The Day The Crayons Quit

(Image taken from Amazon.com)

The Day The Crayons Quit 

Daywalt, D. & Jeffers, O. (2013). The Day The Crayons Quit. New York: Philomel Books.

Awards: Goodreads Choice Awards Best Picture Books and The Children's Choice Book Award

Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Lexile Reading Level: AD730L

Age Range: 4-8 years

Grade Level: PreK-3

About the Book: This book is creatively written in the voices of Duncan’s crayons. The crayons write Duncan letters complaining about his typical usage of them. They would prefer to be used to color unusual things, or used more, or used less. This book brings a cute, unique, perspective to the world of coloring and creativity.

Keywords: Color, Art, Unique, Creative, Perspective

Electronic Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGb2C2pbf08

For ELL students, struggling readers and auditory learners, they can view the read aloud of this book online. This will help introduce them to recognize sight words and model fluency.

http://www.oliverjeffers.com/about.aspx

This is the illustrator’s website. It not only contains his “About Me” section, but holds a collection of his paintings, projects, and book illustrations.

Vocabulary:

-Overworked: to cause to work too hard, too much, or too long

-Outline: the line by which a figure or object is defined or bounded

-Congratulate: to express pleasure to a person, as on a happy occasion

-Successful: having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like

-Brilliantly: splendid or magnificent

-Whiner: to snivel or complain in a self-pitying way

Reading Strategies:

-Before reading the text, the teacher can ask a question for discussion such as: What would your crayon say to you if it could talk? After the students discuss it, they can make predictions about what the book will be about based on the question and the cover of the book.

-During the reading of the text, the teacher can stop at certain parts so students can make text to self-connections that they can share with a partner. This will help students comprehend the story and activate schema.

-After reading the text, the students can participate in Reader’s Theatre. After brainstorming character traits and feelings that the crayons had in the story, students in small groups can create a script based off the book, and perform it in front of the class.

Writing Activity:

Students can write a letter to Duncan as a crayon color of their choice. They should use descriptive words, draw a corresponding illustration, and take on the persona of the crayon they choose.