The older children and I studied Beatrix Potter together many years ago, but I never got round to writing about it. This term we have spent many months working on our Beatrix Potter Literature Study. The vast majority of our work was reading all the excellent books out there on Peter Rabbit and his very talented author. But we did manage to create a Beatrix Potter magazine to go into our Edwardian Times Newspaper, as well as hosting an Edwardian themed tea party whilst all the girls in the family watched the very excellent Miss Potter film.
Beatrix Potter Literature Study: Resources
Beatrix Potter Journal
This is a scrap book style biography about Beatrix Potter which the girls just loved! They literally begged me to read more each day and we finished it in double quick time. We got the idea of creating Christmas Cards from this book
Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales
We have owned this complete set since the older ones were little. We have read and reread, listened to the audio CDs in the car and during quiet time when all the children were little. This was a great wander down memory lane. I even remember organising a Peter Rabbit book club party when we lived in Northern Ireland.
These are simple stories, and to be honest their main appeal is in the most delightful drawings which accompany each and every page.
The Story of Beatrix Potter
This is a biography of Beatrix Potter for grown ups, or older children. It is full to the brim of Potter’s own work as well as many photographs demonstrating the life and times of this fascinating woman, who was as well known for her literary and artistic work as she was for her conservation efforts in the Lake District.
The Art of Beatrix Potter
This is a beautifully crafted book detailing the development of Potter’s artworks. She was homeschooled, and was able to spend hours perfecting her beautiful drawings. I bought this especially for Lillie a few years ago. The littles spent time just flicking through a this truly beautiful book.
Beatrix Potter Literary Study: Activities
Jemima Puddleduck Diorama
Becca made the diorama below using a new to us modelling medium called Magic Clay. It is a very dry foamy-feel modelling clay. It dries in the air, but does not dry hard. Becca took a favourite scene from the Jemima Puddleduck book and recreated it as a diorama:
Creating a Magazine Insert
Over the course of the Beatrix Potter Literary Study, the girls created a magazine insert to go inside their Edwardian Times Newspaper:
They each chose different activities to create. These ranged from their favourite quotes, to instructions of how to make the diorama above:
They drew pictures to colour in, and bunny ears to cut out, join the dots and a map of the woodland where all of Potter’s friends lived, along with some map reading exercises:
They also cut and pasted some of Potter’s Christmas drawings to be cut out and glued onto card to make Edwardian themed Christmas cards.
Edwardian Christmas Cards
Of course, we made some of the cards for our Edwardian Christmas. I’ve kept them to use as decoration next year because I liked them so much:
Literary Devices
We used our Literary Device books to record any similes, metaphors and the like:
Beatrix Potter Edwardian Tea Party
The older girls baked and hosted a Beatrix Potter tea party for their younger sisters. They used recipes from the ‘Afternoon Tea’: egg sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, scones and Ripon spice cake:
Whilst they enjoyed their tea and their nibbles, the girls (and me!) watched Miss Potter, easily one of my most favourite films of all time:
It was a great way to finish our Beatrix Potter Literary Study!