Language Arts - Sebastians Roller Skates

For our Language Arts lesson this week we are reading "Sebastian's Roller Skates". This is a really cute book that centers around a main character who is shy and having trouble expressing himself. Through learning how to roller skate he builds confidence in himself and learns that he can do anything - even speak up! Now my daughter Erin doesn't have this problem often but sometimes in a new situation she can act shy and I want her to not feel afraid to be herself. We used this really great website from the Actor's Guild to view an audio/visual version of the story. http://www.storylineonline.net/ This is a fabulous site with many great stories to view that have accompanying activities.

After we read the story we decided to make this super cute roller skate cake!

INGREDIENTS

1	box cake mix (any flavor)
	Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 1/2	containers vanilla frosting
	Green food color
	Yellow food color
1	roll Fruit Roll-Ups strawberry chewy fruit snack rolls
4	fudge-striped cookies with chocolate-covered bottoms
1	tube (0.68 oz) brown or black decorating gel
8	ring-shaped hard candies

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.
2. 2 Cut cake as shown in diagram. Freeze pieces uncovered about 1 hour for easier frosting, if desired. Tint 1/3 cup of the frosting with 3 drops green food color. Arrange pieces on foil-covered 18x15-inch tray, cutting board or cardboard to form skate as shown in diagram, trimming pieces to fit. Frost cake with white frosting, attaching pieces with frosting.
3. 3 Outline inner throat and tongue of skate with toothpick. Tint 2 tablespoons white frosting with 2 drops yellow food color; frost inner throat. Frost tongue and back of throat with green frosting. Use fruit snack to form brake, strap and back of throat. Make 4 slits in bottom edge of blade and insert cookies for wheels. Outline skate and blade with decorating gel. Use ring candies for eyelets and wheel axles. Cut 1/4-inch-wide strips of fruit snack and use for laces. Store loosely covered at room temperature.