over his child’s classroom door to commemorate The Keeping Quilt. Another class used Chicken Sunday as their inspiration making a picture of Miss Eula and the children. They were surrounded by paper plates with three-dimensional paper constructions of the food Miss Eula cooked for Sunday dinner such as corn on the cob, greens, chicken, and spoon bread.

When May 5th arrived, students were familiar with the author’s books. They had heard the stories in the library or classrooms. They had had art experiences that enhanced the meaning of the books. The children were perfect listeners and came away from Ms. Polacco’s presentations impressed with her message of consideration for others and a respect for the traditions of families. At midday between sessions and autographing, Ms. Polacco, teachers, and parents enjoyed an international luncheon featuring foods from her books. It was an extraordinary day that enriched the literary lives of our students.

-Diana Lamey, Librarian
Information about Projects to Prepare for the Visit of Patricia Polacco

Art lessons for making cats, babushka dolls, hands holding book covers, and fabric babushka scarves

Cat Activity to go with Tikva Means Hope and Mrs. Katz and Tush (can be modified for all grade levels)

Materials: colored construction paper (colors of cats), tracers of cats from 12" x 18" oak tag, small heart shaped tracer for cat face, colored markers, stuffed paper bag with small rock in bottom of bag for weight, precut whiskers, newspapers

Procedure: Introduce and read books in library, classroom, or art class. Let children choose two sheets of paper which are the same color for their cats. Let children choose sitting or laying down cat tracer. Trace shape of cat on both papers and cut out both sheets at the same time. Hand out heart shaped tracer for face on already cut out cat body. Trace and make eyes, nose, and mouth. Hand out whiskers to glue on face. Hand out paper bags; place rock in bottom first, then stuff with newspaper. Write name on bottom of bag. Use markers to add fur details such as spots, stripes, etc. on both sides of cat. Staple two edges of cat together to create a pocket leaving the bottom side open. Put stuffed paper bag inside and staple bottom edges of cat to the bottom of the paper bag.

Babushka Doll Activity to go with Babuska’s Doll (can be modified for all grade levels)

Materials: Oak tag tracer of head in circle form and outline of dress only, colored markers and pencils, sheets of 24" x 36" white construction paper.

Procedure: Hand out pencil, paper, and tracer to each child. Have children trace around shape in middle of paper. Show children pre-made example. Concentrate first on head. Break down facial features into shapes; i.e. triangles for eyes, circles for cheeks, heart shape for lips. Draw hair around face. Then draw arms with mitten hands extending up or down. Draw legs and feet in similar manner. Last of all, draw the hat and design dress. Color with markers. Work slowly one area of the body at a time especially with younger children.

Hands holding book covers activity for all books (grade 4 and up).

Materials: paper plates, colored tissue paper for hair, skin colored construction paper, 12" x 18" white construction paper, mixed media such as water colors, markers, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, pencils, all of Patricia Polacco’s books.

Procedure: Let each child choose a book to read and use for project. Hand out 12" x 18" paper, pencils and erasers only. Tell children to draw front and back cover of book using their very best techniques. When completed, hand out coloring materials to finish. Hand out paper to trace own hands. Encourage them to add details i.e., wrinkles, nails, rings, etc. Cut out hands, and glue to paper plate. Hand out tissue paper for hair. Cut and style tissue paper to match child’s hair and glue to plate. Children may need help assembling plate and hands to book cover. Fingers can be bent to emphasize the intensity of reading the books.

Fabric babushka scarves to go with many books (can be modified for all grade levels)

Materials: Muslin or any similar cloth pre-cut into 6" x 48" rectangles, oil crayons or permanent markers, variety of books to look at to get ideas for designs

Procedure: Discuss folk art quality of designs on clothing and headgear. Hand out cloth and crayons/markers. Let children design. If oil crayons are used, iron with highest setting to melt oil into cloth. Caution: if oil crayons are used, do not wash scarves with regular clothes.

-Project ideas designed by Fern Berger
and Julie Baines, Cheltenham School District art teachers