The Day the Crayons Quit Inspires Fourth Graders for Showcase Night

Fourth graders are being tasked with helping music teacher Kimberly Lostetter write the showcase night performance for second through fourth graders, which will include singing and dancing. As inspiration, the class is using the book The Day the Crayons Quit and rewriting the letters from each crayon in the context of the Seven Ways We Learn and Work Together at Brandeis. The story of The Day the Crayons Quit includes letters from different colored crayons that feel their owner is either overusing or underusing their color. “The book provides a great framework for discussing the seven ways, and ultimately will help the fourth graders create a musical performance with the seven ways at its core,” says Ms. Lostetter. “Rewriting the letters provides the fourth graders with ownership over their learning, and allows them to bring their ideas to life."

 

For example, two students wrote a letter from the perspective of the pink crayon and in the context of the first of the seven ways, "Act with Kindness": “Pink crayon here. I’m a boy, by the way. When I’m being used, black crayon is always making fun of me for wearing pink because I’m a boy. I feel like I don’t get used because I’m a pink crayon and a boy and people think that only girls can use me. I’m going to stand up to them and say, ‘I like pink, pink is my color, and I’m never going to be ashamed of who I am.” The musical performance will be put on by the second through fourth grade students at the Lower School Showcase Night. MORE PHOTOS