Book Bag Activities for
The Sweetest Fig
By: Stephanie Thomas

• Van Allsburg, Chris (1993). The Sweetest Fig. Houghton Mifflin:Boston

Rationale:

• This book is a good one for parents and students to share together. It addresses selfishness, which is a subject that will hit a heart-string with just about everyone. It also plays with the idea of dreams coming true, which could be interesting for a child to explore.

Author:

• Chris Van Allsburg grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a place that was un-fenced and open with room to explore. He loved drawing as a child, but felt pressure to do other things instead. As a freshman at Michigan State he rediscovered his love for art when he was enrolled in a drawing class. The went on from there to earn an advanced degree in sculpture.
• His sculptures always had a strong sense of story embedded in them. While doing full-time sculpting, he started drawing in the evenings at home. His wife believed that his drawings held a great potential to be picture-book worthy, she invited an author and artist, David Macaulay to look at her husband’s work, and he introduced Van Allsburg to his editor, who later published Van Allsburgs first book, and has continued to publish a book of Van Allsburg’s about every year since that first one. Van Allsburg has received two Caldecott medals for his illustrations, and continues to bring quality children’s literature to an eager audience.

Questions to use with the story:

• Knowledge: How many figs did the woman give Bibot?
• Comprehension: Why was Bibot walking around the city in his underwear?
• Application: If you were Marcel, how would you treat Bibot?
• Analysis: Why was Bibot so mean to the old woman?
• Synthesis: Imagine that your pets’ dreams could come true. What do you think they would dream of?
• Evaluation: Do you believe that your dreams can become reality?

Activities to use with the story:

• Keep a dream log-Each morning before breakfast keep a log of what happened in your dreams (if you can remember them). Also take note of the dreams your family members have.
• Find Fig Facts-Look on the Internet to find fun FIG facts. There are lots of different sites, find out what makes a fig different than other fruit.
• Find figs at the grocery store-What different kinds can you find.
• Try out a fig recipe. Help your parents by measuring the ingredients!
• Write a story about a time when you learned something important from someone older than you.
• Draw a picture of what you would want to come true if you ate one of the sweetest figs.
• Write a poem about “A day in the life of My Pet.”Pretend you are your pet, tell how you spend your day…what you eat, drink, smell, hear, touch, and feel.
• Interview a Veterinarian. Find out about the proper treatment of pets.
• Together, with your siblings or neighbors, find a way to help an elderly person in your neighborhood who cannot get around very well. Examples: Mow a lawn, rake leaves, water flowers, wash windows, take out the trash, walk pets…
• Dentist. Go sit in the waiting room of a dentist office and observe characteristics of people before and after their appointments. Compare your dentist to Bibot, What is the same? What is different?

Props:

• Figs
• Fig Recipe Cards
• A dog leash.
• A dream recording notebook.
• A stuffed tooth.
• Toothbrush

Bibliography of other related books:

• Van Allsburg, Chris (1979). The garden of Abdul Gasazi. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1981). Jumanji. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1982). Ben’s Dream. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1983). The wreck of Zephyr. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1984). The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1985). The Polar Express. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1986). The Stranger. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1987). The alphabet theater proudly presents the Z was Zapped: a play in 26 acts. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1988). Two Bad Ants. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1990). Just a dream. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1991). The wretched stone. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1992). The widow’s broom. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.
• Van Allsburg, Chris (1995). Bad Day at Riverbend. Houghton Mifflin: Boston.

Assessment Plan:

• Each student will bring an artifact that shows that they completed at least four of the activities included in the bag.