Bernice shared three new library books with me this week. She was right, they are really cute and right on target for helping children learn social-emotional skills. The first one I read, was Yoko Writes Her Name by Rosemary Wells. Yoko is very pleased to be able to write her name in Japanese, but the other children make fun of her scribbling. Yoko worries about this, but before long the other children come to appreciate Yoko’s secret language. This book will help children learn about and respect other’s cultures. The book shows numbers and several words in Japanese. Children who are already able to write numbers may want to try the Japanese writing. If you are fortunate to know another language or have a parent or child who does, they can teach some words from that language. It might be a good time to add a CD with other languages to your listening center. Using music and songs from various cultures would also build appreciation. Don’t forget to include some sign language in your teaching. As our community becomes more diverse, it is important to help children accept and appreciate others.
Gorgonzola by Margie Palatini and illustrated by Tim Bowers is the story of a stinky dinosaur. This funny story will help children understand the importance of personal hygiene. Use caution, if you have a child in your class who has a noticeable problem as it could be embarrassing, but for most classroom, this book will be an attention getting introduction on how to take care of one self. You can act out taking a bath or shower, make a class book about personal care, or put dolls, soap, wash clothes, toothbrushes in the water table and let the children clean the dolls. If you have plastic dinos, it would be fun to wash those, too. Providing real life activities reinforces the child’s learning.
As a child, I would have been attracted to the book, Mail Harry to the Moon by Robie H. Harris and illustrated by Michael Emberly. Just as the boy in this story, I felt life was perfect before my baby brother came along. In the end, the boy comes to appreciate his baby brother, just as I have mine! No matter how hard parents may try to prepare children for the birth of a new baby, some children still have a difficult time adjusting to sharing their parents. This book opens to the door for a class to discuss the good (and bad) things about having a sibling. After hearing this story, I wouldn’t be surprised to see children acting out the role of big sister or brother in the pretend center. Pretending is a good way for children to work out their feelings, so be sure to support this kind of imaginative play. You may be able to help them problem solve what to do when parents are busy with the new baby by joining in the play and taking the role of the big brother.
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