TV on a Rolling Cart

Draw Birthday Cards and More

From Kennedy Center: Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems · 2020

Draw Birthday Cards and More
20 minK1st2nd3rdReading & Writing (ELA)
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Summary

Episode 11 is a personal one: Mo makes a birthday card for his wife Cher (whose birthday is the next day) and draws an opera singer while practicing a traditional Dutch birthday song. He shows how everyday art -- a handmade card, a quick doodle -- can be a gift.

Viewer safety

All ages
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Teaching resources

Discussion questions

Discussion

  1. Mo made art as a gift. Have you ever made something by hand for someone -- how did it feel to give it?
  2. What does an opera singer look like in a drawing? What lines or shapes would you use to show someone singing dramatically?
  3. Art can be private (a birthday card for one person) or public (a book for everyone). What's the difference in how you make each?

Quick work-a-long

Vocabulary: dedication, audience, card, message.

Try it: Make a handmade card for someone real -- a classmate, a family member, the school librarian. Use at least one drawing and one written sentence.

Draw Birthday Cards and More — TV on a Rolling Cart