Tonight Is Carnaval, Arthur Dorros. NY: Dutton, 1991.
- Carnaval is similar to the celebration known as Mardi Gras. Find out what is similar and what is different.
- Learn about how the people of the Andes mountains live. Look through several books about different aspects of their culture and the area.
- Create a version of the artwork that appears in the book. Use different kinds of fabric and other materials scraps to create a 3-D effect. Glue the fabric onto heavy cardboard.
- Bring in various kinds of stitchery crafts such as needlepoint and cross-stitch. Have other books available that have used stitchery crafts for artwork, including Mother Goose’s Words of Wit and Wisdom by Tedd Arnold.
- Create “arpilleras” using local or regional themes. Cut samples from paper before working on fabric. (Note: Arpilleras are traditional Peruvian applique textile pictures.)
- Research animals native to the Andes. Make lists of those found only there, and those found other places. This Place is High by Vicki Cobb could be a good resource.
- Make some musical instruments similar to the ones found in the story.
- Gather information about sheep raising and how wool is prepared. Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie DePaola and Spring Fleece by Catherine Paladino can be helpful.
- Share some folktales from South America, particularly Peru. Tales from Silver Lands by Charles Finger is a Newbery Medal winner.
Bibliography
This Place is High, Vicki Cobb. NY: Walker, 1989.
Isabella’s Bed, Alison Lester. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.
Jungle Days, Jungle Nights, Martin Jordan. NY: Kingfisher Books, 1993.
The Girl from the Sky, Anamarie Garcia. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1992.
Swallows, Christine Butterworth. Morristown, NJ. Silver Burdett Press, 1988.
Indians of the Andes, Marion Morrison. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Pub., 1987.
Pinatas and Paper Flowers, Lila Perl. NY: Clarion Books, 1983.
Cooking the South American Way, Helga Parnell. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 1991.
Mardi Gras!, Suzanne Coil. NY: Macmillan Pub. Co. 1994.
Mother Goose’s Book of Wit and Wisdom, Tedd Arnold. NY: Dial Books, 1990.
Special thanks to Ric Blank, Sandy Hill Elementary, Jenison, Michigan, and Marja Eloheimo for activities and lesson plans.