Dorfman, Chrysanthemum, p.

Eve Dorfman
Grade: 2nd
Subject: ELA, SEL
Lesson Title: Chrysanthemum
Time: 40 minutes

Standards:
2R3: In literary texts, describe how characters respond to major events and challenges.
(RL)
2R4: Explain how words and phrases in a text suggest feelings and appeal to the senses.
(RI&RL)
2SL1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse peers and adults in small and
large groups and during play.
2L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or
listening.

Objectives:
● Students will share their writing with a partner, practicing reading their own writing
while also learning the vulnerability of sharing their own words.
● Students will listen to a story and make predictions and observations about the characters,
their actions, and their feelings.
● Students will discuss the effect of other people’s words on one’s emotions and how words
can be used for good.
● Students will be supportive of one another and learn the value of their words, friendship,
and emotions.

Materials:
● Flower Worksheet (attached at end)
● Text: Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Procedure:
● Engage students with an introductory conversation: “Raise your hand if you enjoy feeling
happy and joyful and good inside?” “Yes! Those are all fun feelings! Have you ever felt
sad or disappointed or embarrassed or not so good about yourself?” “Those might not be
the most fun feelings, but they happen to everyone! It’s always important to recognize all
of our feelings, whether or not they feel good.” “Today, we’re going to do an activity that
helps us recognize when we feel good about ourselves, when we don’t feel so good about
ourselves, and how we can work with others to make everyone feel better!”
 Dorfman, Chrysanthemum, p.2

● Pass out the flower worksheet. Make sure students are aware that there is a flower on the
background of their worksheet that they will be writing over (significant for later). Ask
students to write their names where it says “name”.
● “In the first section, on the left side of the paper, you’re each going to write 2-3 things
that you love about yourself. Some examples could be, ‘I love my hair, I love my
kindness, I love my name, I love that I’m a good sister or brother.’” Go around the room
to assist students and answer questions. Check in to make sure each student has at least
two things they love about themselves before moving on.
● Once all students have finished, ask them to turn and talk to a partner about what they
wrote and why.
● Demonstrate this next step as students watch and then follow along after instructions are
given. “Now, I want you to hold your flower (worksheet) in your hands.” “Very carefully,
without ripping the paper, crumple it up into a ball like this:” (show students). Students
may now crumple their own paper.
● “Now, please hand your crumpled flower (worksheet) to your partner. Once you have
your partner’s paper, leave it on your table and don’t touch it.” Move students to a central
area that is appropriate for a class read-aloud.
● Read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
○ Introduce title and author
○ Practice saying “Chrysanthemum” as a class
○ Describe illustration on cover: mouse named Chrysanthemum, holding
chrysanthemum flower
○ Pages to stop and talk:
■ p. 3 - Raise your hand if you love your name! Encourage everyone to raise
their hands high.
■ p. 8 - (after reading the first half of the page) How do you think
Chrysanthemum will feel after these students made fun of her name?
■ p. 8 - (after finishing page) Chrysanthemum isn’t feeling good about
herself right now. The author writes that “Chrysanthemum wilted.” Does
anyone know what wilted means? Why do you think the author chose to
use the word “wilted” to describe how Chrysanthemum feels? (Because
we learned that a Chrysanthemum is a type of flower). What happens
when a flower is wilted?
■ p. 11 - How do we think Chrysanthemum’s parents will make her feel after
they tell her all of these things about her name?
■ p. 18 - Does anyone know what jealous means? It’s okay to feel jealous
sometimes. Does feeling jealous mean it’s okay to say not nice things to
someone? (No!)
 Dorfman, Chrysanthemum, p.3

■ p. 26 - Mrs. Twinkle is pregnant which means she’ll be having a baby!

How do you think Chrysanthemum will feel after hearing that Mrs.
Twinkle’s name is Delphinium?
■ p. 30 - Epilogue. Does anyone know what an epilogue is? An epilogue is a
very short ending to a story that tells you what happens to the characters
later on in time -- kind of like a “fast-forward”.
● After finishing the book, hold a discussion about the effect of other people’s words on
one’s emotions, and the importance of loving yourself as you are.
○ “How did Chrysanthemum feel each time Victoria, Jo, and Rita made fun of her
name?” Allow 1-2 students to answer.
■ “Sometimes other people’s words can be used to make someone feel bad.
They can feel upset about themselves and who they are.”
■ “In the story, the author, Kevin Henkes, wrote that Chrysanthemum
‘wilted’ like a flower. After the children in her class made fun of her
name, they made her feel bad about her name. This is upsetting because
before she went to school, she really loved her name.”
○ “How can other people’s words be used to make someone feel good?” Allow 2-3
students to answer.
○ “Which character helped Chrysanthemum to ‘bloom’ with their words?” Ask until
a student answers: Mrs. Twinkle.
○ “How did Chrysanthemum feel about herself at the end of the book after the
students and Mrs. Twinkle said kind things to her?” Allow 1-2 students to answer.
● Have students return to their seats and pick up their partner’s crumpled flower worksheet
they had left. Demonstrate and describe how students should smooth out their partner’s
flower as best as they can without ripping it.
● “On your partner’s flower, in the second section on the right side, I’d like you each to
write one thing that you think makes your partner a good friend. Then I want you to write
your name below your statement.” Go around the room to assist students and answer
questions. Check in with students if anyone needs more time before moving on.
● “Now, please flip the flower over so you can’t see any words, and give the flower back to
your partner. DO NOT flip the flower back over to read it yet!”
● “On the count of three, I want everyone to whisper your name three times like
Chrysanthemum did in the book.” (Demonstrate) “Ready? 1...2...3!” Students whisper
name.
● “Now, on the count of three, everyone say your name three times, loud and proud!”
(Demonstrate) “Ready? 1…2...3!”
● “Now, flip your flower over and read what your partner wrote about you.” “Turn and talk
to your partner about what you wrote about them and why they’re a great friend.”
 Dorfman, Chrysanthemum, p.4

● Discussion about how, even though the flower was crumpled (“wilted”), your own strong
words about what you love about yourself, and your partner’s words that celebrate your
friendship still remained (“flowers were able to bloom again!”).
○ “If one day you’re not feeling so great about yourself and you feel ‘wilted’ like
Chrysanthemum did, you can remind yourself of how strong you are and of all the
things you love about yourself. You can also depend on your friends to help you
feel better with their words. Remembering how amazing you are will help you to
‘bloom’!”
○ “Can you think of a time in your life when you felt ‘wilted’ but someone made
you ‘bloom’ with their words?” Allow 1-2 students to answer.
○ “Let’s always remember that kind words can help make us or a friend feel better!
We should be kind to ourselves and to others to make sure everyone ‘blooms’, just
like Chrysanthemum did.”
● Conclude the lesson with a conversation: “Did you all enjoy the story of
Chrysanthemum? What did you love most about it?” Allow 2 students to answer.“How
did it feel to share your writing with a partner?” Allow 2 students to answer. “You should
all be so proud of your writing and your ability to use kind words to make yourself and
others feel good!”

Assessment:
● Collect student’s worksheets and make note of their progress in writing and their
development of ideas.
● Students will convey their ideas and communicate clearly while reading what they’ve
written to a partner..
● Students should observe the characters’ feelings in Chrysanthemum and make predictions
about how one character’s words might affect another character.
● Take notes on who seems to grasp the concept of how using kind words when speaking to
yourself and others can help people to feel good when we have a class discussion.

Differentiation:
● For a student who is self-conscious about reading in English, the teacher could make sure
to check in with him and his partner during the “turn and talk” portions of the lesson.
● For a student who may struggle to predict how characters’ words can affect the emotions
of other characters, the teacher can make suggestions as to how unkind words can make
someone feel to supplement the responses of classmates to these kinds of questions.
● For a student who struggles with writing, the teacher could make sure to check in on
them and provide suggestions of ideas during the writing portions of the lesson. No need
to harp on small spelling or grammar mistakes for this kind of lesson, but assess as
needed.
 Dorfman, Chrysanthemum, p.5

Flower Worksheet: