Because Barbara

During my undergrad years, I learned about a teaching strategy called Notice and Note. Essentially, you ask your students to notice and take note of the small details in a text that pack a big punch. Maybe it's stopping to notice a powerful metaphor or a particularly well-worded phrase. Or perhaps you might pay attention to a series of sensory details or a creatively worded paragraph that helps you create an image in your mind.

This same strategy can be used to notice the beauty in the world around us. The sweet song of a bird perched outside the window, the quiet movements of a fish swimming in the pond, or the comforting smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. Notice and note is about paying attention to the little things that God has given us and taking note. Taking note can be as simple as making a mental note of appreciation, jotting it down in a one-minute gratitude journal, or taking note in a writing journal with the hope of later turning the idea into a poem or story. 

Sarah Mackenzie's book Because Barbara highlights how Barbara Cooney taught her children to pay attention to the beauty in the world around them. Her appreciation for nature, color, and imagination reminds us to take the time to not only notice and note every blessing, but also to teach our children to do the same!