Kathleen Pelley: Activity Guide for "Martin de Porres, The Rose in the Desert"

Kathleen Pelley Storytelling Activity Guide

Activity Guide by

Kathleen Pelley

One of the many things I love about good stories is that they can provide a space in our hectic busy lives to simply PAUSE and PONDER some truth, some beauty, or some new way of looking at the world.

Each month I will invite you to join me as I PAUSE and PONDER upon the story I have just read.

Martin de Porres, the Rose in the Desert

Written by Gary D. Schmidt and illustrated by David Diaz

PAUSE and PONDER … Why I love this story?

This touching tale that introduces us to the life of Martin de Porres, the illigitimate child of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, truly defines “holiness.” We see this gentle friar constantly confronting racial and economic prejudice with LOVE. No wonder that Pope John XXIII named him the patron saint of universal brotherhood. He is also known as the patron saint of interracial relations, social justice, public education, and animal shelters. Like all good stories, this one leaves me wanting to be more, to do more, to love more, and affirms my belief that in the end LOVE will TRIUMPH.

Souvenirs from the story – a glimpse of grace and a resounding note of triumph when we see Martin performing miracles and conquering prejudice with love.

Emotional/Universal Truth What is an emotional truth?

Any editor will tell you that a common weakness of many picture book manuscripts is that they are “too trite.” In other words, they will not withstand multiple readings, because they are too one dimensional and lack a universal, emotional truth. It is NOT a lesson, a moral, or a message! Rather it is a simple truth, woven seamlessly throughout the story -‐ some truth about love, hope, pain, joy, or home that a child can understand and connect with. I like to think of it as that whiff of wonder, that bolt of beauty that lingers with you, long after the last page is turned or the final word uttered.

Why should this universal truth matter so much to the read-‐aloud quality of a picture book?

“The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great fire burns, and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories began in fire, magic, the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today.” Doris Lessing

Truth connects us to one another, to our ancestors, and to the world around us. Good books and stories are all about connections. When we read a story aloud to a child – a story that truly touches us at the very core of our being with its beauty and its truth, then, we will naturally breathe our own life and love into those words as we read them aloud. (Notice how life and spirit, breath and voice are all connected.) In turn, those words will seep into the little listener’s heart, making her or him feel brave or bold, calm or kind, happy or hopeful.

“Adult books maintain lives; children’s books change lives.” Jane Yolen

The “truth” of this story: perhaps the words of Francis de Sales (patron saint of writers) explains it best, “There is nothing so strong as gentleness and there is nothing so gentle as real strength.”

What souvenir and what “truth” I wonder, will you and your children take from this story?

NOTE – This story is more suited for children ages 8 and up.

The following discussion questions and activities are designed for use either with a parent and a child, or with a teacher and her class or a small group.

NOTE -‐ Most of the activities here are more suited for use in parochial schools, although a teacher might modify to use in the public school.

-‐ Kathleen Pelley Children’s Author, Storyteller, and Speaker

www.kathleenpelley.com

Discussion Questions Background vocabulary/general knowledge

Spanish words:

barrios (neighborhoods)

cirujano (surgeon, or long ago, simply a healer)

Look at a map of South America with your child and point out Peru and find Lima.

Discussion Questions (cont.) Explain that Martin is a brother (sometimes also known as a friar).

Apprentice

Tonsured hair (way monks shaved hair)

Vespers: Prime – Terce – Nones (part of the 8 daily prayer times that monks followed)

1. Where does this story take place?

2. What do you think “the rose in the desert” means?

3. Who were Martin’s parents?

4. What is an apprenticeship? What kind of apprenticeship did Martin’s father give him?

5. What kind of apprenticeship would you like to have? Discuss.

6. Why did Father Lorenzano refuse to accept Martin as a priest?

7. What jobs did Martin do at the monastery?

8. What made Father Lorenzano change his mind about Martin?

9. What groups of people did Martin help?

10. Martin is now known as Saint Martin – do you have a favorite saint story? Discuss.

11. Do you know any people like Martin? Discuss.

12. What do you admire most about Martin. Discuss.

13. Martin had to face racial and econimic prejudice. What groups of people in our world face similar forms of prejudice. Discuss.

Story Characters Draw the character in the box and then write a sentence that explains your choice.

________________________________

The character I least admire

The character I admire most

Word Scramble

Unscramble the words…

1. Martin’s father was a Spanish _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (roquocern).

2. His mother had been a _ _ _ _ _ (elvsa).

3. Martin had _ _ _ _ _ _ _ hands. (gealihn)

4. Martin carried his patients to the shade of a _ _ _ _ _ tree. (molen)

5. Martin swept the holy _ _ _ _ _ _ (heplac).

6. Martin was called a _ _ _ _ in the desert. (soer)

7. People saw _ _ _ _ _ _ guiding Martin. (genlas).

Crisscross Words

Use the clues below to complete the crossword

EclipseCrossword.com

Across 2. Martin’s father came from this

country

4. Martin’s mother had been one

7. The kind of tree that Martin planted behind his house

8. The capital of Peru

Down 1. A person learning a trade

3. Name for evening prayers

5. Slave boys had to sweep this every day

6. Promises that monks make

Suggestions for research and further study.

Have students work in pairs and research other “patron saints.” They might find out about the patron saints of:

Writers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, or the patron saints of various countries – Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, America.

Make a display of these saints along with any appropriate symbols (example Martin is often shown with a broom, Patrick with shamrock, St. George with a dragon….)

Discuss how saints are all holy in different ways because they each have different gifts. Discuss again what it means to be “a rose in the desert” and have students share ways that they can be roses in the desert in our world. Have students make a list of different kinds of gifts –

Martin’s gifts

My gifts

Suggestions for research and further study. (cont.)

My friend’s gifts

My mom’s gifts

My dad’s gifts

NAMES Have students research their own names – meaning of, why parents chose that name, what saint (if any) they are called after.

ART ACTIVITY We are called to be A ROSE IN THE DESERT. Invite students again to share ways that they can bring life and hope and beauty to the world – through their actions/donations/works of social justice.

Use the picture below, or have students draw their own rose.

Then have students write out their names in large block letter like this:

Decorate each letter. Include a sentence or two explaining how you can make the world more beautiful. Display on classroom wall beneath heading WE ARE CALLED TO BE A ROSE IN THE DESERT

Answer Key

Discussion Questions

1. Lima

2. To be a beacon of hope in the darkness, to bring beauty into the world.

3. His mother was a former black slave. His father was a Spanish conqueror.

4. A way of learning a trade from a master.

5. No right answer.

6. He was of mixed race and not pure blood.

7. He washed, cleaned, tended gardens,cut monks’ hair, and swept the chapel.

8. He heard tales of Martin’s work with animals and he saw how he could tame the animals.

9. Martin helped both the rich and the poor.

10. No right answer

11. No right answer.

Word Scramble

1. conqueror

2. slave

3. healing

4. lemon

5. chapel

6. rose

7. angels

Answer Key (cont.)

Crisscross Puzzle

VESPERS

APPRENTICE

E MVOWS

EclipseCrossword.com

Across 2. SPAIN—Martin’s father came from this

country

4. SLAVE—Martin’s mother had been one

7. LEMON—The kind of tree that Martin planted behind his house

8. LIMA—The capital of Peru

Down 1. APPRENTICE—A person learning a

3. VESPERS—Name for evening prayers

5. PLAZA—Slave boys had to sweep this every day

6. VOWS—Promises that monks make

Kathleen Pelley: Activity Guide for "Martin de Porres, The Rose in the Desert"

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