Category: Magic and Whimsy

How do seeds know how to grow, to reach up from the earth below? Who paints the colors on the flowers that lift their heads to sun and showers? What turns the rain on in the sky and brings the sun to make things dry?

If this poetic text peeks your interest, read on. Marcus Pfister's 2011 picture book Questions, Questions could be the book you are looking for this fall as you build a class dance with students in grades 3-5. In a similar vain to the Caretakers of Wonder (Cooper Evans), Pfister poses lots of great questions that will lead to interesting movement phrases with upper elementary age students. You can assign some of the pages to small groups, and other pages will lend themselves to whole-group explorations (How many shells are on the shore? How many little fish might see the stone I throw into the sea?).

You, as the teacher, can be the narrator for the piece. Or, record yourself or the students reading the text.

Questions, Questions beautifully explores many aspects of the natural world – plants, animals, and weather.

I read a review of this picture book a few months ago, and finally found a copy at the library this week. If you are searching for a new concept for a modern dance class with students in grades 3-5, check out this book!

Infinity and Me is written by Kate Hosford and illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska (a favorite of mine). It shares the story of a young girl poundering and discussing the question of infinity. The text, artwork, and concept are all magical. With students in grades 3-5, you can explore the movement concepts of repetition, traveling, figure 8 patterns in the air and on the ground, and more.

I envision a magical dance that actually has the text read aloud or recorded for the audience to hear. The story will lead to the creation of an exciting dance with your students. 

I stumbled upon this book at Books Inc. in Berkeley this week. I am adding it to my ongoing "Magic and Whimsy" list, of those special books that evoke feelings of hope, wonder, curiosity, and a sense of our place in the world. Frequently, the text in these books can lead to inspiration for culminating projects with students in grades K-5.

My Mama Earth is by Susan B. Katz with illustrations by Melissa Launay. Reminiscent of Cooper Evans's Caretakers of Wonder, My Mama Earth includes image- and action-rich text such as:

• "My mama paints the ocean creatures. Adorning them with brilliant features."
• "My mama sets the birds in flight. She give thems nests to sleep at night."
• "My mama plants the tiny seeds. She grows the flowers, pulls the weeds."

Use this book as a springboard for a group project exploring our world and all that Mother Nature has set into motion. This is a great book for a culminating project for December or May/June events.

I just checked out this book again from the library, The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier, with gorgeous illustrations by Rebecca Dautremer. 

This is not your stereotypical "princess book." The book plays on words and "profiles" a handful of princesses through text and art – Princess Hot-Head, Princess Flip and Flop, and Princesses Ices. 

In an all girls' dance class of students in grades 3-5, you can create some whimsical, magical, and funny solo vignettes. This book will surely inspire students ready to tackle a solo project. Use the illustrations as inspiration for costuming choices as well. 

I cannot remember where I read the review of this book (either the Horn Book Guide or the New York Times Book Review), but it is definitely being added to my "magic and whimsy" list. Have you ever created dances with students in grades 3-5 without music, and they rolled with the beauty of moving in silence? If so, check out this book. 

The text of Silence by Lemniscates is simple and elegant – "In the silence…..I can hear the waves crashing…And the wind playing with my kite. At night, I can hear what the stars tell me."

I see a magical dance in the making – no musical accompaniment, but maybe a recording or live reading of the text while students dance. Or, consider creating a beautiful "dance for the camera" film project with your students using iMovie.

A friend and colleague at work recommended this book to me. Butterfly Tree, by Sandra Markle with illustrations by Leslie Wu, is a magical and true story about monarch butterfly migration.

The story begins with a little girl seeing "orange" in the sky. Eventually the girl, her mother, and her dog journey through the woods in search of an answer to the mystery. Along the way, they find other orange objects around them but not quite what they are looking for. In the end, they find a magical swarm of monarch butterflies, stopping briefly beforing heading out for the wintertime.

The whole concept and whole story could become a beautiful class dance. Or, you could simply explore the idea of your group of students being butterflies and moving together.

Based on the size of the project and depth of exploration, this book could be used within a wide range of grades – kindergarten through fifth grade.

The author's note at the end of the book provides some more details about monarchs for interested readers.