Eric Carle Celebration Day

As a final tribute to Eric Carle this year, all of the Kindergarten children celebrated him and his books on the day before Spring break. As a professional learning community our 14 kinder teachers decided together under the direction of Team Leader Debbie Harbour that this is the way they would like to end their unit. This is not an idea from a Teacher's Manual or a directive handed down but a group of teachers who meet regularly on the school clock to collaborate and who decided that their children deserve a special culmination to a unit they have loved. This is only one example of the collegiality that permeates this grade level.

The teachers decided that because the grade level is so big that they would divide the classes in half and provide the same rotation of Eric Carle-related centers on the celebration day. Centers included starting with a pancake breakfast as they reread Pancakes Pancakes.








Playing Bingo was a great review of the books, characters and details of the Eric Carle stories that have been studied. As a whole group activity playing Eric Carle Jeopardy was another opportunity to discuss the details of his stories and his life.

Completing crafts was a reminder of popular books such as a caterpillar necklace for The Hungry Caterpillar and a ladybug hat for The Grouchy Ladybug.

 Joining in a scavenger hunt where the children answered riddles about some of Carle's animals using hints from the stories was a great way to get outside and find pictures of the animals spread over the grounds. Below are some of the riddles.


I start as an egg on a leaf
And then with disbelief
I say bye-bye
And become a beautiful butterfly!
What am I? caterpillar






I’m a beetle with a light
Who flies through the dark night.
I light the way
For many to come and play.
What am I? firefly




Busy, busy, busy…
No time to chat!
But finally, I catch a fly…
Just like that!
What am I? busy spider




With water around my shell
My decorations look swell!
But it’s time to upgrade
With a house remade!
What am I? hermit crab







From “head to toe” I move
Like animals in the zoo,
I’m the biggest monkey
Who walks upright like you!
What am I? gorilla

I rub my wings to make a chirp.
It’s a love song – not a burp!
She makes not a sound;
Her true love she’s found.
What am I? cricket

On my back I’ll stay
With some dismay,
So give a flick
So I can give a CLICK!
What am I? click beetle

Aphids for breakfast
But a whale’s slap too soon,
Now I’ll have to eat
By the light of the moon!
What am I? ladybug

On a brown leaf I’m brownish.
On a red flower I’m reddish.
It’s flies I eat
Cause they are so sweet!
What am I? chameleon

“Will you be my friend?”
A little mouse asked with spunk.
“Find a friend your own size,”
I said with a swish of my trunk.
What am I? elephant



All of these activities are designed to give the students one last review of the books they have been studying. Kindergartners leave kindergarten loving Eric Carle and his books. It's no wonder!