the journey aaron becker activities

Journey Activity Kit

Excerpted from

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.

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Writing Root Back to List

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A writing root for journey.

KS: Lower KS2, R & KS1, Upper KS2

Year Group: Reception, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6

Literary Theme: Coming together & community

Author(s): Aaron Becker

"The most fantastic way to launch the year: our whole primary school is excited to write."

Anna Chidzey, whole school, British International School Riyadh

• Description

Main Outcome(s):

Predictions, retellings in role, maps, posters, a travel diary, instructions and a story sequel.

10+ sessions, 2+ weeks

Overview and Outcomes:

This is a two-week Whole School Writing Root for Journey by Aaron Becker. The resource has been designed to be used by an entire school to foster a shared learning experience around one text and to engender written outcomes – some with the same audiences and purposes, some not – that are ‘at pitch’ for each phase/stage but that will also aid revision, catch-up and extension where (and in whichever form) needed. We have planned for activities at 3 stages: Reception with Year 1; Year 2 with Year 3 and then Year 4 to Year 6. The resource is intended to form the basis upon which schools and teachers can create and shape a sequence of learning that will work within their context.  The sessions could be added to with art activities and through further learning in PSHE, Science, Geography and History.

Synopsis of Text:

The winner of the prestigious Caldecott Honor, and described by the New York Times as 'a masterwork', Aaron Becker's stunning, wordless picture book debut about self-determination and unexpected friendship follows a little girl who draws a magic door on her bedroom wall. Through it she escapes into a world where wonder, adventure and danger abound. Red marker pen in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon and a flying carpet which carry her on a spectacular journey ... who knows where? When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also guide her home and to happiness? In this exquisitely illustrated book, an ordinary child is launched on an extraordinary, magical journey towards her greatest and most rewarding adventure of all...

Wordless, fantasy worlds, loneliness, companionship

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Journey by Aaron Becker – KS2 cross-curricular planning

Three-page PDF featuring KS2 cross-curricular activity ideas

Art & Design , English

If a picture paints a thousand words, it’s easy to see why picture book Journey by Aaron Becker tells such a fantastical, epic tale.

With so much to look at and think about, Journey by Aaron Becker is a book that you can read on many levels. As Becker says in a mini-documentary on his website : “Each page has to answer questions from the previous spread as well as introducing whatever might be happening next”.

Taken as a whole, his illustrations provide a rich and memorable reading experience that will inspire much in the way of thinking and talking , and make a wonderful starting point for creative projects of all kinds.

What is Journey by Aaron Becker about?

A lonely girl draws a door on her bedroom wall and steps into another world. Aided by her magic crayon she travels through this strange, new place. Shifting landscapes give way to a remarkable city where there’s a villain to confront, and the girl needs all her courage and resourcefulness in order to survive.

She does, of course, and goes home with the greatest treasure of all – a friend.

In this glorious – and completely wordless – picture book, the timeless appeal of Aaron Becker’s story is more than matched by his illustrations, which crackle with so much expressive energy that readers barely notice the absence of text.

Becker worked as a designer in the film industry before creating Journey. His experience is evident in the book’s grandly conceived, yet intimately detailed, spreads.

Executed in watercolour, a demanding medium that requires a delicate balance between control and ‘letting go’, the resulting artwork is gently memorable yet utterly compelling.

Carey Fluker Hunt is Creative Projects Manager at Seven Stories , the National Centre for Children’s Books in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Similar resources

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• Narrative poem – Zero-prep poetry lesson with video prompt
• The Frog King – KS1/2 English lesson about Grimms’ Fairy Tales

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Journey by aaron becker 7 - 9.

A beautiful wordless picture filled with adventure and wonder.  Our protagonist feels alone in the grey city that surrounds her and traps her.  She wishes to travel and to see the world and for this to happen she will have to do it for herself.  With just a swipe of chalk and a lot of imagination she travels to far away lands filled with wonder and mystery; beauty and danger.

Writing Outcomes

• Setting description
• narrative sequel

Topic Links

• Quest by Aaron Becker
• Return by Aaron Becker
• Little Boat on Literacy Shed
• Loteria De Navidad Literacy Shed

Buy This Book

Lesson Planning

Teacher resources.

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Using Journey for a cross-curricular book project

This resource will support you to use the wordless picture book Journey by Aaron Becker as part of a whole school project.

The resource contains differentiated cross-curricular activities for Early, First and Second levels, adaptable to use as part of a whole school core book project, and includes ideas to support:

• Creative writing
• Expressive arts: art, drama and music
• Health and wellbeing
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Digital technology
• Skills for learning: visual literacy

Wordless picture books are a great starting point for a whole school project, as they are accessible to all learners. If you are new to using wordless picture books, you can find more ideas and support in our using wordless picture books resource .

• Journey learning resource (DOC) (this link will open in a new window) 1192.5 kb
• Journey learning resource (PDF) (this link will open in a new window) 787.6 kb

• ORIGINAL ART
• Parents & Educators

BOOKS JOURNEY

A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.

“Though Becker has plenty of experience as an artist for films, “Journey” is his first book, and it’s a masterwork.” — New York Times Book Review

Click here to order JOURNEY from bookshop.org and help support independent booksellers across the country!

• FILM DESIGN
• FILM DESIGN: animatics
• holding pen
• ILLUSTRATION
• Teachers, Librarians & Parents

© 2013-2024 Aaron Becker All Rights Reserved.

Buy This Book * More books by Aaron Becker

In the city park, two friends are startled by the sudden appearance of a king, who thrusts into their hands a map and some strange objects. But before he can explain, the king is captured by enemy forces and whisked back into his enchanted world. Just like that, the girl and boy are caught up in a wild dash to rescue the mysterious monarch.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

• This is the second book in a trilogy. Can you write a summary of the first book for somebody who hasn’t read it before?
• Think of some captions and speech / thought bubbles for every illustration in the book.
• Write a narrative (or playscript) version of the book.
• Retell the story from the point of view of the girl, the boy or the king.
• The girl has a red pen, the boy has a purple pen, and the king has an orange pen. Could you write an alternative version of this story with a character who has a different coloured pen?
• Create a set of ‘Wanted’ posters about the girl and boy. Why do the city’s soldiers want to capture them?
• Imagine that you could draw something, and it would come to life immediately. What adventures would you have?
• Think of words that describe different colours and shades of the same colour.
• Write some conversations between the boy and the girl at different stages of the book.
• Write a report for the city’s newspaper that describes how the boy and the girl helped to rescue the king.
• The final book in this series is called ‘Return’. Without reading it, could you imagine what might happen?
• Record a TV-style interview with the girl who answers questions about her adventure.
• Create a persuasive advert (in the form of a poster, a radio advert or a TV advert) to promote the magical sets of pens.
• Could you design a game based on this book? Could the characters go on a journey to collect the coloured pens?
• Can you plan, record and edit your own ‘movie’ version of this story?
• Watch this trailer for the book. Could you make one of your own?

Design Technology

• Create a model of the city using different materials.
• Could you create your own wordless book (or trilogy!)?
• Create your own puzzle map based on your school or local area. Could you think of clues to describe / represent different places?
• Find out the names of different colours in other languages.

Class Three All At Sea

Draw a roman chariot, you may also like, giraffes can’t dance, the day the crayons quit, the gruffalo, room on the broom, whatever next, the colour monster, leave a comment cancel reply.

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Journey - Aaron Becker

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Unit of work

Last updated

29 July 2020

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Jasper’s Carrot Chaos: Creepy Carrots Activities for the Classroom

• September 5, 2024

Have you ever wondered how a simple carrot could turn into a spooky tale? Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds tells the story of Jasper Rabbit, who just can’t resist the tempting carrots from Crackenhopper Field. In this post, I’ll explore activities for Creepy Carrots that highlight cause and effect, making connections, and problem-solving, all inspired by Jasper’s creepy carrot adventure.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything through them, I will get a small referral fee and you will be supporting me and my blog at no extra cost to you, so thank you! You can find more information here .

Creepy Carrots Summary

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds tells the tale of a rabbit named Jasper who can’t get enough of the delicious carrots from Crackenhopper Field. 

But things take a surprising twist when Jasper starts seeing the carrots everywhere he goes, almost as if they’re following him home. 

Jasper devises a clever plan to stop the carrots from terrorising him, which benefits both him and the carrots.

Discussion Points for Creepy Carrots

• Facing Fears : How do our fears shape how we perceive our surroundings?
• Problem-Solving : What strategies can we use to tackle problems creatively and effectively?
• Imagination vs. Reality : How can our imagination influence our interpretation of events?

Book Series

Creepy Carrots Creepy Pair of Underwear Creepy Crayon!

Cause and Effect and Creepy Carrots

The plot of Creepy Carrots is driven by Jasper’s actions and the carrots’ subsequent reactions, providing clear examples of how one event leads to another .

Why Creepy Carrots is Suited for Teaching Cause and Effect

• Clear Sequence of Events : Jasper’s growing paranoia about the carrots directly leads to specific actions and their results, helping students easily identify the relationship between actions (causes) and consequences (effects).
• Repetitive Structure : Jasper’s encounters with the creepy carrots provide multiple opportunities for students to observe how different actions lead to various outcomes, reinforcing the cause-and-effect relationship.

Cause and Effect Mapping Activity

• After reading a portion of the book, ask students to identify a specific action taken by Jasper (the cause) and discuss what happens as a result (the effect).
• Students create a cause-and-effect chart, listing each action Jasper takes in one column and its corresponding effect in another.
• Students can compare their charts and discuss any differences in their observations, fostering critical thinking and deeper comprehension.

Questions to Ask During the Activity

• What might happen as Jasper becomes more worried about the carrots?
• Why do you think Jasper’s actions led to this particular outcome? What could have happened differently?
• Looking at our cause and effect chart, how do Jasper’s actions throughout the story connect to the ending? How did his decisions shape the final result?

Making Connections With Creepy Carrots

Creepy Carrots is ideal for teaching making connections because it engages readers with relatable fears, and imaginative scenarios.

Why Creepy Carrots is Suited for Teaching Making Connections

• Relatable Themes : The story’s themes of fear, imagination, and the consequences of overindulgence are universally relatable.
• Familiar Setting and Objects : The story revolves around a common setting and familiar objects, making it easier for students to draw connections.

Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World Connections Activity

• After reading, ask students to identify a moment in the story that reminds them of something from their own lives (Text-to-Self). For example, have you ever felt like Jasper when you thought something was happening but weren’t sure?
• Next, have students think of another story or book where a character experiences fear or imagines something that might not be real (Text-to-Text). Discuss similarities and differences.
• Finally, encourage students to connect the story to a broader world concept, like the idea of being cautious with our imagination or how fear can influence decisions (Text-to-World).
• Can you think of a time when you were scared like Jasper, even if you weren’t sure there was a reason to be afraid?
• Does Jasper’s story remind you of any other characters you’ve read about? How are their experiences similar or different?
• What does the story of Jasper and the carrots teach us about how our imaginations can affect how we see the world around us?

Problem and Solution With Creepy Carrots

The plot presents a clear problem (Jasper’s fear of the creepy carrots) and solution (his plan to stop them). These activities encourage students to analyse the problem, evaluate different attempts at solutions, and reflect on the effectiveness of the final resolution.

Why Creepy Carrots is Suited for Teaching Problem and Solution

• Clear Problem Identification : Creepy Carrots presents a straightforward problem—Jasper is convinced that the carrots are following him, making it easy to identify and explore how it develops throughout the story.
• Creative and Logical Solutions : Jasper’s solution to the problem is both creative and logical. It involves building a fence around the carrots, which encourages students to think critically about how problems can be solved in multiple ways.

Problem and Solution Chart Activity

• After reading the story, have students work in pairs to identify the main problem Jasper faces. They should then write it down at the top of a Problem and Solution chart.
• Ask students to brainstorm different possible solutions Jasper could have tried and list them on the chart. Encourage them to think critically about the effectiveness of each potential solution.
• Finally, students should describe Jasper’s chosen solution and discuss why it worked. They can add this to the bottom of the chart, completing the problem and solution sequence.
• What is Jasper’s main problem? Why is it important for him to solve it?
• What are some different ways Jasper could have solved his problem with the creepy carrots?
• Why do you think Jasper’s solution was successful? How did his actions solve the problem, and could there have been a better way?

Creepy Carrots offers a treasure trove of opportunities for teaching cause and effect, making connections, and problem-solving. By engaging students with these activities, you can help them develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the book’s narrative structure

I’d love to hear from you! How do you plan to use Creepy Carrots in your classroom?

Do you want to explore Creepy Carrots with open-ended questions? Take a look at this activity pack , which includes over 100 questions to use before, during, and after reading Creepy Carrots.

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Journey by Aaron Becker Lesson Plan and Activities

Also included in

Description

A guided reading or interactive read aloud lesson plan for the wordless mentor text book Journey by Aaron Becker, the first in his series.  Great for vocabulary development!

Lessons and activities focus on:

• Summarizing key details
• Close reading for describing character traits
• analyzing foreshadowing
• author's message / lesson

The lesson plans include:

• teacher script with strategic stopping points and questions for students to discuss
• printable prompts for student post-reading responses through discussion in writing or reading response logs
• 4-5 day plan
• Discussion questions
• Suggested discussion strategies
• Strategic stopping points for questioning and close reading
• Anchor chart examples
• Sentence stems / frames for oracy and vocabulary development
• Great for bilingual classrooms
• Printable worksheets for written responses

How to Use This Resource:

• whole group
• small group
• as a reading  intervention
• special education (SPED)
• bilingual or Dual Language / DLI classrooms
• with ELLs for ESL instruction
• Great for K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th grade

Your Kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade or fourth grade students will love this story!

✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭ ✰ ✭

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