OBrien Norris

READ 3311-220
Dr. Hubble

Blooms Taxonomy Project

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
1) REMEMBER
Who helped Chrysanthemum feel better about her name? Extra questions to ask during
reading: How many letters are in Chrysanthemums name? What is a Chrysanthemum
and where does it grow?
Activity: How many letters are in your name? You could also ask how many syllables are
in each students name. Discuss how each name is different. Make a graph with numbers
at the top (1-13). The students will write each letter of their name on a square of paper.
The students will take turns posting each letter beneath each number on the graph. Next,
count how many letters are in each students name as a class. Count how many vowels
are in the names and how many consonants. Tally up the total numbers. As a follow up,
you could ask students to find out from their parents/caregivers why they chose their
name or what it means.
2) UNDERSTAND
What does it mean to tease (or judge) someone?
Activity: Before you speak, think and be smart. Its hard to fix a wrinkled heart. While
reading the book, the students will pass around a large paper heart. When a character in
the story makes fun of Chrysanthemum the students will take turns crumpling up the
paper heart. At the end of the book, we will try to smooth out the heart. We realize the
heart is not quite the same. Each student will put a Band-Aid on the heart to symbolize
saying and doing nice things for our friends. The bandages could have nice words written
on them by the teacher or students. The teacher will explain that apologizing for saying
and doing mean things but, the person is still hurt by our words.
Ties to Technology:

OBrien Norris
READ 3311-220
Dr. Hubble

Vicknair, J. (2015). Pride and Primary. Retrieved from Blog Design:

http://www.prideandprimary.com/2015_08_01_archive.html
3) APPLY
Have you ever seen someone being teased? What are some nice words we could use to
give someone a compliment?
Activity: Ask your students what does a good friend do or say? The teacher will make a
poster of Chrysanthemum. Handout paper cutouts for students to write a kind word or
compliment on. Each student will use tape to stick their cutouts on the poster. As a class,
review the words placed on the poster. Discuss the words each student chose and talk
about their feelings.
4) ANALYZE
What would happen if you teased your classmate? How would they feel?
Activity: Ask your students these questions. Talk about the effect Chrysanthemums
classmates mean words had on her. The students will create a cause and effect chart. Ask
the students to create two columns; one for cause and one for effect. Also, ask the
students to use a different color for each column. Give students an example such as:
Cause- The teacher said Chrysanthemums name and Effect- Her classmates giggled.
5) EVALUATE
Do you think it is fair/nice to judge/tease someone because they seem different? Extra
questions to ask while reading: How are we different? How are we the same?
Activity: Read the book Lilly by Kevin Henkes. Ask the students to compare the
characters Chrysanthemum and Lilly. The teacher will model how to do a venn diagram
on the board. On a piece of construction paper students will create their own venn
diagrams. You may want to ask questions while the students are working on their
diagrams. Are the main characters similar? What about their names?
Activity Alternative: Give each student a piece of paper and a marker. In the middle of
the table, place different decorations for students to use. For example, macaroni, beads,
sequins, feathers, glitter. The students will write their names on the paper and glue

OBrien Norris
READ 3311-220
Dr. Hubble

decorations on their names. When the students finish, ask them to look at their friends
names. Discuss how nobody decorated their names the same. Discuss what diversity
means. Each one is different and that is okay!
Ties to Technology:
Freeman, J. (2011). Kevin Henkes. Retrieved from Kevinhenkes.com:
http://www.kevinhenkes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/World-of-Kevin-Henkes-2011.pdf
6) CREATE
What is the most important lesson you learned from reading this story? What would you
say to Chrysanthemum if you could?
Activity: Think-write-pair-share. Ask the students to write about what lesson they learned
from the story (2-5 sentences). Then, have the students compare their ideas with their
shoulder partner. Ask them to also tell their partners what they would say to
Chrysanthemum if they could.
Activity Alternative: For younger students. Ask students to trace their hands on a piece of
paper. The students will write one kind word they would say to Chrysanthemum on their
paper hand and color them. The teacher will create a large stem of a chrysanthemum and
create a flower out of each students handprint.