Notable Trade Book The First Drawing Written and Illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Mordicai Gerstein

As author and illustrator, Caldecott Medalist Mordicai Gerstein takes readers on a journey to the age of the woolly mammoth in The First Drawing. In this lesson, students explore the book, tracing the footsteps of a young boy who lived so many years ago and realize they are not so different from him. Children today face many of the same communication challenges, as does the main character, and have a need to express personal ideas and beliefs. Students identify their own interests and compare them to those of their classmates. With a partner, children explore communicating through imagery to express an idea or personal interest. Students explore and describe cultural similarities and difference between present day and the characters of the story. To finish the lesson, students work in groups to create a wall mural of Cave Art illustrating key aspects of what they consider important in our culture today.