Helping Miss Rumphius Make the World Beautiful

I love to introduce my children to Miss Rumphius right before  Earth Day.

This is such a thoughtfully written book that lets children begin thinking of different ways they can make the world more beautiful. After we read the story, I had the children retell it. We talked about the three things Alice wanted to do in her life : 1)  travel to far away places, 2) live by the sea, and 3) make the world more beautiful. We had a great discussion about why it is so important for each of us to do something to make the world more beautiful.  I found some good discussion questions here for the story.  (The questions are written for 8-11 year olds, but some were perfect for 'turn and talks' and class discussions.  I had fun listening to the conversations when the children  did 'turn and talks'.   Kindergarten children are very wise.  :)  

The children were anxious to write about how they could each make the world more beautiful. I loved some of the answers!

  (Hunter LOVES the color melon pink- so he is going to paint all the roads! :)

 And finally...  How could that smile not make the world a better place? 

Next we decorated our planting cups with lupines.  I showed them how to make one dot, then two, three, four, and five.

Then, we planted our seeds!

We also made a poster for our room to help us remember what we need to do!

The timing of our Miss Rumphius Day could not have been more perfect this year. The very next day, my dear friend from Texas sent me these pictures... having no idea of her perfect timing!

I live in Upstate NY, and lupines will grow if I am very attentive to them and baby them, but my friend Betty is surrounded in Texas with GLORIOUS Texas BlueBonnets! 

I put the bottom picture up on the Smartboard so the children saw it when they came in the room in the morning.  They all said the very same thing... "Is THAT the LUPINE LADY?"

Yes, I think she really is.  She certainly makes the world more beautiful! She writes books, makes GORGEOUS quilts,  has made me a fancy paper doll apron for school, a one of a kind  Kaffe Fassett skirt, a beautiful quilt, and so many other happy surprises!  She is the epitome of making the world more beautiful!  Thank you, Betty, my Lupine Lady! 

Thank you for visiting!  Happy Teaching!