Eric Carle's My Apron

This week we did one of my favorite Eric Carle book activities with his book, My Apron.

It is a really fun activity that the children love and it gets the families involved as well! I sent home a note to parents telling them  that we would be reading this book.  I explained that it was a story about Eric Carle working for his uncle at his job as a plasterer when he was eight years old. He loved the workman's apron with a pocket so much that  his aunt made him an apron of his own, and he spent a few days as his Uncle Adam's assistant.

I asked the parents to send in something with their child that represents the job that the parents do- a "tool of their trade," sort of like the apron was for the plasterer.

I always have a wonderful response to this.  One of my all time favorites was a mother of three busy boys who sent this in:

I read the story right after lunch and planned on having a few children share and taking a break- but everyone was so interested  that we were able to let everyone share right straight through.  Here were some "tools of the trade" that were shared:

Daddy works for the cable company.

 

Mommy is a nurse.



Mommy is a great cook and daddy builds houses.

Grammy is a seamstress, who can EVEN sew on buttons! :)  and Poppy is a golfer.

Daddy works at a quarry.

Daddy works on helicopter engines.

Her mom wrote me a little note with this heart that said that she had wanted it to say, "My mom and dad's job is to make love in the house," but mom thought it may be better to say, "My mom and dad's job is to love us."  :)    

Not really sure about this one!   She brought balls in and said daddy juggled for the circus.  I am going to check this one out!  She also said, "So I guess, if you are at the circus and you see my daddy, maybe, um... don't wave. "   That made my day. :)

One of my favorite things about the book is a handwritten letter in the back from Eric Carle explaining that this is a true story that happened to him when he was eight years old.  The children really see first hand how "real" authors use real life events as ideas for stories. 

We have been watching some great Eric Carle interviews, so the children know a lot about him as an author and illustrator.  I added several more interviews to my Eric Carle Prezi. 

Thank you for visiting! 

Happy Teaching,

Carolyn