The following are ideas for using
Draw Me a Star in the classroom.

• Submitted by Jennifer

  I use a star theme in my first grade classroom: the children are not merely students, they are STARS! I read them Draw Me A Star on the first day of school. After reading the story, I give each child a large construction paper star and scraps of pre-cut tissue paper. Each child decorates his or her own star and I take a picture of each student with his or her masterpiece. Then I hang the stars from the ceiling and put the pictures on a bulletin board. I love to have the photographs developed in one hour so that I can hang the pictures up for the second day of school!

• Submitted by Cherie Dendtler

  I read Draw Me A Star to my very enthusiastic prep grade children. After reading the book, I asked the children to paint a picture from the story. Each child was given a card with instructions: draw me a star, draw me a cat, etc. The instructions came with a small illustration for those children who had trouble reading. The results were beautiful paintings with all of the characters from the book.

• Submitted by Theresa Maddock

  Last year after my preschool class read Draw Me A Star, we did a two day star art project. One the first day we had the children paint on a piece of aluminum foil. We allowed this to dry overnight. The next day, we cut up the aluminum foil into pieces of all sizes - small, large, round, etc. We then gave each child a star shape that they cover with glue and then put the cut up pieces of colored foil on the star. When this project was completed, we hung the stars on the ceiling. These stars were beautiful.

• Submitted by Debbie

  This is an idea from Marilyn Burns, a math wonder!

  I read Draw Me A Star to my second grade class working on place value. Then I have the children time me for one minute while I frantically draw stars. Then we count the stars TWO different ways: by twos and fives. I have them time me again while I draw another kind of star. We count in two different ways again. We share all the different ways to draw stars. I time the class while they draw stars. They count their stars two different ways. Then I time them again and they draw and count again. We compile how many stars we’ve drawn altogether.

• Submitted by Wendy

  Drawing a star is a great dot to dot activity and easy to prepare—just position and number dots appropriately. As an extension, use glue to follow the lines and sprinkle with glitter.

• Submitted by Rene Robinson-Armatta

  We do the following activity after reading Draw Me A Star.

  Construction paper was used instead of tissue paper due to first grade and non-durability. One layer of paint was applied each day until desired affect was reached. The technique of Mr. Carle shows up best when you apply pressure to the brush bending the ends of the bristles off to one side. The star must be drawn on the reverse (white, unpainted) side of the paper so that the lines don’t show. Cut out and glue to another surface. Your students may then write about their wish upon their star.

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