Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Lesson Plan for the book and movie)

     No such thing as a bad day?  Doubtful.

     I guarantee you that everyone has been there.  We've all had bad days.  No, no.  Not just bad days.  Horrendous, awful, don't want to remember days.  The days where everything goes wrong.  I have them at least once month.  But once it's over, I look back and laugh at it.  And I definitely value my good days so much more.

     That is why one of my favorite movies is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

I seriously love this movie!  I loved the book as a child.  It is a classic and I highly recommend all children to read this one.

   

I was so excited when I heard about the movie.  We bought it when it first came out and so far, my kids and I have watched it once a week.  It is hilarious!  I laugh out loud every time.

     Alexander is an 11 year old boy who has terrible days all the time, while the rest of his family has awesome days.  But Alexander gets fed up and wishes that for just one day, his family could understand what it's like to have a very bad day.  And as they say, be careful what you wish for. ;)

     The sweet message the movie delivers is that bad days are there for a reason.  They allow us to learn and progress.  Alexander learns that we have to have the bad days in order to appreciate the good ones.  And even when we do have bad days, they are so much easier to endure when we have a strong supportive and loving family by our side.  The movie is touching, memorable, and 100% right on.

     Since my kids enjoy both the book and the movie, I decided to do a lesson plan based on them.  The following resources are available and make up a fun week on the book and movie.

Picture Book

YouTube Video

- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

The Movie

Worksheets

- Alexander Activity Pages

- Alexander Writing Project

- Alexander Events Sequencing Activity

- Alexander Cause & Effect Printable

- Compare & Contrast Vend Diagram (We used this one to compare and contrast the book and the movie.)

     My kids really enjoyed this lesson plan.  My favorite part was that at the end of the week, Marley asked me, "Mommy, can we have a terrible, very bad day today?" Haha!

     I am grateful that even in the middle of a terrible day, I have fleeting seconds of happiness.  When I'm cleaning my toddler sitting in globs of yogurt, or when I'm wishing for a shower because I haven't had time to brush my hair and put on makeup, or when I'm changing a nasty blowout diaper... I look down at my babies or look up at my husband and catch them smiling at me with unconditional love.  I get a couple seconds of absolute bliss and remember that "even terrible days aren't so bad, when you're surrounded by the people you love."

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American Girls Collection: Meet Molly Curriculum

     We finished Meet Molly this week! My absolute favorite moment was after finishing the first chapter.  There is a special loving/bonding moment between Molly and her mother, and Marley looked up at me and smiled and asked me if we could do exactly what they did in the book. Precious!

     We did the following activities after each chapter was completed.    
   
     CHAPTER 1 - COOKING: Turnips 'N Apples recipe
     Marley is always excited to help me cook or bake.  She enjoys wearing her special child sized apron.  I once told her that bakers always have a little flour on their nose and cheeks.  So every time we cook or bake, she reminds me to dab a little flour on her nose and she giggles.  She cherishes that part. Heehee.
Side note: Marley did not care for the turnip recipe.  She tried a bite and said, "Not bad" and then left the table.  I, on the other hand, thought it was pretty good.  I've never had a turnip before, but they are kind of like a cross between an onion and a potato.  Not bad...haha!

     CHAPTER 2 - CREATIVE THINKING: Brainstorm costume ideas. First make a list of 3 or 4 costumes your child chooses.  One by one, design the costumes together.  Have your child draw/color a picture of the costume.  Or ask them to describe how the costume should look.  Help younger children by drawing or coloring the picture for them.  Then ask them how you could make the costume using only items found in the home.  Pick 1 costume and actually make it together. Allow your child to be the manager of the project. This will help facilitate creativity and enhance leadership skills. One of the key concepts of Meet Molly is being resourceful.  While engaging your child in this activity, point out that being resourceful is a very valuable skill.

     CHAPTER 3 - CRAFT: Make a Paper Bag Hula Skirt.
     She was not impressed with the idea of making a hula skirt at first.  I'm not sure why, but once I got the supplies out and the paintbrush in her hand, she was content.  After trying it on once, Marley slipped it off and walked away.  Little Dylan found the skirt and was so happy to put it on, that she wore it the rest of the day.  Different strokes I guess.

     CHAPTER 4 - PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Learn how to shoot baskets.


     EXTRAS for older children or for supplemental learning...

     HISTORY: World War II era (1944) There is an awesome site called "Primary History" by the BBC, which is a kid friendly site that explains some historical eras. Here is the link to the section on World War II.

     GEOGRAPHY: Illinois state map & map of the US (You may add these to your American Girl timeline, if you have one; see link below for instructions on how to make one.)
     Molly's address is listed as 467 Oak St, Jefferson, IL.
     I suggest instructing your child to color the Illinois state map and indicate where Molly lives.  Then have them color in IL on the US map and indicate where on the map (if you live in the US) you live and where Molly lives.
   
     MATH: Draw a line between the two locations on your US map. Older children may be able to figure out exactly how far they are from Molly's home and how long it would take to get there by car or by plane.

     MOLLY LEARNING GUIDE - This is a wonderful link to downloadable guides and worksheets for older children (maybe ages 7-11, but that is just an approximation).

     ALL ABOUT MOLLY - This is a link to Molly's biography and personality description.

     American Girl Lapbook Templates

     How To Make An American Girl Timeline

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American Girls Collection: Meet Samantha Curriculum

     During the Spring I began reading the original American Girl series to Marley.  I have been excited to introduce it to her, so we gave it a try and she adores the series.  She runs to me with her book in hand reminding me to read another chapter.  These books are so kid friendly with the short chapters and darling icon illustrations that appear between the paragraphs.  The plots are very simple and fun for children. And my favorite part is that it introduces a period of history to Marley.  An era of many changes, petticoats, washboards, introduction of electricity and motor vehicles, is quite interesting and fun to explain to a 4 year old.

     I was able to buy most of the original series on Ebay for about $1 each book.  We started off with Meet Samantha.  Right away Marley was enthralled with the introductory illustrations for the cast of characters. I think this is great for young visual learners who need a bit of a foundation for their imagination. She enjoyed the book so much that every time we read more, Marley would run to her daddy when he arrived home from work and tell him about the characters and what happened in the book.  I was thrilled to see her enjoying the book.

     I found that each chapter gave me an idea for an activity I could do with Marley that related to the book.  These enriching hands on ACTIVITIES can enhance the educational experience as well as create beautiful memories.

     CHAPTER 1: Bake Jelly Biscuits recipe link.

     CHAPTER 2: Simple sewing practice link.

     

     CHAPTER 3: Make a tin can phone tutorial link.

     CHAPTER 4: Stitching a plastic canvas.  (This can be done with young children if you use a dull needle and you monitor their work. This toy needlepoint kit is great.)

     
     








     CHAPTER 5: Playing with dolls. Maybe have a doll pretend tea party.
     
     CHAPTER 6: An act of service.  (The moral taken from the book was to be considerate of others, so maybe do a favor for a neighbor or leave some change at a vending machine.  Teaching children to think of others is a priceless lesson. More examples) 

      After we finished the book, I took her on a field trip to the Newland House Museum.  The house was built in 1898, so it was a perfect way for Marley to see in person how Samantha might have lived.  Marley was adamant to carry her book with her throughout the tour.  I enjoyed flipping through the pages showing her similarities we could recognize, such as the long underwear, the quilts, and an antique sewing machine.  It was a lovely little field trip for both of us and very memorable.

     We took a break from the series, because I didn't want to burn through it so quickly. Now we are working on Happy Birthday, Samantha!.  Marley is enjoying this book even more than the first.  Now that she is familiar with the characters, she feels more connected with the stories.  I love when I say the name Eddie Ryland, and Marley responds with "Oh no! Not Eddie."  Haha!  Seeing her develop a love for the characters is so precious.  It also gives her incentive to learn how to read.  I occasionally remind her that once she can read on her own, she can read all the books she loves by herself.

Homeschooling goal: Establish a love for learning.

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