Every year in the public schools, I would plan a big circus unit. We made torn paper clowns and at the end of the week would actually put on our own circus followed by a big circus parade. Older students would come out to cheer my little circus performers on as the elephants, tigers, lions, trapeze artists and ring master marched by. I would get a parent to videotape it each year. The children would delight in watching their performance and would want to watch it at least five times.
One year I had the sibling of one of my former students in my classroom. I asked the children if they would like to watch the video of the year C....'s sister had been in the circus. They all excitedly concurred that they did. The video had been running for about fifteen minutes when one little boy piped up in surprise "Gee, Mrs. B! You used to be a skinny clown!" I went home and drank Slimfast for dinner!
