The Day the Crayons Quit
A RIF GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS
Themes: Persuasive Writing, Opinion, Group
Conflict
Author:
Drew Daywalt
Book Brief: Duncan has a serious problemhis
crayons have quit! Read the letters in
this book to find out why all Duncans
colors have run.
Illustrator:
Oliver Jeffers
Content Connections:
s:
Language Arts, Art, Social Studies
TIME TO READ!
BEFORE WE READ,
LETS LOOK AT
The Cover: Have students
make predictions about the
book based on the title and
the cover illustration. What are the crayons doing?
Why are they holding signs? What do the signs on
the back cover say?
The Pictures: Flip briefly through the pictures. What
do students notice about the format of the book?
Who do they think wrote the letters?
Prior Knowledge: What does it mean to write
persuasively? Discuss the different types of writing
with the class. What is the difference between telling
or recounting a story and trying to make others see
things from your point of view? When would we use
persuasive writing? When would we use the other
types? Draw a graphic organizer on the board to
show the different types of writing and the
characteristics and uses of each type.
Vocabulary: creativity, occasional, overworked,
stubby
Purpose for Reading: As we read, pay attention to
the purpose of each letter. What does each crayon
want? What does each crayon think about the rest
of the colors?
WHILE WE READ
MONITORING COMPREHENSION
Why is purple crayon upset?
What does beige crayon color?
Does green crayon want Duncan to use him
differently?
Who has more
proofyellow
crayon or orange
crayon?
Why is peach
crayon naked?
LETS THINK ABOUT
Our Purpose: Make a chart on the board to show each crayons complaint and what each crayon says about the
rest of the colors. How does Duncan find a way to make every color happy without picking a side?
Extending Our Thinking: An author writing persuasively is trying to make the reader believe something. What
should we keep in mind when we read persuasive writing? Why is it important to think about an authors purpose
and point of view? Do writers always tell the truth or the whole story? What is a bias?
NOTE TO EDUCATORS
Extension Activities for Educators also available.
Vocabulary Scaffolding Sheet also available.
The Day the Crayons Quit
RIF EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EDUCATORS
THINK-TAC-TOE ACTIVITY OPTIONS
Individual students can choose an activity to complete.
Student pairs or cooperative groups can work together on a choice of their own.
Educator can assign an activity for an individual, pairs, or groups.
ON THE FLIP SIDE
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
WAXING POETIC
Think of a common story or fairy
tale, like Little Red Riding Hood. On a
sheet of paper, write the story down
the way its usually told. Now flip the
paper over. Write the same story, but
from the point of view of a different
character (like the Big Bad Wolf, for
example). How does point of view
affect the story?
Think of something interesting or
important thats happening in your
school, neighborhood, or the world.
How do you feel about it? Write a
short letter like the ones in the book.
Give your opinion and explain why
youre right. Be sure to support your
argument with facts through reasons
or examples.
Crayon companies give their colors
creative names. Look at this list of
Crayola crayon colors: www.wikipedia
.org/wiki/List_of_Crayola_crayon_
colors. Pick 3-5 fun color names
and use them in a descriptive poem
about a person, place, or thing.
Draw a picture to go with your poem.
Writing, Social Studies
Writing, Social Studies
Writing, Art, Technology
OUTSIDE THE BOX
CRAYON CREATION
COLORFUL
CONVERSATION
Watch this video about how crayons
are made: http://science.howstuff
works.com/innovation/4269-assem
bly-line-crayola-crayons-video.htm.
Use the facts in the video to write
at least 3 word problems. Trade
problems with a partner and solve!
How do you think crayons are made?
Design a machine to make crayons.
Draw and label a diagram of your
machine to explain how it works. How
many crayons can it make in a day?
After youre done, watch the video
from Outside the Box. How does
your machine compare?
Pick three crayons. Based on their
letters in the book, what might they
say to each other? Write a conversation among those crayons. Share
your conversation as a play, comic
strip, short story, series of text
messages, or in some other creative
way!
Math, Science, Technology
Engineering, Technology, Art
Writing, Art
SHADES OF GRAY
TESTING, TESTING
COLOR CONFUSION
Many mammals are partly colorblind,
which means they dont see colors
the same way most humans do. Pick
a mammal and research to find out
how it sees color. Draw a picture to
show what the world would look like
for that animal.
How can we tell if an animal is
colorblind or not? We cant just ask
it! Pick an animal and design an
experiment to test how it sees color.
Include a hypothesis and a step-bystep procedure for your experiment.
How would you measure the results?
What color is the sun? Take a poll of
your classmates to see if they think
its yellow, orange, or a different
color. Make a chart or graph of the
results. Research to find out the suns
real color. (Hint: The moon is white.
Does that help us figure out the suns
color? How?)
Science, Art
Science, Writing
STEAM-THEMED: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, MATH
Math, Science
The Day the Crayons Quit
A RIF GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
Themes: Persuasive Writing, Opinion, Group Conflict
Book Brief: Duncan has a serious problemhis
crayons have quit! Read the letters in this book to
find out why all Duncans colors have run.
Author:
Drew Daywalt
Illustrator:
Oliver Jeffers
TIME TO READ!
Before reading, build
background knowledge:
Do you have certain crayons
or markers you always use
to draw the same things?
Which crayon is your
favorite to use? Why?
While reading, make comparisons: Each crayon
writes from its own point of view. How does each
letter tell a different side of the same story? What is
the whole story?
After reading, ask questions:
Which crayon gives the best reason for quitting?
What else could you draw with beige?
Who should get to color the sunorange or yellow?
Whats special about Duncans picture at the end
of the book?
RELATED ACTIVITIES
CRANKY CRAYON SCRATCH DRAWING
PICK-A-SIDE SNACKING
Materials: white paper, crayons, black paint, brush,
liquid dish soap, toothpick or paperclip
Ingredients: one color of food
Color the whole paper with shapes and patterns. Use
lots of colors and dont leave any white space. Mix
black paint with a few drops of dish soap. Paint over
the entire paper. When the paint is dry, use a toothpick or unbent paperclip to scratch out a colorful
picture!
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
A letter is a great way to share your opinion. Think of
something interesting or important thats happening
in your school, neighborhood, or the world. How do
you feel about it? Write a short letter like the ones
in the book. State the issues, give your opinion, and
explain (give reasons and examples) why youre right.
Mail or email your letter to the local newspaperthey
might print it!
Which crayon do you
agree with? Whose
side are you on?
Pick the color you
think is right and
show your support
by eating a snack thats
entirely that color. For example,
to support orange, you could eat
orange slices, carrot sticks, and cheese cubes. For
blue, try blueberries and blue corn tortilla chips or
blue fruit snacks. For rare colors, add a few drops of
food coloring to milk or vanilla yogurt.
TECHNOLOGY LINK
Visit www.omsi.edu/tech/colormix.php to see what
colors can do when they work together!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS WRITTEN OR ILLUSTRATED BY OLIVER JEFFERS
The Great Paper Caper (2009)
Stuck (2011)
This Moose Belongs to Me (2012)
The Day the Crayons Quit
A RIF VOCABULARY SCAFFOLD
career:
job, work
fabulous: really
good, great, super
lose it: to get
really mad or upset
settle: to solve
or fix something;
to decide
tattletale: a person
who tells on someone
for doing something
bad
outline: the edge or
border of something;
a line that goes
around the edges
of something
wear out: to use
something until
it is gone, tired,
or broken; to use
something a lot
pebble: a very small
rock or stone
wheat: a kind of
plant that flour
is made of
peel off: to take
off; to remove
The Day the Crayons Quit
A RIF GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY COORDINATORS
Themes: Persuasive Writing, Opinion, Group Conflict
Book Brief: Duncan has a serious problemhis
crayons have quit! Read the letters in this book to
find out why all Duncans colors have run.
Author:
Drew Daywalt
Illustrator:
Oliver Jeffers
TIME TO READ!
Before reading: Each crayons letter tells a different side of the same story. As the
children read, tell them to think about how Duncan finds a way to make every crayon
happy without picking sides.
RELATED ACTIVITIES
CRANKY CRAYON SCRATCH DRAWING
(AGES 5-12)
Materials: white paper, crayons, black paint, brush,
liquid dish soap, toothpick or paperclip
Color the whole paper with shapes and patterns.
Use lots of colors and dont leave any white space.
Mix black paint with a few drops of dish soap. Paint
over the entire paper. When the paint is dry, use a
toothpick or unbent paperclip to scratch out a
colorful picture! (Can also be done with all children
working together on one large sheet of paper.)
THE WHITE STUFF (AGES 5-12)
Materials: white paper, white
crayons, watercolor
paints, paint brushes
Finally, a use for the
white crayon! Draw a
picture or design on
white paper using a
white crayon. Press
hard to make sure your
lines are thick and waxy. Paint over the paper with
watercolor paints. Watercolor paint wont stick to the
crayon, so your drawing will appear!
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
(AGES 8-12)
A letter is a great way to share
your opinion. Think of something interesting or important
thats happening in your
school, neighborhood, or
the world. How do you feel
about it? Write a short letter
like the ones in the book.
Give your opinion and explain
why youre right. Mail or
email your letter to the local
newspaperthey might print it!
TECHNOLOGY LINK
Visit www.omsi.edu/tech/colormix.php to see what
colors can do when they work together!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS WRITTEN OR ILLUSTRATED BY OLIVER JEFFERS
The Great Paper Caper (2009)
Stuck (2011)
This Moose Belongs to Me (2012)
