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Students learn to relate what happens in a book to their own lives and feelings.
Have you ever read a book and thought, 'Hey, that happened to me too!'? Discover how stories are like mirrors that show us our own lives.
When we read a book, we often find things that remind us of our own lives. This is called a connection. Think of it like a bridge between the book and your world. If a character in a story is nervous about their first day of school, and you remember feeling nervous on your first day, you have made a Text-to-Self connection! Making these connections helps our brains remember the story better because we are linking new idea to thing we already know.
Let's look at a story about a girl named Maya who loves eating red apples. 1. Read the sentence: 'Maya took a big, crunchy bite of her favorite red apple.' 2. Think: 'Do I like apples?' 3. Connection: 'I love apples too! I eat them for snack time just like Maya.'
Quick Check
What is it called when you find something in a story that is like your own life?
Answer
A connection.
Characters in stories have feelings just like you do. To understand how they feel, we look for clues. We look at the pictures to see their faces and we look at the words to see what they do. If a character is hiding under a blanket, the clue tells us they might be scared. If they are jumping up and down with a big smile, the clue tells us they are excited.
Scenario: Barnaby the puppy lost his favorite ball. He is sitting by the door with his head down and his tail is not wagging. 1. Look at the clues: Head down, no wagging tail. 2. Compare to yourself: How do you feel when you lose a toy? 3. Conclusion: Barnaby is feeling sad because he misses his ball.
Quick Check
If a character is laughing and hugging their friend, how are they likely feeling?
Answer
They are likely feeling happy or loved.
Most stories are written to teach us something important. This is called the moral or the lesson. It is the 'big idea' the author wants you to take home. Common lessons include 'be kind to others,' 'always tell the truth,' or 'keep trying even when things are hard.' To find the lesson, ask yourself: 'What did the character learn at the end of the story?'
In a famous story, a fast Rabbit loses a race to a slow Turtle because the Rabbit stopped to take a nap while the Turtle kept moving. 1. What happened? The Rabbit was fast but lazy. The Turtle was slow but steady. 2. Who won? The Turtle. 3. The Lesson: 'Slow and steady wins the race' or 'Don't give up!'
If you read a book about a boy who goes to the park and you say, 'I went to the park yesterday!', what are you making?
A character is stomping their feet and has a frowny face. How are they feeling?
The 'moral' of a story is the name of the main character.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the three main things we look for in a story: Connections, Feelings, and Lessons.
Practice Activity
Next time you watch a cartoon or read a book, tell someone one way the main character is just like you!