Wild Things: Nature Edition

One of my favorite things about October is doing a monster unit. One of my all-time favorite stories is Where the Wild Things Are. Have you ever heard this quote from Maurice Sendak:

Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.”


― Maurice Sendak

He seems like he was such a cool guy. We read the story (actually I let Discovery Education read it to them-I have very digital learners this year). I asked the kids to think from the perspective of a Wild Thing and then make a picture of one using things we collected out from our playground. Now, we have a wonderfully large playground, however not many trees-so there were slim pickens. But I thought they did pretty well for their first attempt at a collage! :)

My favorite picture! Love the detail.

I would feel happy to be back with my family.

My favorite answer-that would change the theme of the story a little bit, wouldn't it?