ORDINARY MARY'S EXTRAORDINARY DEED

Name: ORDINARY MARY'S EXTRAORDINARY DEED
Author: Emily Pearson

A story that explores service and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families

Read the Guiding Questions Find this book →

♥ This book teaches: Service. using what you have to help others.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition : Service is doing something nice or helpful for someone else. Summary: Ordinary Mary picks blueberries and delivers them to Mrs. Bishop. Mrs. Bishop doesn’t know who gave her the berries but she is so inspired, she picks 5 people and delivers home-baked blueberry muffins to them. This starts a sequence of events in which people who receive anonymous gifts pass it forward by giving 5 more people something special and unexpected. This constant multiplication of giving adds up until everyone in the world has received a gift! Ordinary Mary accomplishes something extraordinary! Guiding Questions:

What kind of berries did Ordinary Mary pick and what did she do with them?
Billy Parker got a gift from Mrs. Bishop. What was it and what did he do to share his gratitude while delivering newspapers?
Mr. Mori was so impressed with Billy Parker that he smiled for 10 hours on the airplane. While he was waiting for his ride, he did something to help a parent with a cranky baby. What did he do?
When Joseph couldn’t afford to buy all his groceries, Mario and his son helped out. What did they do?
Joseph felt like he wanted to give back, so he helped Sahar when her bag broke. What did he do?
Sahar was so happy she decided to do something nice for 5 people. Who did she call and what did she tell him?
Do you think this could really happen, where everyone in the world is reached with a good deed? Why or why not?
Even though it seems like this is impossible, do you think it’s worth trying? What would you do to “get the ball rolling” (start the process of giving)
Ask your parents to share about a time when someone did a good deed for them. How did they feel? Did they want to do something nice for someone else?
Pass or pay it forward means to do something nice for someone else after they’ve done something nice to you. Imagine someone doing something nice for you - what could you do to pass it forward?

🌿 Virtue Connection: Service means using what you have been given to help others.

Hands-On Practice

Activities for This Story.

Activity: Students act out the story. A narrator is chosen and each student has a part to play. Props can be added.

Materials needed: a place to record who will play which part in the story; materials for props; a teacher made list of all the characters (for reference after the brainstorming session to make sure it’s all covered)

Directions: Introduce the video and explain that it’s about paying it forward by doing good deeds. Explain: “We will become actors today and put on a play! We will need narrators, character actors, and props. Everyone will have something to do! First we’ll brainstorm a list of the characters in the story and pick who will play which parts. You can make suggestions about props and sound bites to go with the story.” Lead a brainstorming session and decide who will do what. If props are to be made, provide materials for that. Practice the play and try to get an audience to attend your opening performance!

Wrap it up: Explain: “I think you all did a marvelous job creating a fantastic production! I’d love to hear what you have to say about it!” Ask students to share about their experience - ask questions, what was challenging, fun, interesting? Conclude with a message about the moral of the story - as we each choose to pay it forward, we make the world a better place for everyone.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.

Read-aloud video · Best with headphones

Find this book at your library or bookstore →

Explore more guides for 1st & 2nd Grade.

Browse all Service guides See all 12 virtues

Service · Family Discussion Guide

ORDINARY MARY'S EXTRAORDINARY DEED

by Emily Pearson

Guiding Questions

What kind of berries did Ordinary Mary pick and what did she do with them?
Billy Parker got a gift from Mrs. Bishop. What was it and what did he do to share his gratitude while delivering newspapers?
Mr. Mori was so impressed with Billy Parker that he smiled for 10 hours on the airplane. While he was waiting for his ride, he did something to help a parent with a cranky baby. What did he do?
When Joseph couldn’t afford to buy all his groceries, Mario and his son helped out. What did they do?
Joseph felt like he wanted to give back, so he helped Sahar when her bag broke. What did he do?
Sahar was so happy she decided to do something nice for 5 people. Who did she call and what did she tell him?
Do you think this could really happen, where everyone in the world is reached with a good deed? Why or why not?
Even though it seems like this is impossible, do you think it’s worth trying? What would you do to “get the ball rolling” (start the process of giving)
Ask your parents to share about a time when someone did a good deed for them. How did they feel? Did they want to do something nice for someone else?
Pass or pay it forward means to do something nice for someone else after they’ve done something nice to you. Imagine someone doing something nice for you - what could you do to pass it forward?

valuesandvirtues.org · Made possible by our supporters

ORDINARY MARY'S EXTRAORDINARY DEED

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Activities for This Story.

About the Story.

More Service guides.

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman

CHANGE SINGS

Community Superheroes

Doña Flor

Explore more guides for 1st & 2nd Grade.

ORDINARY MARY'S EXTRAORDINARY DEED

Guiding Questions