OBJECTIVES

• • Students will embrace Jenny’s unique differences
• • Students will embrace their own unique differences
• • Students will illustrate their unique selves through art

TIME AND MATERIALS

• • One class period
• • A copy of The Blue Rose, which can be ordered here.
• • Various art materials for creating “YOU” roses

Loving The Blue Rose

After sharing Jenny’s story in The Blue Rose, lead students in a discussion of what makes Jenny a unique individual.  Lead questions can be:

• • “After hearing Jenny’s story, what do you remember about her most?  Why?
• • “What are some words that describe Jenny?”
• • “What is her disposition, or attitude, toward people and the world around her?”
• • “What are some character traits that Jenny has that  you admire and want in your own life?  Why?”
• • “What are some unique things about Jenny that make her different from others?”

Answers will vary according to the age group, but students’ responses might include the following:

• • Jenny was born on the 4th of July;
• • Her birthday is always a national holiday;
• • She has both brown hair and brown eyes;
• • She cried more than most babies;
• • Jenny worries;
• • She sees things with different eyes;
• • She has an awkward dance;
• • Jenny will blossom in her own time.

Identifying With The Blue Rose

• • After hearing and discussing Jenny’s unique qualities, talk to students about how each of us is unique.  Have students list at least 5 things about themselves that they feel make them special.  
• • Invite students to ask their parents or guardians about what they were like as little babies too.
• • Did they have a special dance as a child?
• • Or did they get called names when they were younger too, like Jenny?
• • Tell students that, like Jenny, we’re all special and rare roses.

Making The You Rose

Remind students that Jenny is like a rare blue rose.  They, too, are rare roses.  This art project allows students to create a unique rose that represents them.  It helps students focus if they can see a model of this art project, so the teacher can make his or her own rose first.

There are so many different ways to do this art project:

• • Use crayons and paper and have students draw their own rose, coloring it with their favorite colors.  They could be rainbow roses, polka-dot roses or any combination the student likes.  
• • The teacher could make lots of old magazines available and students could cut out pictures and their You Rose could be a collage of images they feel describe something about themselves.  
• • Students could bring in old photographs (or copies of them) and make the petals of their rose out of old photographs.  The rose could be 3-dimensional this way.

Writing a Name Poem

To add a simple writing activity with this art project, have students write a common name poem that is placed with their art picture.  The teacher could write one as a model with the students about Jenny.

                                        J = Joyful

                                        E = Endearing

                                        N = Nice

                                        N = Neat

                                        Y = Young