1) Before you read, show the cover of the book, Wanda’s Roses, to each listener/reader. Ask him/her to describe what they see and where they think Wanda is standing. Ask them if they see any roses on the cover. Say, "Let’s read to find out why this story is called Wanda’s Roses."
2) In the beginning, what do the neighbors think of what Wanda is doing? Do they all feel the same way in the beginning?
3) How does Wanda explain why the roses haven’t bloomed in the book? How does she learn to take care of roses?
4) Ask readers if they have ever seen a rose before. What did it look like/smell like? What color was it? What makes this flower so special? Do you know the names of any other flowers?
5) Wanda’s actions came from her heart, and her good will spread to the entire neighborhood. What can you do to make a place better (examples: neighborhood, classroom, home)?
6) Draw a picture of a good deed in action. This picture may illustrate a small or large act. Share what kind of picture you drew.
7) What do you think an “action of the heart” is?
8) What did the empty lot look like in the beginning of the book? How did it look in the end?
9) How does it make you feel when someone says that you can’t do something?
10) Why did Wanda decide to care for the rose bush and make it her own? Why did she continue to nurture her rose bush even though people told her nothing was going to grow. (She wanted to see something grow; She did not want to give up.)
11) How did Wanda solve the problem of “real roses” not growing on the bush? (She made paper roses and attached them to the bush.)
12) In what ways did Wanda’s neighbors help with the empty lot? Why do you think they helped? (They helped clean up the lot. They did not want to disappoint Wanda.)
13) How did Wanda’s and her neighbors’ efforts change the lot/neighborhood? (Together they created a beautiful rose garden.)
14) Do you think Wanda would have succeeded without help? (Guide the students to the idea that working together was important in turning the lot into a “rose garden”.)
15) Imitate the art from the book. Create a bulletin board with stems/sticks. Make paper roses for the bushes.
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