Throughout the play ‘Macbeth’ it becomes apparent that the character of Macbeth is subjected to significant character development. At the outset Macbeth is a brave, honest soldier who is loyal to his king, following this he becomes a deceitful, murderous traitor intent on becoming King and finally Macbeth is unstable, discontentful and regrets his murderous deeds. This essay should analyse the several character alterations Macbeth undergoes in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.
Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ has a substantial amount of historical content. The play had direct parallels with what was occurring in Scotland and England at the time it was written and performed. It can be said that there are references to the Monarch at the time, this was James the First, he was the King of Scotland from 1587. James was the son of Mary Queen of Scots, he was against Catholics which led to the Gunpowder plot of 1605. The Gunpowder plot is relevant as it concerns the attempted overthrowing of a monarch, comparisons between Guy Fawkes and Macbeth are not unfounded as they were both leaders who conspired to kill their monarch and both paid for their crimes with their lives. Another factor which Shakespeare utilises is discussing subjects which were popular and controversial at the time.
In ‘Macbeth’ witchcraft is the subject he chose. Also James the First took a great interest in witches, having many killed, however most importantly he believed in witchcraft and its power. The three witch characters in ‘Macbeth’ are seen as evil. It could be concluded that they were responsible for creating Macbeth’s evil desire for the throne, therefore the audience may be influenced by Shakespeare’s portrayal of the witches and believe his depiction of their nature, thus supporting King James in his policy of witch hunts and general hatred and persecution. By using historical events and involving topics which were popular, the play is given a sense of poignancy and realism, an audience watching ‘Macbeth’ when it was first written would have been provided with a certain relevance to their own lives.
To analyse how the character of Macbeth changes throughout the play it is imperative to conduct an analysis of each of Macbeth’s seven main speeches. Furthermore, the factors for analysis have been defined as character, structure, language, modern relevance, stagecraft, moral and philosophical outlook, historical relevance, genre and appeal to the audience.
The initial speech being in Act 1, Scene 3. This speech is based around Macbeth asking questions and continuing to answer them himself, the structure is based around the explanation of ill and good as the following quotation demonstrates:
“This supernatural Soliciting,
Cannot be Ill, cannot be Good. Iff Ill
Why hath it given me Earnest of Success”
(Act 1, Scene 3, lines 129 and 130)
It is this quotation which is the central focus of the first speech as Macbeth is asking himself if the ‘supernatural Soliciting’ is bad or good, whether what the witches have
predicted is ‘ill’ or ‘good.
Another example within the structure of the first soliloquy, which uses the contrasting elements of ‘good’ and ‘ill’ is that immediately before Macbeth speaks Banquo speaks and he also interrupts Macbeth at the end of his speech. This again emphasises the good and bad contrasts as, Banquo is seen as the good character and Macbeth the villain.
Certain aspects of this speech are emphasised. Firstly by the use of metaphors, Shakespeare, in this speech, uses theatrical metaphors, as revealed by:
“-Two truths are told,As happy Prologues to the swelling Act”
(Act 1, Scene 3, line 126)
The word selection here is good. ‘Swelling’ not only implies growing-the growth or inflation of Macbeth’s personality and ambition but it also creates an image of things unhealthy. A swelling tumour [from Latin tumere = to swell], this is unknown to Macbeth but the audience would see that Macbeth’s growing ambition was not healthy. The audience can see that his ambition could lead to his demise. This is an example of dramatic irony. Shakespeare uses repetition in order to create dramatic ambience especially concerning the contrasting ideas of ‘good’ and ‘ill’ which can be paralleled as the contrasting characters of ‘Banquo’ and ‘Macbeth’. Another factor which is prevalent is alliteration. This is shown by “This supernatural Soliciting” and “Shakes so my Single State”. Using alliteration is very successful in emphasisng certain words and sentances which are more important than others.
At the outset of the speech Macbeth’s ambition to become King is revealed, there
is an insight into his greedy character as he has only just been made Thane of Cawdor and already he yearns for more power. The impression of an undecided air is given as the focus of the speech is him asking questions, he states that he has not decided upon killing King Duncan yet:
“My Thought, whose Murther yet is but
(Act 1, Scene 3, Line 137 and 138)
This quotation shows that Macbeth’s idea to murder King Duncan is still only a fantasy and is not reality, indicating he is unsure and may need persuasion either way. At this point in the play he is undecided. It is also apparent that towards the end of the first speech the language used by Macbeth is very negative:
“and nothing is
But what is not.”
(Act 1, Scene 3, Line 139)
This is the first time in ‘Macbeth’ where the main character has voiced his opinions. This would appeal to the audience as it is a change to normal dialogue between two or more characters. The audience may also be interested because of the way the character is asking himself questions, therefore they may be provoked to think about the answers. It can be said that this soliloquy is powerful, by the language used and the subject matter is quite disturbing and therefore, again, appeals to an audience.
The underlying idea to this first soliloquy is Macbeth’s mind struggling to comprehend whether what the witches said was an honest and reliable prediction for the future or whether they were merely evil witches whose words meant nothing. Macbeth is attempting to find out if what they told him was irrelevant to him and they were simply attempting to scare and provoke him. In summary, this soliloquy is the primary insight into the mind of the main character and what Shakespeare portrays is a greedy man with the foundations of a murderous scheme. However he is a little unsure and perhaps afraid.
The next speech to be assessed is somewhat shorter and can be found in Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 47-58. This is a soliloquy which tackles Macbeth’s views on who was the currant heir to the throne – the Prince of Cumberland. Upon examining the methods of stagecraft it can be said that for the actor playing Macbeth to be able to speak freely he would have to move away from the King whom he was previously in conversing with and create his own space. The actors tone of voice can be an insight into how the character is feeling at a particular point in the play, the first line for example:
“-The Prince of Cumberland: that is
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
For in my Way it lies.
(Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 47 and 49)
This line may be spoken in an inflamed, angry voice to show the characters anger and jealousy at this point. Macbeth is stating that the Prince of Cumberland is in his way on his quest for the throne. Macbeth knows he must deal with the prince somehow, or else he will be beaten by him. As the speech progresses so Macbeth’s anger reduces until towards the end his tone is more calm and controlled. One theme which arises during this second speech is one of light and dark
“Let not Light see my black and deep Desires”
(Act 1, Scene 4, Line 51)
As a continuation of the script onto the stagecraft the lighting used on stage could be designed in such a way it would coincide with an added effect to link to two medias with an outcome which would be interesting, dramatic and pleasing to the audience. It may also be appropriate to utilise colours be it in costume or scenery or otherwise as an obvious theme is uncovered – colour. Shakespeare and other playwrights use colours to depict emotions and the powers of good and bad. Here the more powerful colours being the dark and fiery colours “hide your Fires” and “black and deep” showing the dark and sinister nature of what is occurring.
The structure in this speech is fairly simple and there is little to comment on concerning this aspect. Bar the fact that immediately previous to macbeth speaking the king says “My worthy Cawdor” this is a statement of praise and it shows how the King has placed his trust in Macbeth and he sees him as worthy. This is ironic as post this statement Macbeth is scheming against him and the king is too naive to see this.
It is in this soliloquy the progressive imagery concerning hands commences:
“The Eye wink at the Hand; yet let that be
Which the Eye fears, when it is done, to see.”
(Act 1, Scene 4, Line 53)
This imagery is found quite frequently throughout the play and is also used by Lady Macbeth when she speaks of washing hands to wash away their evil murderous deeds. The progressive imagery found in ‘Macbeth’ is very effective in giving the play an underlying theme. This aspect of the language creates a feel of the play as a whole becuase it connects each scene, act and speech where the hand metaphors are found.
The imagary is used to help describe Macbeth’s situation and his state of mind. What is portrayed is that although what he is doing is not very pleasant and he doesn’t like to see himself do it it is imperative. This speech is one of the more poetic and dramatic. Using words which are very deep and also possibly over dramatic, as demonstrated by the following quotation:
“Stars, hide your Fires;
Let not Light see my black and deep Desires”
(Act 1, Scene 4, lines 50 and 51)
Using language such as this helps to make the audience realise that this is an important section of dialogue and that it is relevant. Macbeth’s state of mind at this point can be gauged by how he is speaking. It is apparent that he is more decided then the previous speech as no questions are asked, showing his state of mind is less doubtful. Although he is angry, especially at the speeches outset, macbeth seems more clear in his mind about his plans concerning gaining the throne as shown by this quotation:
“-The Prince of Cumberland: that is
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
For in my Way it lies”
(Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 47-50)
This is a quotation in which Macbeth states he must beat the Prince of Cumberland, as it is him who is the current heir to the throne. Macbeth detests the Prince as he is naturally in line to the throne he begrudges the idea of coming this far to be beaten. Instead of wondering how and if he should overcome the Prince he is clear that he will deal with the Prince. The content of this speech describes how Macbeth hopes that no one will find out about his plots, it is very deceptive and at this point the impression is given that Macbeth still is worried about how other people will see him. He wants to continue being seen as a loyal, brave and honest man. It is clear however that even he is not completely at ease with is underhand dealings as he says “yet let that be, Which the Eye fears” meaning that what his mind fears and what he doesn’t want to see himself do should and will be done.
The main change in Macbeth’s character from the previous speech is that he is more certain in his mind as to his actions. He is more decided and in addition he is becoming increasingly deceptive.
The third of the soliloquies in ‘Macbeth’ is somewhat longer, it occurs in Act 1, Scene 7. This speech is set at a point in the play where Macbeth should be relishing his promotion as he has become the Thane of Cawdor – King Duncon has showed him a
lot of respect. Macbeth is speaking as his servants are preparing for Duncon’s arrival at Macbeth’s castle. This is also a time when Macbeth realises that what the witches predicted is beginning to come true.
Upon investigating the language used it can be said that Shakespeare, again, uses metaphors as demonstrated below:
“And pity, like a new-borne Babe,
Striding the Blast, or Heaven’s Cherubin”
(Act 1, Scene 7, Lines 21 and 22)
In this quotation Macbeth is saying that if Duncon was murdered people would be extremely sad, he compares there sadness to that of the pity felt for a new born child which is vulnerable. However in this case the impression is given that even a baby can see Macbeth’s evil. Peoples pity is also compared to angelic children again showing a huge contrast between Macbeth and heavens angels. Certain words used by Shakespeare are especially effective in this speech “Plague” is used and this is related to words such as “ill” and “swelling” used in the first speech. This gives a play a long running theme and ties the soliloquies together. Another word utilised is “knife” which creates images of murder and death and also the weapon which Macbeth uses to kill Duncon is a knife. There is also an example of alliteration in this speech:
“If th’ Assassination
Could trammel up the Consequence, and catch,
With his Surcease, Success”
(Act 1, Scene 7, Line 4)
This quotation is describing that as a result of the murder of King Duncon Macbeth hopes to achieve success. The phrasing provides an ironic reminder that the kind of success Macbeth seeks is an irresponsible violation of the rightful succession to the throne.
The speech is very much an internal one, this could be demonstrated by having a close up face shot as there was in the film ‘Macbeth’. To make this even more dramatic the previous shot was very wide showing the castle and surrounding area immediately followed by a close up of Macbeth to symbolise that the dramatic focus is on him.
It is important to note how in this soliloquy Macbeth reveals to the audience his lose morals, because the theme of this speech is that he regards murder as worthwhile and thinks there is nothing wrong with it if you benefit. However Macbeth recognises that it is his ambition to become King that will lead to his downfall.
“But in these cases
We still have Judgement here, that we but teach
Bloody Instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th’ Inventor”
(Act 1, Scene 7, Lines 7-10)
This quotation shows how Macbeth is aware that his bad deeds will come back and “plague” him, this is a major factor which occurs in nearly all of Shakespeare’s tragedies – where the main character contributes to his own downfall.
To conclude, this speech is a point in the play where the audience may start to really dislike his character. He is showing no signs of doubt or even thinking what he and his wife are planning to do is wrong. It shows he can not differentiate between good and evil because he is so ambitious he is focused only on becoming King and it does not matter to him how he achieves his goal.
The fourth speech is situated immediately before the Murder of Duncon, when Macbeth is waiting to hear the bell which is the sign for him to go to Duncon’s room and kill him. This is a very nervous time for Macbeth his mind is tormented thus him hallucinating, he sees a dagger.
“Is this a Dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my Hand?”
(Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 32 and 33)
Making Macbeth see things – a dagger – makes the play more interesting this speech is very much building up to the murder and it is very effective is adding an air of apprehension. There is a sense that there is no going back. The general tone of Macbeth would be nervous perhaps whispering and the set would be that of a dark and gloomy corridor in his castle. The bell which Lady Macbeth rings is a sign for the act of murder to begin, this adds to the intensity of the speech, it may make the audience jump. The importance of the bell is great, as it marks the beginning of the end for Macbeth, his character can never return after this night, and his deeds become more and more gruesome and evil as the play progresses.
This is one of the most appealing of the soliloquies in ‘Macbeth’ as it combines the characters intense mood with interesting stagecraft and language. There is the use of props – the dagger, many stage directions within the speech itself, the metaphors used are disturbing and powerful and the bell provides a certain ‘scare’ factor.
As mentioned previously the metaphors in this speech are perhaps the most dramatic and exaggerated to be seen so far in the play. Macbeth himself seems to have an exceptionally low view of himself at this point, he compares himself to a rapist, a ghost and a wolf or beast.
Whose Howl’s his Watch, thus with his stealthy
With Tarquin’s ravishing Sides, towards his
Moves like a Ghost.”
(Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 52-54)
It is easy to see how much Macbeth despises himself for what he is about to do, it shows weakness in his character because he is willing to sacrifice any sort of morals which he previously held to satisfy his greed. At the end of the speech a rhyming couplet is used:
“- Hear it not, Duncon, for it is a Knell,
That summons thee to Heaven, or to Hell”
(Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 62 and 63)
This quotation is Macbeth talking about the bell, he is hoping Duncon won’t hear it because it is the thing which is prompting his death, and whether he will go to heaven or to hell. This is effective because the rest of the speech does not abide by a rhyming pattern so it stands out when the rhyming couplet is used – it highlights the importance of that sentence and helps to bring the speech to a conclusion.
At this point Macbeth’s character is caught up in his own nerves, he is merely thinking about his immediate actions and fears and not at all about the consequences of these actions. There is a sense that for him there is no turning back – and that he has gone too far. The morals involved here are that of exploiting trust and also of rushing in without thinking of consequences not only for you but the other people which your actions effect.
The fifth soliloquy, Act 3, Scene 1, is of a contemplative and reflective nature. Macbeth is now the king, so theoretically he should be happy and content as he has achieved his goal – this is not the case. This speech mainly concerns Banquo, Macbeth still feels threatened by him, as the witches told him that Banquo will “get kings not be one” meaning his sons will become kings, this scares Macbeth. In this speech allot of Banquo’s qualities are mentioned such as how wise he is, how bold he is and is keen to know the further and also his bravery, there is a definite similarity to these qualities and how Macbeth himself was described at the outset of the play. Here we can see how Macbeth has changed because he now has a very high view of himself, even though he is now a murdering tyrant.
“My Genius is rebuk’d, as it is said
Mark Antony’s was by Ceasar.”(Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 54 and 55)
This quotation reveals how Macbeth sees himself as a genius and also compares himself to previous great emperors such as Mark Antony.
Still at this point quite well into the production Macbeth refers back to what the witches said, it is obvious they were a big influence on the play and on Macbeth’s actions.
“They hail’d him Father to a Line of Kings.
Upon my Head they plac’d a fruitless Crown,
And put a barren Sceptre in my Gripe”
(Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 58 – 60)
Here it is said by Macbeth that the witches had told him that Banquo would have sons who would become Kings, and he would not have children who would become heir to the throne. At this Macbeth feels bitter and jealous because he has fought and given up so much to become king and now he feels it was all pointless, perhaps he is beginning to regret all his evil deeds.
“For them the gracious Duncon have I murther’d”
(Act 3, Scene 1, Line 64)
This line tells the audience that Macbeth regrets killing ‘gracious’ Duncon and shows that he might be feeling guilty.
There is not many examples of stagecraft but it would be sensible to use the tone of voice to create sympathy for Macbeth, he could talk in a down-hearted or depressed way although there are certain points where anger is necessary. The speech is cut short when a servant interrupts.
Shakespeare uses language which creates images of violence and refers back to the dagger and knife used earlier in the play:
“Our Fears in Banquo
(Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 46 and 47)
In addition throughout this speech there is religious and royal language used, such as the mentioning of a ‘sceptre’ and ‘Vessel of my Peace’ also:
“his Royalty of Nature Reigns”
(Act 3, Scene 1, Line 47)
This type of language my be used here because Macbeth is now the king and the subject matter is that of who will be his heir. Also certain words seem more important than others such as ‘fruitless’ and ‘barren’ these may have a double meaning as they are also referring to how Macbeth’s children can not become kings so therefore him being King is without point.
To summarise, this speech Macbeth knows that he has sacrificed a great deal but is still not allot better off, and still it is Banquo who is prophesied to be the happy one – with his children being part of a long line of Kings. Macbeth is beginning to see his own demise and his heart is beginning to be filled with regret and fear, however outwardly he is still confident and happy to carry on murdering if he feels it can save him.
The sixth of the soliloquies can be found in Act 5, Scene 3. From the outset of this speech it can be said it is one which provokes sympathy for a now broken man. As the first words are “I am sick at heart” this is quite a ground breaking statement as it is Macbeth declaring he is depressed and he is emotionally troubled, his heart is ill or perhaps his feelings polluted with regret and with all the evil he has committed, and for what? There is no material gain for Macbeth and certainly no emotional gain. There is even a sense of suicide about this speech as Macbeth expresses “I have liv’d long enough”. He uses colours again to symbolise how he is feeling at the time and also autumnal metaphors, mentioning “the Yellow Leaf” which implies that he has passed his time, he is now the yellow-wilting leaf whom is dying and will drop to the ground and be forgotten. Also keeping in line with the theme of preparing to fight which underlies this soliloquy the language used is quite aggressive.
The speech is broken up by the continued shouting by Macbeth for his servant Seyton, this adds interest to the speech by breaking it up. It adds a dramatic interest to the speech because Macbeth is speaking primarily to himself but then suddenly shouts out to Seyton. Macbeth calls to his servant to request his armour to be brought to him so he can prepare to fight, he is preparing to fight the English who at this time are approaching Macbeth’s castle. This is an excellent example of the irony used my Shakespeare in Macbeth as Macbeth is calling out for his armour, he is preparing to fight and inevitably to kill again but as he does this he is acknowledging the fact that it is fighting and killing which has made him the sad, lonely and depressed man he is at this point.
This is overall a sad soliloquy as it is shows the audience Macbeth’s absolute regret and his acceptance that what he has done did have consequences, in that he has lost all his honour, he is not loved, he is incapable to be obedient and is lonely – without a friend in the world.
“As Honour, Love, Obedience, Troops of Friends,
I must look not to have”
(Act 5, Scene 3, Lines 25 and 26)
In this quotation Shakespeare uses a military metaphor saying ‘troops’ this may be a signal that Macbeth’s whole attitude and outlook on life is a military one and not a personal one, it shows that Macbeth’s job as a soldier has overwhelmed his whole personality and he finds it difficult to differentiate between military life and personal life where it is absolutely unacceptable to deal with problems by simply killing someone.
There is a significant alteration in Macbeth’s character now as he now no longer possesses the desire to do anything with his life, he has lost all ambition and any drive towards anything, his attitude is acutely pessimistic.
The final of the seven soliloquies in ‘Macbeth’ is found in Act 5, Scene 5 and it is an intensification of the previous speech. The subject which it is dealing with is primarily Lady Macbeth’s death and then it progresses to a speech which generalises about the meaning of life.
An excellent example of just how demoralised Macbeth is at this stage of the play is his reaction to the news that his wife has died. His reaction is very understated, not mournful and there is not even any signs of sadness, he merely says that now is not a good time for her to die and there would have been an appropriate time for he to pass away.
“She should have di’d hereafter;
There would have been a Time for such a Word”
(Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 17 and 18)
This may be the reaction of a man now so familiar with death that it does not seem to effect him in a way which it would ‘normal’ people. Immediately after this speech Macbeth is told that the Birnum woods are approaching his castle at Dunsinane, this meant that what the witches had predicted was beginning to come true, so this may have added to Macbeths fear and depression, however he still felt confident because the witches had told him he could not be defeated by anyone born of a woman.
The language in this speech compliments the ambience of closure and depression. Certain areas are made more significant when repetition is used, there are two examples; “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” and also “Out, out, brief Candle”. Some words are chosen to heighten the powerful feeling created in this speech such as the verbs used in line 25: “That struts and frets”. This is a creative speech, language wise, there is an example of personification as Shakespeare interprets ‘yesterday’ as a person, alliteration is also present in the line “The way to dusty Death”. It is also worthwhile to note that the metaphors utilised in this final speech are of a theatrical nature, as we have seen previously in ‘Macbeth’:
“Life’s but a walking Shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his Hour upon the Stage”
(Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 24 and 25)
Not only is this similar to metaphors found previously in ‘Macbeth’ but moreover it can be paroled with lines in another Shakespeare work – ‘As you like it’. In that line life is described, by Macbeth, as a walking shadow this provokes the thought that life is out of place and as a walking shadow it is unexpected.
Throughout this soliloquy Macbeths state of discontent is extremely obvious as he states that all of his days have merely lit the way to his grave, this attitude is one of bleak pessimism. The final line of this speech is perhaps the most acute example of his attitude towards life:
“it is a Tale
Told by an Idiot, full of Sound and Fury
(Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 26-28)
This speech would have made the audience think about there own lives and still now it has a modern relevance as this is a matter which effects every single person as one thing which everybody has in common is that they will eventually die and people close to them will die and this speech makes everybody think about how they will spend there own lives. Will they be realistic and sacrifice everything for personal gain like Macbeth? This soliloquy is almost a warning showing an audience the consequences of such a selfish existence.
Throughout the tragedy ‘Macbeth’ the audience is taken on a journey through one mans inner battles of conscience, the seven main soliloquies being the main points if character alteration, after analysing them in detail it can be said that Macbeth began the production with the best intentions, he was a loyal and respected man, perhaps he had ambition although it did not seem that he was unhealthily ambitious. However the witches preyed on his ambition by planting ideas in his head of becoming king and ruling a country, these ideas were nurtured by his wife and Macbeth seemed to be quite passive at the beginning just going along with his wives plans, he was easily influenced and perhaps just wanted to appease.
Macbeth progressed into a murderous character who would stop at nothing he seemed to have no moral boundaries, killing people who were previously his closest friends, his colleagues and killing women and children all for his own personal gain. At this point the killing and deceit gripped him and he became a man obsessed with killing and obsessed with himself – a very greedy and selfish man. Throughout all this it was shown through hallucinations that Macbeth was not a stable man. It became obvious to the audience though that Macbeth would not emerge successful from all this carnage. As is the way with the majority of Shakespeare’s tragedies the main character contributes to his own demise and towards the end when it is obvious that he will come out of the situation the worst off Shakespeare tries to make the audience feel sympathy for the main character. In ‘Macbeth’, at the end, Macbeth is extremely depressed and bleakly pessimistic, and some would say he deserves what he has become.


Guest geological storytelling by David Middleton
In my recent post, How Climate Change Buried a Desert 20,000 Feet Beneath the Gulf of Mexico Seafloor, we discussed the rifting that enabled the opening of the Gulf of Mexico. In one of the comments, TTY brought up a recent paper on long-extinct volcanic activity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which reminded me of the “volcano” that was drilled back in the 1960’s near New Orleans. When I Googled Gulf of Mexico volcanic rocks, I found more science fiction than science.
I’ll start with the science…
Cretaceous volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico
Door Point is in Louisiana State waters, just offshore St. Bernard Parish, in an area that was thought to be free of Mesozoic volcanic activity.
The Door Point “volcano” was discovered by Shell when they drilled into it in 1963.
The Door Point structure technically isn’t a volcano.
An exploratory well, the Shell Oil Company, State Lease 3956 No. 1, Offshore St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, was completed in 1963 at a total depth of 8538 feet. The last 1300 feet of hole was cored and drilled through volcanic material of Late Cretaceous Age. The location of this well is shown on Figure 1.
Pre-drilling seismic data had revealed the presence on this prospect of intrusive material with a density slightly higher than that of the surrounding sediments. Gravity data defined a weak maximum here, and no salt was believed to be present.
The igneous material consisted of angular fragments of altered porphyritic basic rock. In cores it proved to be evenly bedded and cemented by sparry calcite. Radioactivity age dating fixed a minimum age of crystallization of this rock at 82 m.y.+8, or middle Late Cretaceous (Austin). Bulk density of the igneous rock ranged from 2.02 gm/cc near the top of its occurrence to 2.53 gm/cc near the bottom of the well.
Three gas accumulations, with an aggregate thickness of 38 feet, were encountered in the Miocene section between 5092 and 6219 feet in the Shell well. Gas-bearing sands were not present in two other wells drilled later on the same structure (Fig. 2).
Although evidence of Late Cretaceous volcanic activity is widespread in northern Louisiana, as well as in Mississippi, and southeast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, the Door Point prospect lies within an area that had been previously designated as being free of volcanism.
Although it is clearly composed of reworked volcanic material.
The Door Point structure penetrated by the Shell Oil S.L. 3956 well no. 1, located offshore in St. Bernard Parish Louisiana represents the singular observed subsurface occurrence of igneous rock in the entire offshore region of the GoM that is Cretaceous in age. Identified in the literature as a volcano, sill or other primary intrusive/extrusive feature, with an age of 82 ± 8 Mya, the Door Point “Volcano,” has received very little study since its discovery in the 1970’s.
Preliminary study of the core shows that the unit consists of volcaniclastic rocks. Initial review of the geophysical logs provided by Shell Oil and Drilling Info show a drastic and apparent offset in the resistivity, with a maligned or absent deflection of the Spontaneous Potential curve. The sequence of volcanics extend vertically a minimum of 396m with no base identified, and the singular cored interval taken of the final 8.5m. Initial petrographic examination has revealed there to be both massive un-bedded polymictic agglomerates as well as bedded volcanic ash. The basalt cobble agglomerates sequentially alternate with the packages of finer grained volcanic ash. Grain size for the igneous cobbles within the agglomerates range in diametric extremes from a maximum of 5 cm to a minimum of 1 – 2 cm. Sedimentary structures are absent in the coarser sequences, but are exhibited in the volcanic ash beds, in the form of cross bedding. The clast populations vary in composition from fragments of sedimentary rock, to the igneous rocks of interest. Possessing a porphyritic texture and angular in appearance the clasts contain visible clinopyroxene phenocrysts, in an aphanitic groundmass; CI > 90.
These results suggest the cobbles are sourced from multiple volcanic centers, and have undergone a multistage cooling history. Coupled with the presence of the calcite cement, the cross bedding is indicative of a marine or fluvial depositional system. We are able to reconstruct a regional story of episodic volcanism in the nascent Gulf of Mexico Rift during the late Cretaceous.
Session No. 320–Booth# 503
Door Point is most likely a salt or shale diapir (piercement structure) that carried volcanic material up with it.
It’s not the only volcanic oddity in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Alderdice Bank is a salt diapir, which appears to have transported several large blocks of basalt to the seafloor.
A basalt outcrop was discovered on Alderdice Bank on the outer Louisiana continental shelf. The basalt shows an age of 76.8 ± 3.3 × 106 years. Textural, mineralogical, and chemical characteristics indicate that it is an alkali basalt of shallow intrusive origin. It was probably brought to the seafloor by salt tectonics and exposed due to salt dissolution.
Bottom Depth Range: 165-240 feet (50-73 meters)
Alderice Bank is located about 52.5 km (32.5 mi) southeast of Sonnier Banks, about 60 km (37 mi) west northwest of McGrail Bank, and 157 km (97 mi) east northeast of East Flower Garden Bank. The bank is an oval lying in an east-west direction, and covers an area of about 16 km2 (10 mi2).
Three spectacular basalt spires of Late Cretaceous origin (~77 million years old) are found at Alderdice Bank. These are the oldest known exposed rocks on the continental shelf off of Texas and Louisiana, and unique geologic features for this region. The outcroppings crest at about 50 m (165 ft), with their bases at about 73 m (240 ft).
The basalt at Door Point and Alderdice Bank formed shortly after the deposition of the Austin Chalk formation.
Analyses of recent gravity, magnetic and high resolution seismic surveys have fairly clearly revealed the ancient rift system in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico (Lin et al., 2019).
An extinct, late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous ridge-and-fracture zone geometry in the western Gulf of Mexico (GOM), and extinct seafloor ridge segments in the eastern Gulf of Mexico (EGOM), were previously identified using the vertical gradient of satellite-derived free-air gravity data. Circular gravity anomaly lows, and magnetic anomaly highs, over the center of spreading ridge segments are interpreted as large volcanic centers that erupted within a late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous,
slow-spreading center. Detailed mapping of oceanic basement using oil industry seismic data indicates that the EGOM oceanic ridge system is characterized by 30-60-km-long spreading ridge segments, that include 15-km-wide, 2-km-high axial volcanoes in their centers, and nodal basins at their ends. Stratigraphic evidence from seismic reflection data tied to a
deepwater well indicates that volcanism along the spreading ridge ended around the same time (Berriasian), or slightly after (Valanginian), the cessation of seafloor spreading in the EGOM. Flowlines of late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous seafloor, based on a pole of rotation from the geometry of GOM spreading ridges and fracture zones, show a good match with gravity and magnetic anomalies along the Florida and Yucatan conjugate margins of the EGOM. Mapping of age-dated, stratigraphic downlaps onto the oceanic crust is consistent with an interpreted ridge jump at the beginning of seafloor spreading (Kimmeridgian) to the southwest, and in the same southwestward direction of a previously inferred mantle plume in the central
GOM. Our 3-D gravity structural inversion of the Moho requires 6.4 km thick oceanic crust in the northwestern EGOM, and 5.5 km thick oceanic crust in southeastern EGOM. We interpret this along-ridge, thickness variation to reflect faster spreading and thicker oceanic crust farther from the opening pole located in the southeastern GOM.
The EGOM volcanics pre-date Door Point and Alderdice Bank by about 50 million years
It is rather surprising that these volcanic oddities haven’t received more research attention… Maybe if there was oil in basalt, they would have… 😉 However, they have received some recent attention from some “alternate media outlets.”
“And now for something completely different”
Lew Rockwell is an interesting libertarian website. They actually have some decent articles on Mises, Hayek and other legends of the Austrian School of economics. However, when it comes to science, it’s full-Art Bell…
Something Incredibly Strange Is Going On In The Gulf Of Mexico As Temperatures Hit 130+ Degrees Repeatedly In One Location – Is Long Dormant Volcano Awakening Or Just A Bizarre Anomaly?
By Stefan Stanford
All News Pipeline
March 10, 2018
Back on January 11th, we reported on ANP that several days before a massive, 7.6 earthquake struck in the Caribbean Sea, causing a tsunami warning to be issued to several Caribbean islands, ocean water had suddenly and mysteriously ‘disappeared’ in locations more than 2,000 miles apart, both north and south of the epicenter of that quake.
As videographer MrMBB333 told us in a video that we used within that story, “water is trying to tell us something”.
Well if water suddenly and mysteriously disappearing in the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean then was trying to tell us something, then certainly temperature spikes of over 130 degrees in the Gulf of Mexico must be trying to tell us something, too!
As we see from MrMBB333 in the 1st video below, something incredibly strange is going on in the Gulf of Mexico with air temperatures recorded at over 130 degrees over and over again the past week, with temperatures fluctuating between ‘normal’ temperatures in the 75 to 80 degrees range before suddenly shooting up to at least 133 degrees as we see in videos and the 2nd image below.
Back on March 19th of 2013, Nesara News published a story titled “A Buried Ancient Volcano In Southeast Louisiana” in which they told us about evidence of Late Cretaceous era volcanic activity being widespread in Louisiana as well as in Mississippi and southeast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico.
Called ‘Door Point’, the proof of volcanic activity was found within an area which had previously been designated as being free of volcanism as seen in the next image below. Interestingly, that ’igneous free’ area includes where we are now witnessing these extreme temperature spikes in the Gulf of Mexico as seen in the images above and the videos below.
Might an ancient and long-dormant volcano be underneath the water of the Gulf of Mexico, suddenly coming back to life, its venting causing these temperature spikes we’re witnessing? Much more on that theory below with evidence that indeed we might be about to witness something un-thought of should a long-dormant volcano in the Gulf of Mexico be awakening.
The article features this image… Does it look familiar?
If you click Read the Whole Article, it takes you straight into The Twilight Zone…
While the ‘Ring of Fire’ has been heating up with volcanoes all around the planet now erupting and big earthquakes indicating an even bigger one is surely ahead as we hear in the 3rd video below from Infowars, it’s not lost on those paying attention that the Gulf of Mexico borders the ‘Ring of Fire’ as we see in the next image below.
The largest Gulf in the world, is it just a coincidence that the Gulf of Mexico is shaped almost like the mouth of a gigantic volcano, with one side ‘blown out’ that just happens to align with the Caribbean islands? We find the theory of the origins of the Caribbean to be very interesting, especially knowing that the Caribbean is a ‘large igneous province’, volcano created.
While we can’t see any underwater volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico, what if the entire Gulf of Mexico was the ‘mouth’ of the ancient volcano and the ‘source’ of the Caribbean islands when they were created between 69 million and 139 million years ago? While Wikipedia says the islands are thought to be linked to the Galapogos Hotspot, which is quite far away, is the truth closer to home?
While we’re unable to see them, underwater volcanoes are nothing new and as the LA Times reported back in 2014, scientists had recently created a high-resolution map of the ocean floor revealing thousands of underwater mountains and extinct underwater volcanoes that had never been known before then. And while their map was twice as accurate as any map of the ocean floor before it, they quickly admit that it could only resolve features at least a mile high or bigger.
Enter this May of 2017 story from National Geographic which uses a new ocean floor map created by a government agency most have never heard of called the “Bureau of Ocean Energy Management” yet as we see in the photograph this new imaging provides below, we still know very little about the floor of the Gulf of Mexico with the image on the right the highest quality resolution that we now have, compared with the image on the left showing what we’d known before.
The secret government agency’s map is apparently supposed to be evidence of a volcano.
Anyone recognize this? The high resolution bathymetry mapping was covered here: U. S. BOEM Releases Highest-Resolution Bathymetry Map of the Gulf of Mexico… Evah! Watts Up With That? May 30, 2017. The specific image is from an Eos article and it is the seafloor expression of a salt dome rimmed by a salt withdrawal basin.
The high resolution bathymetry map was derived from 3d seismic surveys, which relatively clearly image the salt domes, sills, massifs and other halokinetic features that form most of the hydrocarbon traps in the Gulf of Mexico and the rugose geomorphology of the seafloor on the continental slope. Calling this evidence of a volcano is the equivalent of crater hunters circling up roundish features on satellite images and declaring them to be impact features… without ever looking at the geology.
Oh… But it gets better (or worse depending on your perspective)… This is from “News Punch, Where Mainstream Fears to Tread”…
Scientists Warn Gulf Of Mexico ‘Supervolcano’ About To Erupt
March 15, 2018 Sean Adl-Tabatabai
Scientists have warned that extremely high temperature readings emanating from the Gulf of Mexico in the last week might be a precursor to a deep underwater supervolcano eruption.
Scientists working on the RFS Viktor Leonov CCB175 recorded water off the South American nation of Ecuador disappearing on January 5. Three days later, on January 8, waters began disappearing off the North American Florida coastline – which was followed 24 hours later by a huge 7.6 magnitude earthquake in the Caribbean Sea adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico.
With the average sea surface temperature of the Gulf of Mexico never falling below 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit) over the winter for the first time on record last year, and whose “Dead Zone” has grown to its largest size in recorded history, scientists aboard the research vessel say that no evidence suggests these events are due to climate change.
Unlike their Western counterparts, these Russian scientists, when confronted by such mysteries, look backward in time to our Earth’s most ancient stories and myths to see if parallels can be drawn to what is happening now—and that led an examination of the Maya peoples who in ancient times inhabited this entire region—even stretching into the American States of Florida and Georgia.
As documented by Carleton College researcher Lyndon DeSalvo in his 2008 research paper titled “Bleeding Earth: Volcanoes as the Prototypical Mountains in Mayan Cosmological Past”, the Mayapeoples stories and legends of their past speak of the entire Gulf of Mexico as being the place where mountains come from—and, also disappear into—and whose only modern-times explanation of is someone describing the activities of a volcanic caldera—that is a large cauldron-like depression that forms following the evacuation of a magma chamber/reservoir in a supervolcano eruption.
Disregarding the Maya peoples ancient legends, stories and myths that the Gulf of Mexico could, indeed, be a massive volcanic caldera, Western scientists have long sought to discover as to how came to it came to be shaped like one—with the latest attempt being made in 2002 when American geologist Michael Stanton published a speculative essay suggesting an impact origin (comet/asteroid) for the Gulf of Mexico—but that all global geologists quickly rejected for its not having any credibility.
Coming closer to the Maya peoples ancient stories, however, was noted American geologist Dr. David Prior—who, while doing research at Louisiana State University (LSU), became the first scientist to document volcanic eruptions were, indeed, occurring in the Gulf of Mexico—and the discovery of which he wrote about in his 1989 scientific research paper titled “Evidence for Sediment Eruption on Deep Sea Floor, Gulf of Mexico”.
Building on Dr. Prior’s scientific proof of volcanic eruptions occurring in the Gulf of Mexico, in 2003, “asphalt volcanos”—which were never heard of before—were found forming in these waters, too—and that led to massive effort, all around the globe, to re-map all the world’s oceans to discovery just how many underwater volcanoes there are—and when completed, in 2014, revealed thousands of underwater mountains and extinct volcanoes that were previously unknown.
This past May (2017), the first in history detailed seafloor map of the Gulf of Mexico was finally released by the Americans—and whose stunning findings revealed its deepwater seafloor was dominated by canyons, ridges, and faults—some of whose fault lines spread to the ancient Jackson, Mississippi, volcano—and with many believing that further discoveries will soon link the entire Southeastern United States to the feared Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.
At this point, my brain began to leak out of my left ear. If anyone needs me to explain why nothing in the passage above is evidence of volcanic activity in the Gulf of Mexico, I will be happy to do so in the comments section… Hint: sediment expulsion, mud volcanoes and asphalt volcanoes aren’t related to volcanism, magma or any other igneous process… at least not in the Gulf of Mexico.
From abiotic oil, to The Weekly World News, to Earth crustal displacement, to supervolcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico… Why is it that they almost always cite “Russian scientists”?
Unlike their Western counterparts, these Russian scientists, when confronted by such mysteries…
In the case of The Weekly World News, it was usually, “according to Russian scientists, as reported by Swedish scientists (Fill in the blank: an oil rig drilled into Hell, a WWII bomber was located in a crater on the Moon, Batboy is advising Bill Clinton on the 1996 election).
Why did I take the time to debunk this nonsense?
Because it was both 1) fun and 2) easy… Apart from the minor brain hemorrhage.
There also seems to be a tendency among some AGW skeptics to gravitate toward alternative “science” in areas other than climate. This has to be done with care. And sometimes, even when done with care, it can lead to malicious attacks by the Warmunists. Rejecting the so-called scientific consensus on AGW doesn’t logically require skeptics to reject all scientific consensuses. While science isn’t a consensus building process, most scientific consensuses are the result of hypotheses being tested and confirmed, leading to scientific theories which demonstrate predictive skill… The theory of the formation of the Gulf of Mexico predicted that evidence of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous rifting and volcanic activity would be found where it was subsequently found.
Anderson, Peter & Jonathan E. Snow. “Door Point: Volcano in the Gulf”. 2015 GSA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Braunstein, Jules & Claude E. McMichael. “Door Point: A Buried Volcano in Southeast Louisiana”. Transactions-Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Volume XXVI, 1976
Lin, Pin, E. Bird, Dale & Paul Mann. (2019). “Crustal structure of an extinct, late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous spreading center and its adjacent oceanic crust in the eastern Gulf of Mexico”. Marine Geophysical Research. 10.1007/s11001-019-09379-5.
Rezak, Richard & Thomas T. Tieh. “Basalt from Louisiana continental shelf”. Geo-Marine Letters (1984) 4: 69. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02277075
Science Made Stupid: How to Discomprehend the World Around Us is a 1985 book written and illustrated by Tom Weller. The winner of the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Non-Fiction Book, it is a parody of a junior high or high school-level science textbook. Though now out of print, high-resolution scans are available online, as well as an abridged transcription, both of which have been endorsed by Weller . Highlights of the book include a satirical account of the creationism vs. evolution debate and Weller’s drawings of fictional prehistoric animals (e.g., the duck-billed mastodon.)


Click on these children's book titles to go directly to the activities you want or browse them below.
Also, email us your own creative ideas for sharing Pat's books. Include your name and the name of your school or library.
Curriculum ActivitiesAgua, Agua, Agua (Spanish edition: Agua, Agua, Agua)
- Create a science experiment on water displacement.
- Older students can study fables in the library and on-line and then write an original fable to present to the lower grades using very simple text.
- All of these books can be part of your April 30th, Día de los niños/Día de los libros celebration. Visit the REFORMA site for ideas of library events. A school in South Texas some years back had a book parade by decorating A-V carts with favorite books. Feature bilingual books, books in other languages or that include other languages, and books about bilingual children.
- Create scary abuelos masks using white paper bags, crayons or paints or paper mache.
- Read the Author's Note in the back of the book. Pat Mora mentions a cultural tradition similar to los abuelos which is practiced in Japan. Find out if there are similar traditions in other countries.
- Talk about other multi-generational holidays, festivals, traditions, and activities you know about that are practiced in your family or community.
- Locate New Mexico on a map of the United States. Visit your school or public library and research 5 facts about the state and the people.
- Act out a scene of los abuelos coming down from the mountains, or for a long-term project, create a class play based on the story Abuelos by Pat Mora. Perform the play for other classes, teachers and families. Serve bizcochitos (see recipe below) and empanadas after.
- Share something you're afraid of with the group and talk about scary feelings.
- Read a story about another cultural tradition with similar elements to Abuelosthat interests you.
The Bakery Lady (Spanish edition: La señora de la panadería)
- Studying bread-making traditions popular in different cultures can be connected to math (measurements), science (reactions), social studies (community helpers), geography (grain production) and history (craft production).
- Enjoy art-making projects in which students shape and decorate either traditional breads or their own creations.
- Visit a bakery willing to have the students not only tour but also interview the bakers. Have students discover other community helpers seldom noticed whose work is both utilitarian and aesthetic.
The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish edition: La hermosa Señora: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)
- After sharing the book, join students in making paper flowers. Sample instructions: http://www.ehow.com/how_6217356_mexican-tissue-paper-flowers-instructions.html.
- Share two to three books of other cultural stories/legends. Invite students to share a story from their culture.
- Invite students to create art (drawings, collages) depicting a story from their culture.
- Plan a Readers' Theater of the book.
A Birthday Basket for Tía (Spanish edition: Una canasta de cumpleaños para tía)
- Introduce children to birthday customs around the world.
- Enjoy storytelling baskets created by the children with items brought from home.
- Students could also bring a favorite book to share.
- Students can create memory gift baskets for a family member or friend.
- Counting skills and games can be part of the basket activities.
Anita Canteenwalla and Jean Thornton of Longwood Elementary in Seminole County, Florida, have suggested a Tia lesson planning idea for struggling readers that "Brings a Gift to the Whole Class." Download the lesson plan.
Book Fiesta! Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day
Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros
- Before reading the book, show Book Fiesta! to the group asking them to look closely at the book cover and illustrations on each page/spread. Ask children to guess what’s happening in the story by looking at the pictures.
- Invite students to write a poem about the books they like to read.
- Teach students the Book Fiesta! song and have them perform it for another class or group. If there’s a music teacher at your school, involve that teacher in planning this singing activity.
- Rafael López paints with acrylics on sanded wood. Children can paint a mural in the style of Rafael on a large piece of plywood or on large sheets of paper and display the mural in the school library or hall.
- Does the classroom have a reading corner? Rename it the “Bookjoy Corner” and have children design signs or pictures for the space. Change these every week so that all signs have a turn being displayed.
- Have children create dioramas of a place where they enjoy reading and then display them in the hallways.
- Share the suggestions for celebrating El día de los niños, El día de los libros/Children’s Day, Book Day that are printed in the back of the book. Involve parents, your colleagues and the principal in creating these celebrations annually at home and school.
Download a teacher's guide for Bookjoy, Wordjoy from the publisher, Lee & Low Books.
Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!
- Plan a Reader’s Theatre of the book using props suggested from the book’s illustrations.
- Enjoy a field trip to a local children’s theatre.
- Ask students who are bilingual what languages they speak and what some of their favorite words are.
Create a display list of the words and their meanings.
- Invite students to create a language for their favorite animal and to prepare a glossary of common words to share with the group.
- Invite students to choose a favorite story and to draw a picture of the set designs and characters on stage.
Confetti: Poems for Children
- Download a teacher's guide from the publisher, Lee & Low Books.
- Students could study both egg-decorating traditions around the world as well as Mexican folk arts. Students could then make cascarones, dry egg shells filled with confetti. Mayhem possible!
- Ask students to prepare and share a Me Bag that contains items about their culture(s). Strive to help them see that though cultural expressions include food, folklore, fashion and festival, cultures are complex and reflect a group’s values, geography, history and knowledge.
- After a field trip to a neighborhood bakery, for example, students could learn about bread-making traditions and the connections between food and culture.
- Using an array of children’s toys from around the world, let children discuss differences and similarities.
Delicious Hullabaloo: Pachanga deliciosa
- Download a teacher's guide from the publisher, Piñata Books/Arte Público Press. In Spanish.
- It’s hard to resist a food activity given the appetites of the main characters. After learning about the indigenous foods of the Americas, students can prepare their own pachanga deliciosa. They could also illustrate and publish their own cookbook of recipes of the Americas.
- Teach students about Mexican music and instruments and have them learn a Mexican song.
- Students can explore the diversity of the U.S. Latino population, the differences and the similarities such as enjoying a pachanga with friends and music.
- Students can select a kind of lizard (collared, gila monster, horned lizard) and compare and contrast what they learned.
The Desert Is My Mother: El desierto es mi madre
- Download a teacher's guide from the publisher, Piñata Books/Arte Público Press.
- After learning about mural art, students can plan and create a large desert mural.
- Students can create a desert diorama, art boxes, mosaics, desert animal masks, cartoons of desert creatures, riddles, bookmarks.
- Students can learn about protective coloration—camouflage, warning coloration and mimicry.
- After learning about the desert, students can listen to one of the many tapes available of nature sounds and write as they listen, and share their work in small groups.
- Students can practice observation skills essential to a writer by spending time outdoors and recording in their small poetry notebook what they hear and see in preparation for writing.
Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart (Spanish edition: Doña Flor: Un cuento de una mujer gigante con un gran corazón
- Enjoy two audience-participation poems (Young Children) (Older Students) for use with Doña Flor.
- Introduce the tall tale tradition and have students explore if it is a uniquely American tradition. Have them select their favorite tall tale and illustrate it.
- Have students do a comparison of Flor and another tall tale.
- Of course, have students write and illustrate their own tall tales and, if possible, present them to another class. These could make wonderful dramatizations that could include music and technology.
The Gift of the Poinsettia: El regalo de la flor de nochebuena
- I love etymology including horticultural etymology, details such as the origin of the name tulip possibly coming from the Arabic dulband meaning turban. After learning about the origin of the name poinsettia, have students read about flower folklore and write a story based on their research or create a name for an imaginary flower and write and illustrate that story. The flower could, of course, be named after themselves or their friends which could lead to some interesting descriptions.
- Humans enjoy celebrations. Have students study celebrations around the globe and share a holiday celebration important to their family.
- Students can learn about legends and either re-tell a legend, particularly one native to their area or place of birth, or create their own legends.
- Ask the students to draw what they're grateful for and to share their drawing with a partner or small group.
- Ask the students if they know how to say "thank you" in other languages. Teach them to say "thank you" in some of the languages spoken locally or connected to the children's cultures.
- Have children make and decorate "gratitude baskets" to take home for sharing with their families. Students can invite family members to write down what they are thankful for on a slip of paper and leave it in the basket. These can be read aloud at a family gathering or special meal.
- Depending on the age of the students, have them write and illustrate their own GRACIAS book (a great present to share at Thanksgiving). With younger students, write a group poem.
Here Kitty, Kitty/¡Ven gatita, ven! (Book 3 of My Family/Mi Familia)>
- Ask the class or group to draw pictures of their favorite hiding places.
- Read aloud some nursery rhymes and poems about pets to the children. Poems are an excellent way to introduce rhythm and rhyme to children, and they enjoy the humor that is found in many poems for the young.
- Guide the class in writing a group poem about a kitten. Write the completed poem on a large sheet of poster board and hang it in the classroom.
- Create your own Kitty Hides math game. Make cut outs of 10 kittens and a "hiding place" pocket. Reinforce counting and introduce subtraction and addition by hiding the kittens and returning them to the group. You can play a matching game by making some of the kittens the same color or with the same spots or stripes.
- Ask the class to create a list of ways to take good care of our pets.
I Pledge Allegiance
- Download the Educator Guide from the publisher, Random House. Aligned with CCSS.
Join Hands! The Ways We Celebrate Life
- The poem describes "ways we celebrate life." Ask the children to share some of the ways they celebrate life in their family and community.
- Name ways to celebrate life with books. Try starting a Mother-Daughter Book Club; donating "gently-used" books to children's hospital; making your own alphabet book; or acting out a story from a children's book.
- Joining hands is a way of showing togetherness. Name other ways of being together with family and friends.
- Create a celebration collage using students' own photos or photos from magazines.
- Older children can write their own pantoum; it's a fun form to create and illustrates the power of repetition. Use the color-coded lines of the poem in the back of the book as a guide or by numbering the lines to use as a map.
Let's Eat ¡A comer! (Book 1 of My Family/Mi Familia)
- Ask children to share examples of what their family eats for dinner and chat about how different families and different countries have favorite foods.
- Have children draw a picture of dinnertime at their house.
- Ask what Dad means when he looks around at everyone at the table and says "Yes, we're rich."
- Ask the children to define what "grateful" means. Create a morning circle time and ask children to tell one thing they are grateful for. Try to do this regularly.
- Ask children to bring in the recipe of their favorite food. Create a class cookbook, copy and distribute to families.
A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Inés
Teachers, search engines can take you to many interesting sites on Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Here are ideas for your students:
- Students can contrast life in Nueva España (now Mexico) with life in the United States in the 17th century: politics, the arts, daily life, etc. Students can create a time-line of the history of Mexico up to the 17th century beginning with the Olmec.
- Sor Juana loved word games. Students can create a class book of riddles.
- Sor Juana enjoyed collecting scientific instruments. Students can prepare group reports on the instruments available at that time or reports on the scientific instruments of today that students might like to collect.
- When Juana went to Mexico City, she was fascinated by the many languages she heard and included one indigenous language (Nahuatl) in some of her work. Students can listen to their world and learn about languages other than English that they or other students around the country might here. Encourage students to include words from another language in a poetry project.
- Enjoy a cyber-visit to the Museum of Spanish Colonial Arts that opened July 2002 in Santa Fe, www.spanishcolonial.org.
Listen to the Desert: Oye al desierto
- Students can make desert puppets and stage a play.
- Learning to make desert sand paintings provides an opportunity to teach about native cultures and the art of the Southwest.
- Students enjoy writing group poems on a theme such as, “Listen to the Playground.”
- Students can research early musical instruments of the Americas, make their own and use them to accompany the words.
- Try choral reading with this book.
Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers
- Invite students to read other anthologies connected by theme such as In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall. Students can create their own theme anthologies and include original work and poems by others. The books can be illustrated or enhanced by other kinds of student art such as collage.
- Students can select one of the poems in the collection and write a prose piece on the same theme.
- Using one of the poems in the book as a model, students can write their own poem using an existing format.
- Students can collect compelling photographs of mothers and grandmothers and write brief poems as captions. This is a good opportunity for a global photography project.
- Of course, students can write and/or draw their own poetry gift for their mother or grandmother.
Maria Paints the Hills
- Create a “Paint the Hills with Maria” event that encourages young readers to study and paint their landscape using a variety of media. This can provide a good opportunity for learning about local geological features and the names of local flora and fauna.
- Maria Hesch modeled her style after the work of Grandma Moses. Students can study the work of Grandma Moses and do a comparison of the work of these two women artists. Students can also select a visual artist whose style they would like to imitate and create their own art piece for display.
- Students can learn about the history and crafts of Northern New Mexico and contrast Maria’s life with their own. Students can enjoy making adobe or a simple weaving project.
- Water is an issue of growing global importance. Students can learn about the acequia or irrigation system of Maria’s region and contrast it with our own piped water systems and with other water systems around the world.
- Enjoy a cyber-visit to the Museum of International Folk Art that hosted the Maria Hesch exhibit in 1997, www.moifa.org.
¡Marimba! Animales A – Z
- Plan a Marimba Fiesta. Work with a music teacher to teach some of your students or a group of older students to play the marimba and have them accompany the reading of the book. Students could also learn a few of the Latin dances mentioned in the book and bring samples of the foods mentioned.
- Students, alone or in pairs or groups, can learn more about the animals they don’t know in the book and share the information with the class. This could include facts, drawings and original work such as a poem about the animal.
- If there’s a zoo in town, ask your students to visit the zoo and write about their visit or select three favorite aspects to share with the class. You might also invite a zoo staff member to visit your class and talk about not only the animals but also about jobs at the zoo.
- Excite your students about writing and illustrating their own alphabet book or create a class alphabet book. You could together create a list of other cognates.
- Explore other musical instruments popular in Latin America and create an art project connected with them—bringing some to class and accompanying music with them, drawing them or making them out of clay, etc., writing haiku about them.
The Night the Moon Fell (Spanish edition: La noche que se calló la luna)
- After introducing folktales, ask students to find other folktales about the moon or have them write a folktale about a part of their environment.
- Students can study the phases of the moon and the relationship of the moon and tides.
- Students can research the topic of endangered languages and report on current strategies for language revitalization.
- Students can learn about folklife and folklore studies, the folklore of their area, and then help document the folklife and lore of their neighborhood or region perhaps with the guidance of a local folklife expert. For resources, visit the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov/folklife/.
- Using branches, have students create their own tree for a special person or to remember a specific birthday of their own. Teaching origami or making clay wind chimes are possibilities.
- A number of my books describe relationships between children and an older relative. Invite students to share traditions from their families. Invite grandparents or older relatives and friends to visit the class and perhaps to share a memory, game, tradition, or song in their native language.
- Students can make items for Pablo’s sixth birthday.
- Using “dress-up props,” children can stage a scene about an event with an older relative or friend.
A Piñata in a Pine Tree
- Ask the students when and where they hear languages other than English. Do they like to learn new words in other languages? What new words did they learn in this book?
- After sharing the book, have students draw the book, or a few pages, as you read the book.
- Help students make their favorite gift in the book and give it to their amiga/o.
- Learn to sing the song and perform it for another class or group.
The Race of Toad and Deer
- Since students are interested in ancient cultures and often don’t know very much about the indigenous cultures of Mexico and Central America, this book and The Night the Moon Fell provide opportunities to create large time-lines comparing the major ancient cultures of the world as well as specifically learning about the advanced civilization of the Maya.
- Much of what we know about the ancient Maya comes from the careful work of archaeologists. Create a digging experiment to teach the concept of super-position, layering. Older children could help create the experiment.
- Have students research the rainforest and its diversity including its people, how and why rainforests are threatened, and strategies for saving them.
- Students can research Guatemala, its languages, history, geography, music, its past and its present.
The Rainbow Tulip
- Explore the value of oral history with students.
- After discussing the value of oral histories and teaching basic interview techniques, ask students to interview a family member and create an artistic response: a story, play, poem, dance, collage, etc.
- Given the many kinds of families, students can design their own symbol (which need not be the standard family tree) to illustrate their connections to the special people in their lives, those who constitute their family.
- Students can take photographs (or draw) their families and neighborhoods and create their own books. Some students could even create a video.
- Students could role play a scene about the discomfort of feeling different.
The Remembering Day
- Download a teacher's guide from the publisher, Piñata Books/Arte Público Press.
- Invite students to share stories about their relationship with a remembered loved one. Students can also share a photo or their own drawing.
- Invite students to write a poem about a deceased family member or friend.
- Invite students to bring photos or special objects of remembered loves ones and create a classroom, library or school display.
- Plan a remembering day event at your school or library. You can include flowers, songs, favorite foods of loved ones, funny stories. Create a celebration of special people we have known.
The Song of Francis and the Animals
- A good opportunity to explore the complex process of making woodcuts. Perhaps a local woodcut artist or an art teacher could explain the process and devise a safe method for students to create their own art.
- Invite students to discuss the relationship Francis had to each creature. Have students share stories of their own habits of treating animals.
- If possible, invite a veterinarian or veterinary student or a staff member of a humane society, animal shelter, or animal rescue program to do a presentation on how to be a good pet owner.
- As you know, this book is an extended poem. Invite students to write their own poem/song about their favorite animal.
Sweet Dreams ¡Dulces sueños! (Book 2 of My Family/Mi Familia)
- Ask children to share their bedtime routine. Do they have a glass of water? Does someone read to them? Sing to them? Is a language other than English part of their bedtime routine?
- How many children in the class have members of their extended family living with them? Ask children to name something they've learned from a grandparent or an aunt or uncle.
- Read some bedtime poems to the class. Try to find "classics" and contemporary examples. Ask the children what they like about these poems.
- Listen to a selection of lullabies illustrating different musical styles and lullabies from different countries.
- Ask the children to create a group list of their favorite nighttime words. Write them down and post the list decorated with stars, moons etc.
This Big Sky
- Students can create poetry anthologies of the natural life in a specific region-- theirs, an area of interest, or an imaginary landscape.
- Especially during April, National Poetry Month, students can treat one another to a poem a day.
- The poet who shares the poem receives an apple.
- After discussing “Old Snake,” students could draw or make their own snakes and write on the back one of their fears or self-doubts.
- Among the many responses possible after a discussion of student’s personal dreams, they can make and then release kites on which they’ve written their dreams.
- Students can study how plants and animals conserve water in the desert.
Tomás and the Library Lady (Spanish edition: Tomás y la señora de la biblioteca)
- After exploring with students the qualities of heroes and why some people such as sports or music figures are noticed and others like nurses, school bus drivers, migrant workers or park rangers aren’t, work with students to write brief biographies or biographical poems about unnoticed heroines and heroes. They could also draw portraits.
- The discussion on heroines and heroes offers an opportunity to teach media literacy to help young viewers assess what they see.
- Few of us know enough about migrant workers. Students can learn about the history of migrant workers in this country and about their difficult lives and the discrimination they encounter.
- Using maps, students can share their families’ historical journeys and facts about the family’s countries of origin.
- Students can also learn about the history of libraries, the library as a career, and the kinds of librarians and libraries. Further they could study how libraries are funded and what a library board is.
- Fourth grade students at Pattison Elementary School in Milford Ohio who read TOMAS suggested to their teacher, Christina North, that they pretend they were Tomás and write postcards (which they made) to the library lady. They sent their postcards to Pat who enjoyed them thoroughly.
The Family Involvement Storybook Corner at Harvard University has created a tool kit for Tomás and the Library Lady.
At Perkins Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa, with the help of Des Moines Performing Arts' Applause Series, each class did a different type of performance based on their experience of reading Tomás. Watch the video:
Uno, Dos, Tres: One, Two, Three
- Have students draw their own Spanish counting dictionary or write a story using the numbers from one to ten in Spanish.
- Students could write and illustrate counting books using other languages.
- Students can learn about the folk arts of Mexico and how those traditions are maintained. Students could then make a simplified or simulated version of tin work, papier-maché, straw art, piñata making, clay art, papel picado, etc.
Water Rolls, Water Rises/El agua rueda, el agua sube
- Download activities (pdf)
- Download a teacher's guide from the publisher, Lee & Low Books.
- Download a teacher's guide that aligns with TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards and curriculum for first and second grades, written by Kendall Miller, the Logistics and Outreach Coordinator for the Texas Book Festival. Kendall also runs the TBF literacy outreach program Reading Rock Stars.
Wiggling Pockets/Los bolsillos saltarines
- Ask the students to discuss their reaction to the book. Was it funny? What have they or other family members done to make the family laugh?
- After sharing the book, ask the students ask the students to draw a picture of their favorite scene in the book.
- Have the students act-out the book as you read it after an initial first or second reading. Part of the class could provide sounds to the story.
- Make frog shapes from colored or pattered paper and play a matching game. Cut out frogs of different sizes and ask children to arrange them in sequence - larger to smaller; one small, one large, repeat etc.
- Read some poems about frogs to the class.
- If you're feeling ambitious, build a terrarium and keep a frog(s) in your classroom. Talk about the kind of habitat a frog needs to live in.
- This is the last book in the series My Family * Mi Familia. Have the students discuss their favorite scenes. Would they like this family as their neighbors?
Yum! ¡Mmm! Qué rico! America's Sproutings (Haiku)
- Download a teacher's guide from the publisher, Lee & Low Books.
- Invite students to create an art piece (watercolor, collage, etc.) incorporating the 14 foods in the book.
- Students can visit a grocery store and make a list of how many of the 14 foods they find. They might select one food to prepare in a recipe or as is and share with their family.
- Students could read the ingredients on one box in their pantry and list which of the 14 foods they find.
- Invite students to make a list of 14 of their favorite foods and write a haiku about one.
- Plan a Yum! Party with your colleagues or class. Guests can choose one or a combination of the 14 foods in the book to use in a dish to share at your event.
Leslie Wills, a second grade teacher at Woodbrook Elementary School (VA) submitted this idea: "Yum! ¡Mmm! Qué rico!"affirms Hispanic culture in such a positive way and prompts ALL students to think about the origin of foods that we enjoy regularly. Check out the printable created for ‘Food Poetry,’ Poetry on My Plate."
A few more good ideas:Plant Poems:
Here’s a good idea from my friends at the Princeton Day School. When the first graders planted flowers for the library and teachers’ lounge, they also planted their poems. They worked with their third grade poetry partners on their writing. The printed poems were then glued onto wooden sticks and planted for all to enjoy. Author Visits: Deck the Doorways
My friends at Neshannock Elementary School in New Castle, PA provided the perfect end to an author visit in 1999: a booklet of photos. What a special gift! Thank you, Cheryl Massie. Doors throughout the school had been decorated with children’s art connected to my books. The collages, painting, poems and stories also spilled over into the hallway walls and into the library. When the young create their own art prompted by what they read, their reading experience is enriched and deepened as teachers and librarians well know.