Page 20 - Teacher Guide Book

BookConnect: Building Community One Book at a Time
Area of Focus: Personal & Community Well-Being

Topic: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion
Level 2: Learn, Ages 5-8

TEACHER GUIDE: THE DAY YOU BEGIN

Book 8 of 10

Share the Book Initiate Discussion

How does the author show ways in which people may
feel different from others? Have students suggest other
ways that may make a person feel different.

Is the feeling of separateness that Angelina experiences
one that is shared by many children? Ask students if
they have ever experienced this, and how they
responded.

Why does the author move between many different
characters, noting their feelings, throughout the book?
THE DAY Explore with students why the author starts and ends the
book with Angelina and her thoughts.
YOU BEGIN

How might sharing of stories help with appreciating
by Jacqueline Woodson differences and improving understanding of others?

Coordinate Group Activities

Being on the Outside, Jitter Jar
Looking In

Ask students to share (anonymously) a short
Share the double page spread from the note about what makes them feel nervous or
book where five children are playing happily jittery in a new situation. Place these "jitters" in
on the left-hand side, and one lonely boy is a “jitter jar” and, sharing one at a time, have the
sadly looking on from the right-hand side. class discuss ways of handling them. As
Divide the class into groups, and have students learn that others have “jitters” like their
own, they should be less self-conscious and
each group imagine they are the five happy more willing to share their personal stories. Use
children. What could they do or say to the “jitter jar” throughout the year, allowing
encourage the lonely child to join their students to dispose of their jitters whenever the
happy circle? need arises.

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