In preparation for a new school year, I’ve been looking at lots of picture books lately.  One I picked up is the famous “Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes.  I can’t quite believe it myself but I’d never read this book before––and it’s been available for 14 years!  Turns out, it’s a great story to connect with understandings from DWS.

With a story line that reflects real life, Lilly, the exciting main character, has some depth to her personality.  In DWS terms, Lilly doesn’t remain on one level, as some more shallow picture book characters do.  She’s up and down and all over the place––just as many intelligent, exuberant and feisty children are.  Being young, Lily’s choices/actions/emotions swing from high to low––to high again!  This story offers the possibility of rich discussion about how our level of operation can vary from moment to moment, and how choice-response thinking fits into the picture.  After the Hierarchy has been introduced, students could assess Lilly’s various levels of operation.

The book is a natural choice for a read-aloud in connection with establishing procedures for Show and Tell.  After having firmly established your own procedures with students,  you can read the story of Lilly. Discuss Lilly’s Show and Tell challenges.  What young child can’t relate to having something really fabulous to share––and having to wait for the appropriate time to show it?

  • How did ignoring Mr. Slinger’s Show and Tell expectations work out for Lilly?
  • What would have been some better choices leading to happier results?

(And here’s a good lesson for us teachers too:  How could Mr. Slinger have been more effective in his teaching?  Although he held some general expectations for kids about Show and Tell, he didn’t seem to have any exact procedures for Show and Tell items.  A more experienced teacher would have had a procedure about where to place Show and Tell treasures until it was Show and Tell time!)

The appealing personality of Lilly  provides a perfect lead-in to a discussion of controlling impulses. After reading the book several times, you might use it to introduce:

  1. Dr. Marshall’s suggestions for handling impulsiveness, and;
  2. The poster he has created to teach students to deal with impulsive urges.

The class could brainstorm procedures that Lilly could use to curb her wilder side!  Discussing impulse procedures for someone else is non-threatening.  On subsequent days––when a child in the class proves to be impulsive––teaching important understandings about impulsiveness has already been completed, proactively.

This Kevin Henkes’ book also allows us to pleasantly discuss another important DWS concept; the rather startling idea (for young people, at least!) that students can choose the type of teacher they want.  In this case, Lilly actually chooses to have her teacher––her beloved, Level D, Mr. Slinger––become a “Level B teacher.”  She doesn’t realize that it was her choice, or even that she made a choice non-consciously through her own behavior.  She blames Mr. Slinger for her problems––but the kids in your class will be able to recognize that in fact, Lilly had all the control in this situation!

Then on a comical note, I can’t resist offering you this funny youtube clip!  Just as kids can easily relate to the character of Lilly and her plight with a special plastic purse, what primary teacher can’t relate to the following typical school day dilemma?  Enjoy!

Some related postings:

Can you give me examples of procedures for Show and Tell?

Choosing your teacher!

Choose your teacher–just for the day!

Primary/Intermediate Book- “Miss Nelson is Missing”

Using the DWS Impulse Poster

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Posted In: Connections to Literature, Impulse Control, Procedures in the Classroom
posted On: August 15, 2010: 12:04 pm: By Kerry Weisner
Comments: 2 Comments