Jennifer Boudart

The book "Treasury of virtues: Courage, Love, Honesty," is a wonderful book full of tradition stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. I focussed on the tale, "Stone Soup." This is a tale about a traveler who comes across a stone while traveling to a villiage full of poeple that do not communicate with one another. Also, they do not want to share their food with the starving traveler. After asking most of the villagers for food, the traveler gives up and decides to rest. While resting, he notices that the village is beautiful and wonders why none of the villagers are out enjoying the beauty they are surrounded by. The traveler comes up with a plan to tell the villagers that the stone is magic and can make magic soup. The village gets very excited and decide to all share their food and make magic soup. In the end, the stone, and the traveler, brought the community laughter and friendship again.

I really enjoyed this tale because the traveler never gave up and never had a bad additude about the situation. I think children and adults alike can learn something from this tale: the gift of thinking positivly and keeping hope alive.

"Stone Soup" can be used in a classroon setting as a class discussion on the importance of friendship, sharing, and having a positive additude. For example, maybe each student could bring an item from home and participate in making their own version of stone soup.… (mehr)

This is a story about a boy that gets a stuffed rabbit for Christmas in his stocking. He loves this rabbit so much that he sleeps with him and plays with him. When the rabbit meets the other toys he learns that he can become real when the boy loves him. One day the boy went on a vacation with his family and forgot the rabbit at home. A fairy visited the rabbit and told him that she was going to make him real. After the rabbit became real, he still came to visit the boy.

I grew up reading this story and when I was little my parents got me a stuffed rabbit for Christmas. Because of this story, all three of my sons have a stuffed rabbit. This is a good teaching tool of having dreams of growing up and becoming whatever you want.

I would use this as an extension during Valentine celebration. I would have each child write a story of their own stuffed animal and what it would do if it became real. I would also have the children as a group continue the story of the boy and rabbit's lives.… (mehr)