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CURRICULUM & LEARNING ENVIRONMENT * 1 HOUR * LEVEL 2

Creative Expression: An Eric Carle Lesson
Literature as a Connection

Page 7
For many of us, reading a favorite book is often one of our first memories from childhood. For some, books allow precious one-on-one time that children may not be getting at home. For others, they act as an escape from stressful situations. Literature is an excellent opportunity for you as an educator to really connect with your students. They will no doubt have a story from their lives that relates to what is happening in the book. After reading and talking with them, your students will most likely begin to open up and become engaged in what is going on around them. 
Do You Want to Be My Friend? 
“With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent, warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held.  
School is a strange and new place for a child.  Will it be a happy place? 
There are new people, a teacher, classmates – will they be friendly?  
I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born.  Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown.  The unknown often brings fear with it.  In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message.  I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn.  I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.” 
–Eric Carle