One Small Blue Bead by Byrd Baylor, pictures by Ronald Himler
One small blue bead...A turquoise beadNo larger thanAn apple seed...You might not noticeA thing so small.You might walk byAnd not see it at all (2)
These lines begin the book by asking the reader to consider something small. As the book continues, the reader discovers that something small can mean so much; Something small like the blue bead can connect people from far away places and far away times in friendship. The story takes place during the time of the Mammoth, when people lived in cliffs, and drew paintings on cave walls. An old man wonders to his tribe if there are other men living in other places. He has dreamed of these other men and would like to go in search of them. The men and the women of the tribe forbid him to go because he needs to stay and do his work for the tribe. A young boy "with dreams in his eyes" volunteers to do the old man's work for him so that he can go. The old man leaves on his journey. A year passes with no sign of the man and the tribe wants to move on to better hunting lands. Just as they are about to leave, the boy sees two people in the distance. It is the old man and with him is a young boy. The new boy wears a single blue bead around his neck, which he gives to the boy in friendship. The book ends in present time when a little boy finds the blue bead lying in the grass.
In my fifth grade classroom, I used One Small Blue Bead during the last week of school. I would read the book and give each student a leather bracelet with a single blue bead. I emphasized the line, "I'll wear it day and night. And I'll never feel alone again...the bead reminds me of those others everywhere. It makes me dare wonderful things and my heart sings my good-luck song..." It's such a symbolic way to end the year, especially for my fifth graders who move on to middle school.
I also wanted to share this lesson from The Community Arts Resource Exchange that uses One Small Blue Bead.
Wow! What a great way to end the year, especially for fifth graders when they are moving onto middle school and might feel lost or alone at times. More importantly, I like that in the beginning it asks the reader to consider something small, but in the end this something small represents a meaning very big!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful end-of-the-year reading and gesture. Here I am, giving my kiddos beach balls. It makes me think a little of reading "The Polar Express" and giving out bells, but this is more touching. And quieter...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Paige and Erika - this is such a memorable way to end the year and to leave your fifth grade students with a truly memorable moment. The other aspect that caught my attention is how the author connects the past with the present. It's not only a wonderful story, but it also seems to be a source of helping young readers to gain an appreciation of the past.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a touching way to end the year. That is one of those wonderful school memories students will look back on when they are adults. I love having these book shares, I have so many books I want to share with my students. I know they would like this story, because they always enjoy books which are set in a different time and place, they like to hear about how people lived in the past.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the fantastic post C I’d fun reading it! That i love this blog. Haitian-Creole
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