The Story of Orange concepts encourage a classroom culture of mutual care and respect. Activities naturally descend from this story which address critical thinking and core ethical values: fairness, responsibility, honesty, compassion, self-discipline, respect and decision making in the face of peer criticism. Students can respond to and evaluate concepts, while building and using vocabulary related to emotional intelligence, to develop corresponding social skills. Development of empathy, impulse control and problem solving are necessary to understand the destructive effects of ridicule and bullying. Attainment of these skills provides a strong foundation of which to build academic interest and success.

As a storybook for all ages, The Story of Orange does include colored illustrations, but it is not a picture book. It has worked best for children under seven to encapsulate the first part. For example:

True or false? Baby Zebras are usually born orange!       TRUE!

Newborn zebras often have burned or brown-orange stripes. As they grow, their stripes darken and turn black.

Facts About Art

True or false? There is a difference between Art and Crafts?      TRUE!

Art involves original work. An artist takes an idea, a thought, a word pattern, or an image and mixes it up with her/his own perception, experience and style to produce something new. The creation is one-of-a-kind and uniquely belonging to the artist/creator.

Crafts involve following the directions of someone else's vision. There are usually steps to do in crafts. The outcome looks like the picture on the box, and if there's a drawing it has been drawn by someone else.

Discussion Questions   (Adapt according to age level)

How do you think Orange is feeling at the beginning of the story? What makes you think so?

What caused the trouble for Orange?
What does "Scribble-Scrabble" mean?
What is Art?
What is the purpose of Art?
Has anyone ever laughed at your artwork?
How does it feel to be laughed at?
Is there a difference between laughing "at" and laughing "with?"

Are art critics always right?
What does "beauty's in the eye of the beholder" mean?
What is a symbol?
How has the author used symbols in this story?
What does the bridge represent?
Have you ever faced fear about something?

How do people learn?
How did you learn to walk and talk? (Two of the hardest things to learn in life)
Who encouraged you? How?
Do words have power?
How do we create the atmosphere in our environment?

Is there a difference between a "true friend" and a "best friend?" How?
Why do you think Orange listened to strangers instead of his true friend?
Why did Orange listen to the Sunbow Fairy?
What was Orange afraid of?
How did he face his fear?

Art Activities

After reading The Story of Orange, all children should have opportunities for open ended and process oriented - rather than "outcome focused" - art experiences. There are too many to name here.

If children need motivation these work well:
Draw your favorite part of the story and tell why you liked it.
Draw some of the other characters you can imagine lived in Orange's favorite spot.
Draw your own favorite spot.

Wax Resist Zebra

Students use wax crayons to draw the Sunbow Fairy and her stripes. When the drawing is complete, let students paint over the Sunbow Fairy with blue watercolor paint. Now it will look as if you have a Sunbow Fairy flying in the sky!

PK-K Level:  Sunbow Fairy Colors

The teacher pulls basic colors (or more) from a bin of different sized "stripes"
Ask children to name other things they can think of that are also that color.

Provide students with a construction paper cut-out in the shape of the Sunbow Fairy.

As students demonstrate they know a color and/or can recognize the word, they choose a felt pen of that color and draw two stripes (of that color) on their Sunbow Fairy. Each additional color the child learns over time, brings a new stripe to his/her own zebra.

When all the students have learned all the colors and color words, throw a Sunbow Fairy Party. Let everyone wear wildly colorful clothes, and lots of gold or sparkling jewelry, the brighter the better! Adorn classroom with colorful balloons and anything metallic and shiny, and eat colored popsicles! Play PIN THE TAIL ON THE ZEBRA! One at a time children enter the SBF circle. Each child will tell one thing they like about that person.

1st-2nd Level:  Snake Pattern Play

Look at zebra stripes, and then pictures of snakes. Discuss what a pattern is.

Talk about making a pattern that remains the same all the way through.
Using three or four color, students develop a design pattern on paper.

On another paper, draw a snake. Next transfer the pattern to their snake and name that snake!

Share snakes in small groups and brainstorm who else might live in the meadow.

Snakes can be glued to tongue depressors and used as puppets to discuss how they might encourage Orange start painting again.

Word Play

In quads, brainstorm words which describe the main characters: (Orange , Flapit, Darling One, Darling Two, & Sunbow Fairy) Make a descriptive word list. Share with full class to see how many descriptive words they have collectively found.

Make a descriptive word list for the Lands of You-Are, I Can't, Who-Cares, and I'll Try.

Each quad chooses a character (or one of the Lands) and uses the collective list to create a poster (felt pens on poster board) to write the words in unusual and creative ways. Display the posters.

Compare and contrast the Characters to recognize their point of view. Have students choose two and discuss their similarities and differences.

Students choose a secondary character from the story and have them write about the "protagonist". For example Mrs. Averaj might write about Orange. Or Flapit might write about Orange .

Write several diary entries that one of the characters might have written during the course of the story.

Students determine how the following ideas apply to the story themes: loss/abandonment, family relationships, self-discovery, and friendship. And how the following apply to the story characters: honesty, sensitivity, open-mindedness, and courage.

Who, What, When, and Where?

Draw a timeline of the events in the book; add illustrations and commentaries about the story events on the time line.

Why Oh Why?

Create a cause-and-effect continuum of how and why the main character changed as a result of the events that occurred.

Newsflash!

Write a You-Are News Broadcast that might have occurred around events of the story.

Vocabulary Words

Creative Writing

The Flavor of My Neighborhood

What do you think makes a good or a bad neighbor; good or bad neighborhood?
What is your neighborhood like?
What do friends do that you like best?
Is there anyone in your neighborhood who is "different" from the others?
Write a story about living in one the Lands: You-Are, I-Can't, Who Cares, or I'll-Try.

Create and name a Land of your own, and draw a character from that Land.

Draw a map of this Land.

In quads, share the characters and maps. Brainstorm how they leave their Lands. Brainstorm what brings these characters together and develop a play which needs:

1. A. Beginning (Where do they meet?)
   B. Middle (What do the characters want, need to do? Think up a problem or obstacle which prevents them)
   C. Ending (Resolve the problem)

Other Writing Assignments

Explain that a Mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor who counsels or teaches. Ask the children to identify which character in the story is a "mentor". Write about someone who has been a mentor for you in your life.

Write a letter to Orange and tell him if anyone has ever laughed at your work and if you do or do not think you still have a Sunbow. (You are welcome to actually send letters to the author: PO Box 3411, Burbank CA 91504)

In small groups 5th graders research and write about an artist who was criticized and ridiculed (Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gough, Claude Monet, Pierre Augustee Renoir, etc.) whose work now sells for millions of dollars. Learn whether all famous artists become famous in their lifetimes?

Reader's Theatre Version of "Orange" (master copy available v@verniseelainepelzel.com )

Assign parts
Children highlight their lines
Using some of the lines, say together as a group to encourage expression while reading
Let children practice their lines
Perform the book for parents or a younger classroom

Some Math Starts

Orange's mother was 31 years old when Orange was 5 years old. How old was she when Orange was born?

Darling One hurt the feelings of You-Arians 1000 times in 3 years. 5 Sunbows were lost the first year, 10 Sunbows were lost the second year, and 20 Sunbows were lost the third year. What was the average number of Sunbows lost each year?

In the land of Use-It-Up there were 2,865 trees in 1988. Now there are 5. What is the average number of trees that died each year?