There are so many great childrens books about the holiday season. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church,and the days before christmas were filled with parades and parties. The legend of the poinsettia ever wonder how poinsettias became a christmas symbol. The legend of the poinsettia christmas activity packet color version. When the townspeople come outside, all of the weeds have become poinsettia. At christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the quite exquisite red stars lighting up the countryside. Tomie depaola is a master storyteller and the pictures in the book are beautiful. Legendofthepoinsettia i love the month of december. Coincidentally, it is also around this time that the mexican legend of pepita and the flowers of the holy night began, forever tying the red and green shrub to christmas folklore.
It tells of a girl named maria and her little brother pablo. The focus of the story is not on lavish gifts and christmas trees, shopping or fancy decorations. Advent week 2 the legend of the poinsettia wee folk art. Mexican legend dating back to the 16th century tells the story of a girl known as both pepita or maria who was very poor and did not have a gift to give for the celebration of jesus birthday. Euphorbia pulcherrima is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family euphorbiaceae. Advent week 2 the legend of the poinsettia the complete list of our advent celebration activities can be found here. The legend of the poinsettia is about a young girl who could only come up with weeds to give to the christ child. Legend of the poinsettia a charming story is told of pepita, a poor mexican girl who had no gift to present the christ child at christmas eve services. I love it when extension activities can be used after.
Tomie retells a traditional mexican folktale, the legend of the poinsettia, and adds his own simple but adorable illustrations. I dont have time to read them all so i try to pick the ones that are the favorites. It is also known as flame leaf or flower of the holy night. As christmastime approached, the priest of their church cam up to lucidas mother and asks her to weave a new blanket for the baby jesus in the christmas procession. Editions of the legend of the poinsettia by tomie depaola. This misconception was spread by a 1919 urban legend of a twoyearold child dying after consuming a poinsettia leaf. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The legend of the poinsettia paperback october 6, 1997. It was a custom in the village to glorify the christmas season with special. The legend of the poinsettia is a sweet holiday legend, retold by tomie depaola.
Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before christmas were filled with parades and parties. Joel poinsett, who was the first ambassador to mexico, brought the bright red starshaped flower to the united states. Legend of the poinsettia courageous christian father. The legend related to this favorite christmas flower is mexican too. A dance theatre production based on the mexican legend of a young girl who discovers the true spirit of giving. This year i attended a thursday morning production. The plant we know today as the poinsettia has a long and interestin g historywoven in a combination of legend, politics, and a beloved embassador. The poinsettia is a culturally and commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family that is indigenous to mexico and central america.
I thought i would share some of the comprehension and vocabulary activities i use each year of course, all gussied up with better borders and fonts than i used in the past. Some time ago, i heard a lovely christmas story about maria, a young girl who lived on a poor family farm in a small village in mexico. The legend of the poinsettia in the marketplace, home of music teaching ideas and music teaching resources for kindergarten through grade 8 school music teachers and home schoolers. Because it is designed for school field trips, the program has been truncated and lasts only one hour. This christmas reading and language arts activity packet complements the childrens book, the legend of the poinsettia, by tomie depaola. At christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the quite exquisite red stars lighting up. The legend of the poinsettia book study includes a poster, mexico facts, story map, elements of a legend, comprehensio. The legend of the poinsettia by tomie depaola scholastic. Indigenous to central america, it was described as a new species in 1834. Beloved newbery honorwinning author and caldecott honorwinning illustrator tomie depaola has embraced the legend using his own special feeling for christmas.
Plus it tells you other names used as well for this special holy flower. The legend of the poinsettia is a retelling of a mexican legend about how the poinsettia came to be. With the availability of poinsettias offered at lower prices from bigbox retailers, discount, and grocery stores, the many independent garden centers and growers that traditionally sell them have seen a decline in sales in recent years. They were very poor but always looked forward to thechristmas festival.
As legend has it, a young girl named pepita was traveling to her village to. The legend of the poinsettia by tomie depaola is a beautifully written and illustrated story that would be a great addition to your library when learning about holidays and celebrations around the world. See more ideas about poinsettia, christmas activities and legend of the poinsettia. This mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girls unselfish. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Poinsettia flower history poinsettia discovery, legend. Recent research has proved that poinsettias are not poisonous. In the hearts and minds and on the porches and entryways of thousands of home decorators, the poinsettia is still the official christmas plant. I want to share some activities you can pair with this story to help with comprehension and vocabulary. Native to central america, the plant flourished in an area of southern mexico known as taxco del alarcon. Poinsettias botanical name, euphorbia pulcherrima, means the most beautiful euphorbia. Poinsettias facts, growing and caring tips of poinsettia. The legend of the poinsettia by tomie depaola, tomie.
The legend of the poinsettia audiobook by tomie depaola. A charming story is told of pepita, a poor mexican girl who had no gift to present the christ child at christmas eve services. The legend explains why the poinsettia is used at christmas and gives the religious significance of the flower. Poinsettias and candy canes, mangers and evergreen trees are all symbols that have come to be associated with christmas. The legend of the poinsettia is, for many, a local holiday tradition, much as the nutcracker ballet has become in communities across the usa. It tells of a girl named maria andher little brother pablo.
Why the plant blooms suddenly, spectacularly and beautifully just in time for the christmas holidays is the legend of the poinsettia euphorbia pulcherrima. See the legend of the poinsettia, one in a series of inspirational christmas stories. Beloved newbery honorwinning author and caldecott honorwinning illustrator tomie. The legend of the poinsettia is a mexican legend that tells how the poinsettia came to be the flower of the holy night. Unable to offer a gift of material value, she picks a handful of weeds that magically transform into brilliant crimson flowers and thus the custom of giving poinsettias during the holidays is born. As pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.
The legend of the poinsettia reveals how a different culture celebrates the birth of jesus. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in christmas floral displays. They were very poor but always looked forward to the christmas festival. Theres even a poinsettia craft to pair with student writing. See more ideas about legend of the poinsettia, poinsettia, christmas school. Teaching legends with the legend of the poinsettia with. Poinsettia was named after the former us ambassador to mexico, dr.
With illustrations that capture the brilliant colors of mexico as well as the magic and excitement of the season, tomie depaola. The poinsettia has a much longer historical association with christmas however. This story tells the mexican legend of the poinsettia which has been handed down through the. The legend of the poinsettia kindle edition by depaola, tomie. This video tells the story of the legend of the poinsettia using the illustrations of tomie depaola. Prekk, 12 o in this retelling of an old mexican folktale about the origin of poinsettias, lucida and her mother work tirelessly to weave a blanket for the baby jesus to wear in the towns nativity celebration. This mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girls unselfish gift to the christ child. Its the story of a little girl and her sacrificial christmas gift, a story that truly focuses on an unselfish spirit of giving during the christmas season. One of my favorite holiday books is, the legend of the poinsettia by tomie depaola. The legend of the poinsettia by tomie depaola is one of my favorite holidays around the world books to read. The legend of the poinsettia is a story about a little girl named lucida who is growing up in the mountains of mexico with her family. Im sure, pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be.
The legend of the poinsettia a story based on the mexican legend of a pure hearted young girl who discovers the true spirit of giving. The latin ballet of virginia is a nonprofit performing arts organization dedicated to creating and strengthening connections to hispaniclatin american cultures through innovative and immersive danceinspired education and performances that affect positive and sustainable change in peoples lives. Poinsettias, at times, reach a height of sixteen feet. In addition to christmas trees, poinsettias have long been used to decorate the holiday season. Poinsett who introduced the poinsettia to the united states. Poinsettia plants are native to central america, especially an area of southern mexico known as taxco del alarcon where they flower during the winter. The legend of the poinsettia kindle edition by depaola.
The plant we know today as the poinsettia has a long and interestin g historywoven in a combination of legend, politics, and a beloved embassador native to central america, the plant flourished in an area of southern mexico known as taxco del alarcon. Legend of the poinsettia the latin ballet of virginia. This book is wonderful for all ages and the brightly colored illustrations will be especially appealing for young children. Legend of the poinsettia below is a legend of how we get the poinsettia, why we have it around christmas, why it is a winter plant and what it has to do with christmas and why churches use them during christmas. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the legend of the poinsettia. Legend of poinsettia mexican christmas story about flame. The author behind the story tomie depaola is known for his awardwinning folktales and his creative talent as an illustrator.
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