Marcel with a Splash

This story has many themes, including diversity, friendship, life with a disability. Discuss each theme and its meaning with students and ask them to share any personal connections they have with a theme.

Show the students the front cover. Ask students what they notice about the illustration on the front cover. Does the baby look different than other babies they have seen?

As a class, look through each page in the book. Ask students to predict what they think the book will be about. Ask students to predict who Marcel is.  What can they tell about Marcel by looking at the pictures? Record student responses on chart paper and confirm predictions after the story has been shared.

Looking through a collection of picture books, ask students to find things that are alike and things that are different about the people depicted. Discuss with them how our differences make us stronger as a community.  Encourage students to talk about all the ways their class is stronger because it is full of wonderful different students.

Tell the students that the story is about a baby that is born and how the doctors discovered that he has Down Syndrome. Explain that Down syndrome is a genetic condition, but that it doesn’t define a person’s abilities or personality. Emphasize that people with Down syndrome, like all children, have the same needs and desires for friendship, fun and learning.

Individuality: Ask students if they know of anyone with Down syndrome. Discuss the various talents and interests that people with Down syndrome can have, just like anyone else.

• Page 2-5: Ask students to compare what babies like to do to what Marcel likes to do. Ask the students, Are most babies like Marcel?
• Page 6-9: Ask students how Marcel is different. How do Marcel’s parents feel when he is born? Ask the students how could they be happy and sad at the same time.
• Page 10-11: What does the author mean when they say that Marcel’s parents will bury the strange words at the bottom of the garden?
• Page 12-23: Ask students to look at the illustrations and describe what Marcel likes to do. Ask them if Marcel seems different.
• Page 24-29: Ask students to look at the illustrations. Do they think Marcel has friends? What do his friends think about him?
• Page 30-end of book: Ask students to look at the illustrations. Ask them what they think is happening in the pictures. Who is Esther? How is Esther like Marcel? What does Esther share with Marcel’s parents about what school might be like for Marcel?

• How is Marcel like other kids? How is he different?
• What can we learn from Marcel?
• How do Marcel’s friends feel about his differences?
• Do you think Marcel’s parents are sad now? Why or why not?
• What did the doctors mean when they told Marcel’s parents that his path would be different?
• What are some of Marcel’s strengths? What are some of his challenges?
• Discuss how the illustrations are filled with detail and help convey the meaning of the story. Have students discuss how the illustrations help tell the story, citing specific places in the story.

Go back to the predictions made during the Picture Walk. Ask students to discuss their predictions they made before the story and compare them to what they know now.

Is there something that makes you feel different? Draw a picture and write about what makes you feel different.

Ask students to write a book review by creating a chart. Include the following:

Book Title__________________________________________________________

What was your favorite part?                                    Why should someone read this book?

Ask students to come up with a list of encouraging words students can say to each other when someone is tempted to quit trying. For example, “Keep going” or “Good effort” or “I know you can do this.” Record these examples as a class.

Ask students to consider the following questions: What stereotypes are there associated with people with disabilities? How do they hurt people with disabilities? How do they hurt other people? How could you challenge them?

Ask students to write down three strengths they think a classmate has. Read them aloud. Are they surprised at any?

Establish a “Five Minutes for Friendship” ritual each day by having students pair up with classmates on a rotating basis. Provide a topic for the pair to discuss for five minutes. Ask a few pairs to share their conversation with the class.

Assign small groups of students to one of the following scenarios. Each group will discuss the scenario and then problem solve an inclusive response. Each group will then act out their scenario and their response in front of the class.

Scenario 1: Outside at recess, a group of kids are playing together. One of their classmates is sitting alone on the steps.

Scenario 2: You walk into the cafeteria for lunch. A group of your friends are sitting together and it looks like they’re having fun, but at the next table, a kid from your class is sitting without anyone.

Scenario 3: During science, your teacher assigns a poster project to your group. One of your friends is really good at drawing and another classmate is really good at writing.

Stand up to Bullies. Bullies will sometimes leave you alone if you stand up for yourself and look and act strong. Look through magazines and cut out pictures of animals who look weak and animals who look strong. Practice standing strong