by chris van allsburg - imax sydney polar express... · because the story describes a journey with...

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Book Summary One Christmas Eve many years ago, a boy lies in bed, listening hard for the bells of Santa’s sleigh, which he has been told by a friend do not exist. Later that night he hears not bells but a very different sound. He looks out of his window and is astounded to see a steam engine parked in front of his house! The conductor invites him to board the Polar Express, a train filled with children on their way to the North Pole.The boy and his companions journey past tiny towns and forests full of wild creatures.They travel up and around mountains and across the Great Polar Ice Cap to the magical city at the North Pole.The train takes the children to the center of the city,where Santa and the elves have gathered for the giving of the first gift of Christmas.The boy is chosen to receive this first gift. Knowing that he can choose anything in the world, he decides on a simple gift: one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh. Santa cuts a bell from a reindeer’s harness and the delighted boy slips it into his bathrobe pocket as the clock strikes midnight and the reindeer pull the sleigh into the sky. When the children return to the train, the boy realizes the bell has fallen through a hole in his pocket. Heartbroken, he is returned to his home. In the morning, his little sister finds one small box with the boy’s name on it among the presents below the Christmas tree. Inside is the silver bell! The boy and his sister are enchanted by its beautiful sound, but their parents cannot hear it.The boy con- tinues to believe in the spirit of Christmas and is able to hear the sweet ringing of the bell even as an adult. Special Features of The Polar Express The arrival of a steam engine—the Polar Express—on the boy’s quiet street is startling and wonderful enough to make readers gasp out loud.This book in particular captures the magic of childhood with sensitivity and grace.The warm and vivid color pastels create expressive characters and scenes that are very much alive.The art- work, combined with Chris Van Allsburg’s vivid prose, creates a jour- ney that resonates on many levels for readers of all ages.This is a book to return to year after year. The vivid visual world of The Polar Express is evoked by the text as well as by the pictures.Van Allsburg constructs a distinct sense of place, infused with magic by his skillful use of metaphor and simile. The train is “wrapped in an apron of steam,”and the children drink hot cocoa “as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars.”The lights of the North Pole appear to the boy as “the lights of an ocean liner sailing on a frozen sea.” The Polar Express is another example of Van Allsburg’s ability to seamlessly blend the dream world with reality.Also a consistent theme in his work, The Polar Express describes a journey (both lit- eral and symbolic) that brings about transformation for the charac- ters and the reader as well. In The Polar Express, Van Allsburg chooses an object to represent an idea: the silver bell symbolizes not only a belief in magic, but a kind of joyful openheartedness that many children have—and that many grown people have forgotten. The Polar Express reminds children and adults alike that the world is full of wonder—all one must do is look for it, and lis- ten, and believe. Find Fritz: Fritz the dog shows up in The Polar Express as a puppet on a post of the boy’s bed frame. Summary of Teaching Ideas One of the most striking features of The Polar Express is its vivid sensory description. Children can be encouraged to notice the way Van Allsburg uses all of the senses when describing the boy’s journey. For example, the reindeer “pranced and paced, ringing the silver bells that hung from their harnesses. It was a magical sound, like nothing I’d ever heard.” He describes the sensation of the train rolling up and down the mountains “like a car on a roller coaster,”and the taste of rich hot cocoa.This type of description provides a wonderful model for chil- dren who are working on writing fresh and unusual description. Van Allsburg’s writing also evokes a distinct sense of place.He writes,“the train thundered through the quiet wilderness,”describ- ing the striking contrast of the thundering train and the quiet woods. It can be helpful to examine his descriptions of the setting (which changes as the train makes its way to the North Pole), as it can be useful in the context of both reading and writing.When we are reading, for example, we can gather information about the story by paying close attention to the setting. It helps make the world of the story real for us.Van Allsburg’s stories do not take place in a void but instead are rooted firmly in believable settings. by CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com Copyright © 2004 Houghton Mifflin Company. All Rights Reserved. A T E A C H E R S G U I D E T O Houghton Mifflin Company • Boston, MA • www.polarexpress.com www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com Visit www.polarexpress.com for teachers’ guides for all of Chris Van Allsburg’s books. ™ © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s04)

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Book Summary

One Christmas Eve many years ago, a boy lies in bed, listeninghard for the bells of Santa’s sleigh, which he has been told by afriend do not exist. Later that night he hears not bells but a very different sound. He looks out of his window and is astounded to seea steam engine parked in front of his house! The conductor inviteshim to board the Polar Express, a train filled with children on theirway to the North Pole.The boy and his companions journey pasttiny towns and forests full of wild creatures.They travel up andaround mountains and across the Great Polar Ice Cap to the magicalcity at the North Pole.The train takes the children to the center ofthe city, where Santa and the elves have gathered for the giving ofthe first gift of Christmas.The boy is chosen to receive this first gift.Knowing that he can choose anything in the world, he decides on asimple gift: one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh. Santa cuts a bell froma reindeer’s harness and the delighted boy slips it into his bathrobepocket as the clock strikes midnight and the reindeer pull thesleigh into the sky.

When the children return to the train, the boy realizes the bellhas fallen through a hole in his pocket. Heartbroken, he is returnedto his home. In the morning, his little sister finds one small boxwith the boy’s name on it among the presents below the Christmastree. Inside is the silver bell! The boy and his sister are enchantedby its beautiful sound, but their parents cannot hear it.The boy con-tinues to believe in the spirit of Christmas and is able to hear thesweet ringing of the bell even as an adult.

Special Features of The Polar Express

The arrival of a steam engine—the Polar Express—on the boy’squiet street is startling and wonderful enough to make readers gaspout loud.This book in particular captures the magic of childhoodwith sensitivity and grace.The warm and vivid color pastels createexpressive characters and scenes that are very much alive.The art-work, combined with Chris Van Allsburg’s vivid prose, creates a jour-ney that resonates on many levels for readers of all ages.This is abook to return to year after year.

The vivid visual world of The Polar Express is evoked by the textas well as by the pictures.Van Allsburg constructs a distinct sense ofplace, infused with magic by his skillful use of metaphor and simile.The train is “wrapped in an apron of steam,” and the children drinkhot cocoa “as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars.”The lights ofthe North Pole appear to the boy as “the lights of an ocean linersailing on a frozen sea.”

The Polar Express is another example of Van Allsburg’s ability toseamlessly blend the dream world with reality.Also a consistenttheme in his work, The Polar Express describes a journey (both lit-eral and symbolic) that brings about transformation for the charac-ters and the reader as well. In The Polar Express, Van Allsburgchooses an object to represent an idea: the silver bell symbolizesnot only a belief in magic, but a kind of joyful openheartedness thatmany children have—and that many grown people have forgotten.The Polar Express reminds children and adults alike that the worldis full of wonder—all onemust do is look for it, and lis-ten, and believe.

Find Fritz: Fritz the dog shows up inThe Polar Express as a puppet on a post of theboy’s bed frame.

Summary ofTeaching Ideas

One of the most strikingfeatures of The Polar Express is its vivid sensory description.Children can be encouraged to notice the way Van Allsburg uses allof the senses when describing the boy’s journey. For example, thereindeer “pranced and paced, ringing the silver bells that hung fromtheir harnesses. It was a magical sound, like nothing I’d ever heard.”He describes the sensation of the train rolling up and down themountains “like a car on a roller coaster,” and the taste of rich hotcocoa.This type of description provides a wonderful model for chil-dren who are working on writing fresh and unusual description.

Van Allsburg’s writing also evokes a distinct sense of place. Hewrites,“the train thundered through the quiet wilderness,” describ-ing the striking contrast of the thundering train and the quietwoods. It can be helpful to examine his descriptions of the setting(which changes as the train makes its way to the North Pole), as itcan be useful in the context of both reading and writing.When weare reading, for example, we can gather information about the storyby paying close attention to the setting. It helps make the world ofthe story real for us.Van Allsburg’s stories do not take place in avoid but instead are rooted firmly in believable settings.

by CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG

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A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E T O

Houghton Mifflin Company • Boston, MA • www.polarexpress.com www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

Visit www.polarexpress.com

for teachers’ guides for all of Chris Van Allsburg’s

books.

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Because the story describes a journeywith a clear beginning, middle, andend, it is an excellent story to usewith younger children who are working on retelling a story. Childrenmust be taught to fully absorb a storyin order to develop theories andmake meaning of the text. Retellingthe story helps children not onlyremember what happened but also to choose the important parts andsequence them.This story is particu-larly suited to this activity—it has a clear storyline and many details,providing an opportunity for students to practice sifting throughinformation to find important structural elements.

Below you will find several ideas for how you might undertake aPolar Express reading and celebration in your classroom as well assome guiding questions aimed to develop rich book conversationwhen discussing The Polar Express with your students.You willalso find two sample lessons: a writing lesson designed for uppergrade students using The Polar Express to teach the use of simileand metaphor in description, and a reading lesson designed forlower grade students who are working on retelling. Below each les-son are some ideas for adaptation for either older or younger chil-dren, and some suggestions for expanding the lesson. Finally, you’llfind some additional fun language arts activities based on The PolarExpress.

Ideas for a Polar Express Reading Celebration!

• Invite students (and their families, if you wish!) to come toschool in the morning in their pajamas.Your students will bedelighted if you join them in this endeavor! Sit all together in acozy spot in your classroom or the school library and read thebook aloud. Follow the read-aloud with a book conversation (seesome sample guiding questions for a Polar Express book talkbelow).Add to the magic by celebrating with hot cocoa “as thickand rich as melted chocolate bars” and candy with nougat centers“as white as snow.” (Cookies and instant hot chocolate or evenregular chocolate milk easily do the trick.You can even makecookies in the shape of trains—train cookie cutters can be foundin many cooking stores.)

• Younger children will be thrilled if, on the day of the reading, youset up their chairs in two rows like the seats of a train. Give thestudents train tickets, which you will collect as you invite them to take a seat on The Polar Express. You can even ask them tobuckle themselves in! This kind of dramatization invites youngreaders into the magic of the story in an accessible, tangible way.

• In the days leading up to the reading, using a roll of craft paper,make a train mural for your hallway or classroom. Cut out the“cars” yourself and then cut yellow squares of paper for the win-dows. Have the children draw themselves on the yellow squares—when you glue them on the cars it will look like the children areriding on the train. Gather around the mural as you read.

• Find a bell that resembles the boy’s bell in The Polar Express.When you are reading the book and the boy receives the bell,take out your silver bell and show the students.When you readthat only those who truly believe can hear the bell, ring the bellfor your students and ask if they can hear it!

• Ask the students to bring an object to school that holds as much meaningfor them as the boy’s bell holds forhim. Follow your read-aloud and bookconversation with a share circle.Discuss how it is not just the objectsthemselves that we love; it is the people and ideas that they represent orremind us of.You may want to inviteyour students to write about their special objects and what those objects represent.

Guiding Questions for a Polar Express BookConversation

• The boy’s friend told him that Santa doesn’t exist, but the boycontinues to believe.Think of a time in your own life that youhave experienced this situation. How does it feel to keep firmwhen other people tell you you are wrong?”

• Notice how Chris Van Allsburg adds to his descriptions of thetrain ride to the North Pole by comparing one thing to another(give some examples). How does this kind of descriptive languageadd to the story for you?

• The boy can ask Santa Claus for anything in the world.Why doyou think he chooses a simple bell?

• Why can the boy and his sister hear the bell while their parentscannot?

• Why can the boy still hear the bell as an adult, while his sister andfriends cannot?

• What do you think Chris Van Allsburg wants the bell to represent?

Simile and Metaphor in The Polar ExpressAn upper grade lesson

What You’ll Need:• A copy of The Polar Express• Chart paper or an overhead projector with a T chart:“plain

language” on one side and on the other “comparisons”• Markers/overhead pens• Writing paper and pencils for the students

Background KnowledgeIt will be helpful if the children are familiar with the story beforeyou teach this lesson. It is important to give students a chance toexperience the story as an unbroken whole, and then to discuss itas a class, before isolating one element as a teaching tool.This lesson is designed to be used in the context of a writing workshop

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Houghton Mifflin Company • Boston, MA • www.polarexpress.com www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

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in which students are writing every day ontopics of their own choosing. It can fit wellwithin either a personal narrative study ora fiction study.The lesson can be taughtoutside the context of a writing workshopas well.

IntroductionRemind the students of the way that The Polar Express “comes tolife” in our minds as we read.Tell them that one way authors bringstories to life is to focus on the way they describe places. In ThePolar Express, Chris Van Allsburg describes the journey of the trainin a really interesting way—by comparing one thing to another.Tellthe students you will be showing them what you mean and invitingthem to try this in their own writing.

TeachingTell your students to pay attention as you read aloud some excerptsfrom the book where Van Allsburg is comparing one thing to anoth-er, because you will be asking them to tell you about those partslater. Read them excerpts of the book that include similes like “hotcocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars,” and “rolling overpeaks and through valleys like a car on a roller coaster.”You mayeven want to ask them to silently raise a hand when they hear acomparison.

Ask the students to look at the chart you have started—a simple T- chart with “plain language” on one side and “comparisons” on the other.Ask students to tell you what comparisons they heard.As they answer, write the similes theynoticed on the “comparisons” side of the chart.

Discuss how the same image might have been described in a plainand boring way. For example,“the hot cocoa was sweet and good,”or “the train went up and down the hills.”

Write the “plain language” ideas next to their corresponding similes on the chart paper. Discuss with your students how usingcomparisons in descriptions can make the story come to life.Encourage them to try using a comparison or two in their ownwriting that day.

Writing TimeAs your students write independently, confer with them about theirwork. Encourage them to use comparisons in their descriptions likeChris Van Allsburg does, in order to make their writing come to life.

If you do not have an ongoing writing workshop in place in yourclassroom, you can give your students more structure before yousend them off to write. For example, you may want to ask them toimagine they are on a dream-journey like the boy’s journey on thePolar Express, and then to write that story. In the context of thatassignment, you can confer with them about using comparisons intheir writing.

ShareAfter your students have worked independently, bring the classback together. Share the work of a student or several students whotried out the idea of using comparisons in their descriptions.

Adapting This Lesson for Less ExperiencedWriters • Instead of eliciting the “comparisons”

from the students, point them out.• Spend more time scaffolding their under-

standing. Create some comparisons together before sending the children off

to write on their own. For example, choose an object in the roomto describe in a plain way (“the ceiling is gray”) and then using acomparison (“the ceiling is as gray as rain clouds”).

Expanding This LessonNotice the many different “craft moves” Chris Van Allsburg uses inThe Polar Express. Make a chart listing them, and then turn each“craft move” into a day’s lesson.• Describing the setting so clearly that readers feel they are there• Using the five senses in description• Writing the main character’s thoughts and feelings into the story• Describing the weather

Retelling The Polar Express Using a TimelineA lower grade lesson

What You’ll Need:• A copy of The Polar Express• Chart paper or an overhead projector• Markers/overhead pens• Paper, pencils, and books for students to read on their own

Background KnowledgeIt is helpful if your students are familiar with The Polar Expressbefore you teach this lesson. It is also helpful if your students arefamiliar with the concept of a timeline.The lesson works best inclassrooms where “read aloud” is a part of each day, a time whenyour classroom community gathers together and develops compre-hension through book discussions.The lesson is designed for classrooms that support ongoing “reading workshop” work, wherestudents read independently or in partnerships each day frombooks of their own choosing.This depends on having a leveledclassroom library stocked with books appropriate for young read-ers. If you do not use reading workshop in your curriculum or donot have a leveled classroom library, the lesson can take place in the context of the stories your students are working with in theirreaders. Before this lesson, it is important to organize your studentsinto “talk partnerships” and to ask them to sit next to these partnerswhen they come to the rug.You will be asking them to turn andtalk to each other during the lesson.

IntroductionTell your students that one thing that helps readers make sense ofthe stories they read is to stop and retell what has happened so far,including only the important parts in their retelling. One way thatreaders keep track of the important parts and how they fit togetheris to make a timeline.Tell your students to watch you as you beginto read Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express, paying attention tohow the story moves forward, and make a timeline to help youretell the story.Tell them that they will be asked to help you withthis process, and then they will get to try it out with their ownbooks during independent reading time.

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T H E P O L A R E X P R E S S — A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

Houghton Mifflin Company • Boston, MA • www.polarexpress.com www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

TeachingAs you read the story, tell the children to pay attention to how youstop, retell what has happened so far, add the important parts toyour timeline, and then continue to read. Begin reading the story.Stop after a few pages—one good first stopping point is when theboy gets on the train. Model retelling what has happened so far inthe story, paying attention to only the most important parts. Forexample, you might say,“The boy was lying awake waiting to hearthe sounds of Santa’s sleigh bells. Instead he heard a train. He ranoutside and the conductor invited him on board the Polar Express, atrain bound for the North Pole.”

Then, show your students how they might begin a timeline. Drawa line on your chart paper or overhead and add the first bit.Tellyour students that when you are making a timeline, you do notneed to write complete sentences—it is more like writing notes toyourself to help you remember.The first point on the timelinemight be “boy is in bed waiting to hear Santa.”The second might be“boy hears train outside—gets on Polar Express.”As you continuereading, turn over more responsibility to the students.The next timeyou stop, ask them to turn and talk to their partners, retelling whathas happened so far. Give them only two or three minutes for this.When you come back together, elicit the next points on the time-line from your students. If they offer small details or go off on unrelated tangents, model for them how readers decide what themost important parts of the story are when they are doing aretelling and making a timeline.Tell them that they will be doingthis on their own when they go off to read independently.

Reading TimeIf you work within a reading workshop context, when you sendyour students off to read independently, ask them to sit next totheir talk partners.As they begin reading, remind them to stopevery few pages and retell what has happened so far in their ownbooks. If your students use reading response notebooks, ask them tocreate their own timelines in their notebooks.They can do this onloose-leaf paper if they don’t use notebooks.As your students read,confer with them about how readers retell only the most importantparts of stories and put those things on a timeline.

If you do not work within the context of reading workshop, youcan choose to keep your students together on the rug and finishthe timeline of The Polar Express as a community.You can also askyour students to work within their readers to create a timeline ofwhatever story they happen to be working on together.You canorganize them into partnerships for the context of this lesson evenif they do not generally work this way. Because retelling depends ontalking, it is very helpful for the children to be in partnerships.

ShareWhen you come back together at the end of independent readingtime, share the work of a reading partnership that has created time-lines of the stories they have read, making sure to put only the mostimportant parts on the line.

Adapting This Lesson for More (or Less) Experienced Readers• If you are working with very young children who are not writing

or reading independently yet, focus on the retelling aspect asopposed to the timeline aspect of this lesson. Even kindergartnerscan successfully retell a story they have heard.

• This is a simple lesson, but older children also benefit from slowing down their reading and retelling what has happened intheir books. If your students are reading complex chapter books,you can teach them to retell each chapter separately and then linkthose retellings together to retell the whole book.

Expanding This Lesson• Focus on the sequencing aspect of writing a timeline—demon-

strate “messing up” the sequence of your Polar Express timelineand ask the children to help you organize it sequentially.

• Focus on retelling—when you stop every few pages to retell, it isimportant to link each retelling to the previous ones, so that bythe end you are retelling the whole book.

• Use your timelines to discuss how the characters change as theplot moves forward.What are the turning points?

Just for Fun• Imagine you are able to go on a magical journey like the boy.

Where do you go? How do you get there? How are you changedby the experience?

• The boy’s bell is magic—only he can hear it. Imagine you find orare given a magic_________ that only you can _________ (you fillin the blanks). Describe how this object changes your life.

• The boy chooses a simple, meaningful gift over a fancy gift that ismeaningless.Think of someone you love very much.What kind ofgift could you give that person that would mean as much as theboy’s bell? It doesn’t have to be a real object!

T H E P O L A R E X P R E S S — A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

Houghton Mifflin Company • Boston, MA • www.polarexpress.com www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

The Polar Express (1985)ISBN 0-395-38949-6 $18.95

• Caldecott Medal winner, 1986• 5 million copies sold worldwide

• New York Times Best Illustrated Book• New York Times Bestseller

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1. Glue the popsicle sticks togetherto form a triangle with the pointfacing down.

2. Glue the googly eyes on each ofthe two sides at the top.

3. Wrap the pipe cleaners around the top popsicle stick to form reindeer antlers.

4. Glue the red pompom nose to the popsicle stick at the point of thetriangle

5. Tie the yarn around to makea decoration that can hangon your door, a tree or plant,or the bulletin board!

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The Polar Express PartyMake Your Own Reindeer Craft

What You Need

• 3 popsicle sticks

• 2 googly eyes

• 2 brown pipe cleaners

• 1 small red pom pom

• 8 inches of yarn (any

color)

• glue(not included in this kit: glue and yarn)

REPRODUCIBLE

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Polar Express CrosswordCan you solve the crossword puzzle?

Across1. The weather in the North Pole is3. They help Santa make toys4. What you wear to bed6. This comes from the smokestack9. Where is the Polar Express going? _____ Pole10. Be careful, don’t slip on the

Down1. A holiday in December2. The first gift of Christmas is a5. Santa rides in a7. What the boy wants to hear8. The Polar Express is a

Answers:Across1. cold3. elves4. pajamas6. sleigh9. North10 ice

Down1. Christmas2. bell5. sleigh7. ring8. train

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A Polar ExpressWord Search

Can you find the following words from the wordvault below? They can go forward, backward, up,down, and diagonally.

POLAREXPRESSTRAINCONDUCTORSTEAM

SANTABELLCHRISTMASSLEIGHNORTH POLE

SNOWFLAKESCOCOAPAJAMASFROZENGIFTELVES

WOLVESBELIEVEMIDNIGHTBATHROBERINGICE

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S J N A S J Y R M M K P C G XM W D H N P A J A M A S O I MA N E G O B N E T L S I C E Q

B K B N W T T V X S O C O R QN F O I F S Y L E E O P A B F

N W R A L W O R M N F G K E E

T S H R A T P B D S E V L O W

F H T T K X H U E F E V X F G I X A N E N C G R L E L G E S

G W B P S T O O I S I N O A L

A R M N O K Z R I N I E J P E

V V G R G E G L T R D T V B I

L O S M N J D B L H Y I R E G

S A M T S I R H C F E L M D H

S A N T A L L E B V G Q P W J

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Enter Here

End

A Polar ExpressMaze

Can you help find the bell?

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1. Choose one person to be the Conductor. He or she will make up things for therest of the group to do.

2. The Conductor will instruct the group to do things in two different ways:

1. He or she will say,“The Conductor says” before the command. For instance:The Conductor says, “Touch your toes.”The Conductor says, “Raise your hand.”The Conductor says, “Close your eyes.”The Conductor says, “Rub your tummy.”The Conductor says, “Blow a kiss.”The Conductor says, “Chuckle Ho, Ho, Ho”

This is when the group should do just as the Conductor does, and perform the action.

BUT WATCH OUT, THE CONDUCTOR MAY TRY TO TRICK YOU…

2. Sometimes he or she will NOT say, “The Conductor says” before the command.For instance:

“Touch your nose.”“Raise your hand.”“Close your eyes.”“Rub your tummy.”

This is when the group should NOT do what the Conductor says. Whoever performs the action when the Conductor has not said, “The Conductor says”should sit quietly.

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Let’s Play “The Conductor Says”!That’s right! The Conductor

Says, NOT Simon!

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The Polar Express Party Recipes

Polar Chocolate Nougat Caramel Squares

What you need:1 cup flour1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar1/3 cup butter or margarine (room temperature)5 candy bars—chocolate with nougat and caramel(hint: the initials are MW)1/4 cup milk2 eggs, slightly beaten1 tsp. vanilla2 tbls. flour1/2 tsp. baking powder1 can (3 1/2 oz.) blanched sliced almonds

How to make them:1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch

baking pan.2. Combine 1 cup flour with the brown sugar in

a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the butter until crumbly dough forms. Press dough into greased pan.

3. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

4. Melt candy bars with milk in small saucepan over medium-low heat.

5. Cool the mixture slightly, then slowly add the eggs. (Beat constantly to keep from curdling.)

6. Add the vanilla, 2 tablespoons of flour, and the baking powder to the candy mixture, then pour every thing over the crust (which has been cooling on the rack). Sprinkle almonds on top.

7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the top is firm. Let cool. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.

Hot Chocolate-Bar Cocoa

What you need:2 egg yolks2 ounces of a milk chocolate candy bar1 cup of milk

How to make it:1. Beat the egg yolk in bowl and put aside.2. Crush candy bar into a medium-size saucepan.Add the milk.3. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring con-stantly.4. Cool the mixture slightly.5. Slowly fold in the egg yolks. (Be sure to stirconstantly to keep from curdling.)6. Continue heating and stirring until cocoa ishot throughout.

Top with a dollop of whipped cream or marsh-mallow fluff.

REPRODUCIBLE

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Color the boy!

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Color the boy as the conductor welcomes him aboard.

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REPRODUCIBLE