Activity Guide by Kathleen Pelley 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page
One of the many things I love about good stories is that they can provide a space in our hectic busy lives to simply PAUSE and PONDER some truth, some beauty, or some new way of looking at the world. Each month I will invite you to join me as I PAUSE and PONDER upon the story I have just read. PAUSE and PONDER Why I love this story? Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch Written by Eileen Spinelli Illustrated by Paul Yalowitz Our story s hero, Mr. Hatch, is sad and lonely until one day he receives an anonymous Valentine s gift and believes that someone loves him. And so we see our Mr. Hatch blossom into a happy and loving soul who brightens up his neighbors lives by doing good deeds. What a wonderful affirmation of true love not the soppy, sappy stuff that Hollywood so often portrays no, this is the nitty, gritty, real love that demands doing mighty deeds for those we care about. As I have mentioned over and over again, we children s authors are usually writing about something in the world that we have loved and want to share with our readers. Love inspires more love.kindness breeds kindness.the chain reaction keeps our world on turning that is what this Valentine s day celebrates and what this story so tenderly reveals. Souvenirs from the story a satisfied smile at seeing how love and kindness can change a sad, lonely soul into a happy, fun- loving friend to all his neighbors. Emotional/Universal Truth What is an emotional truth? Any editor will tell you that a common weakness of many picture book manuscripts is that they are too trite. In other words, they will not withstand multiple readings, because they are too one dimensional and lack a universal, emotional truth. It is NOT a lesson, a moral, or a message! Rather it is a simple truth, woven seamlessly throughout the story - some truth about love, hope, pain, joy, or home that a child can understand and connect with. I like to think of it as that whiff of wonder, that bolt of beauty that lingers with you, long after the last page is turned or the final word uttered. Why should this universal truth matter so much to the read- aloud quality of a picture book? 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page
The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great fire burns, and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories began in fire, magic, the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today. Doris Lessing Truth connects us to one another, to our ancestors, and to the world around us. Good books and stories are all about connections. When we read a story aloud to a child a story that truly touches us at the very core of our being with its beauty and its truth, then, we will naturally breathe our own life and love into those words as we read them aloud. (Notice how life and spirit, breath and voice are all connected). In turn, those words will seep into the little listener s heart, making her or him feel brave or bold, calm or kind, happy or hopeful. Adult books maintain lives; children s books change lives. Yolen The truth of this story: kindness breeds kindness and love inspires love. What souvenir and what truth I wonder, will you and your children take from this story? The following discussion questions and activities are designed for use either with a parent and a child, or with a teacher and her class or a small group. Most of the discussion questions are suited for children ages 4-8, but could be adapted for use with older children too. - Kathleen Pelley Children s Author, Storyteller, and Speaker www.kathleenpelley.com 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 3
Discussion Questions. Where did Mr. Hatch work?. Do you think he was he happy at the beginning of the story? 3. How did Mr. Hatch feel when he discovered the valentine box on his porch? 4. How did his life change after he got the box? 5. Why do you think he changed? 6. Have you ever had a secret admirer? 7. Have you ever been a secret admirer? 8. Do you think the postman had to tell Mr. Hatch that he had delivered the box by mistake? Why or why not? 9. How did Mr. Hatch feel after he learned that he did not have a secret admirer after all? 0. How did his friends and neighbors make Mr. Hatch feel better?. Have you ever had to cheer someone up? Discuss. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 4
Discussion Questions (cont.). What did you like about this story? 3. What is your favorite part about Valentine s day? 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 5
Criss Cross Words Read the story words in the word box Prune candy wagon mints pitcher waved Paper early heart tie stand picnic Read each set of clues. Criss Cross # Fill in the spaces in each puzzle.. Mr. Hatch read this after. Mr. Hatch had this for his supper. dessert. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 6
Criss Cross #. The valentine box was. Mr. Hatch wore a yellow one. this shape. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 7
Criss Cross #3. Mr. Hatch always got up. This was in the box. at this time. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 8
Criss Cross #4. Tina Finn kept her toys in this.. Mr. Hatch did this to all the people he met on his walk. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 9
Criss Cross #5. Mr. Hatch looked after this. Mr. Hatch bought these when Mr. Smith was sick. from Mr. Smith. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 0
Criss Cross #6. Mr. Hatch had one of these. What you use to serve in his yard. lemonade. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page
Secret Admirer Activity As a class or as a family put everyone s names into a hat and have each person pick out a name (make sure they do not get their own name). For a day or a week, everyone has to do some secret act of kindness for this person. At the end of the day/week, gather together to see if each of you can guess the name of your secret admirer. To add to the mystery and the fun, encourage everyone to do kind deeds for other people in family/class so that it makes it harder to guess. Kindness Chain Discuss how kindness breeds kindness one good deed deserves another no act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted. You could use a stack of dominoes to show what happens when one topples over a chain reaction. Make a chain of hearts see example below. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page
Kindness Chain (cont.) Now have children write down inside each heart all the kind deeds Mr. Hatch did (or they can draw a picture). Then have them write down all the kind deeds his neighbors did. For example: Watched the stand for Mr. Smith. Took MelanieTodd home from school. Baked brownies for his neighbors. Played his harmonica. Display around the classroom wall as Kindness chain. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 3
Heart Deeds Discuss with children how good deeds can change the world. Discuss how others have done good deeds for them. Discuss what good deeds they have done for others. Another name for good deeds could be Heart Deeds. In a large heart outline have children write out their good deeds and display inside the heart. Label it OUR HEART DEEDS - change weekly or monthly, use for special holidays such as Valentine s Day. Love The World Activity The best way to know God is to love many things. Vincent Van Gogh Share with your children that Vincent Van Gogh was a famous artist and that he loved the world very much. Invite children to talk about what they love in this world example- sunlight, rainbows, bubbles, wet grass, puppies, starlight. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 4
Love The World Activity (cont.) Make a display for classroom WE LOVE THE WORLD Using a picture of a globe of the world, write their words on cards, pin to the globe, and have each of them draw a figure of themselves so they surround the globe. See below: 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 5
Kathleen Pelley Storytelling Activity Guide Writing Activity Word Journals If children do not already have a word journal, encourage them to start one. This is where they can keep their favorite words words that they like the sound of words they have heard or seen in stories they read or listen to. After a few weeks of doing this, gather the children together and have them share their favorite words you might consider getting a large heart shaped box like Mr. Hatch s and keeping a supply of small paper hearts throughout the week, children can come and write their favorite word from that day or week on the heart, and put inside the big heart box. At the end of the week/month, you can pin their heart words into a large heart displayed on wall. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 6
Discussion Questions. a shoelace factory. No, because he had no friends. 3. Happy. Answer Key 4. Went for a walkk, talked to people, and made friends. 5. he felt loved. 6. No right answer. 7. No right answer. 8. no right answer 9. disappointed and sad. 0. They brought him candy, decorated his yard, gave him a harmonica, and made a banner that read Everyone loves Mr. Hatch:. No right answer.. No right answer. 3. No right answer. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 7
Criss Cross # Answer Key (cont.) Criss Cross Words P A P P R U N E R. PAPER Mr. Hatch read this after his supper.. PRUNE Mr. Hatch had this for dessert. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 8
Answer Key (cont.) Criss Cross # H T I E A R T. HEART The valentine box was this shape.. TIE Mr. Hatch wore a yellow one. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 9
Answer Key (cont.) Criss Cross #3 E A R L C A N D Y. EARLY Mr. Hatch always got up at this time.. CANDY This was in the box. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 0
Answer Key (cont.) Criss Cross #4 W W A V E D G O N. WAGON Tina Finn kept her toys in this.. WAVED Mr. Hatch did this to all the people he met on his walk. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page
Criss Cross #5 Answer Key (cont.) S M I N T S A N D. STAND Mr. Hatch looked after this when Mr. Smith was sick.. MINTS Mr. Hatch bought these from Mr. Smith. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page
Answer Key (cont.) Criss Cross #6 P I C N I P I T C H E R. PICNIC Mr. Hatch had one of these in his yard.. PITCHER What you use to serve lemonade. 05 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 3