Cecil's Story
by George Ella LyonPage 1 of 2
 Cecil is a young farm boy whose father has gone off to fight in the U.S. Civil War. When his mother leaves to look for her injured husband, Cecil is left at a neighbor's house to wait and wonder the fate of his parents. Peter Catalanotto's watercolor paintings help young children to imagine the scenes depicted in the story in a realistic and easy manner. | ||
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Enrichment ActivitiesInternet ResourcesBooks by George Ella Lyon
Enrichment Activities
- Act Out a Scene
After a discussion and chart creation on the different scenes of the story, have groups of students act out scenes from the book.
- Bookmark Creations
Create bookmarks with your students and allow them to choose the content. Ideas include drawing their favorite character, scene, and happiest/saddest moment.
- Compare and Contrast
Use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Cecil's life before and after his father left the farm to fight in the Civil War.
- Integrate Art
Contact your school's art teacher and brainstorm ideas that would integrate art and the book Cecil's Story. Some suggested materials include clay, pastels, or paper collage.
- Letter Writing
Create a list of the emotions that Cecil may have been feeling at various points throughout the story. Have students use this list to pretend they are Cecil and write a letter to either his father, mother, or both.
- Activities to Honor Heroes
Tell your students about how heroic soldiers are. They will enjoy this activity in which they collect information about their heroes.
- Sequencing Practice
After they have read the story, have students break down the book into three parts: beginning, middle, and end. Use the graphic organizer to help with this activity.
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