Yesterday we read my all-time favorite Dr. Seuss story:
I’ve loved this story since I was little. I remember my momma reading this collection to me.
I read it to my children.
Yesterday, I read it to my students.
It was like coming home. I felt the words in my heart and soul.
I chose this title as a part of my week-long can-you-see-yourself in characters series. Terje’s comment on yesterday’s post inspired and “stretched” my ideas.
With Terje in my head, I asked students if you were a character in this book, who would you be? The Star-bellied or the Plain-bellied Sneetch.
They listened, talked and wrote in their notebooks.
As I sent them off to read, I invited them to look for characters in their club books that they would choose to be. At the end of reader’s workshop, I collected their thoughts.
Some wrote on The Sneetches.
Both of these students reflected on the themes in this story and connected it to their personal journeys.
…I tried to fit in, then I started to be myself and I got lots of friends.
…I thought to myself at the end of the book that we all are the same and we can treat each other kind.
These students attempted to see themselves in their club books. The first jot is from the graphic novel, Amulet.
I think I would be the robot Cogsley because I like to help and he is the assistant and makes everything is order. Or maybe I would be Navin because he also helps but he is brave and is always there for his sister.
The next is from a reader of Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere.
I will see myself as Armani because I got to take responsibility for by two little sisters still.
This same reader adds her thinking on the Sneetches:
It looks like the slaves…because plain Sneetcehs = slaves. Star sneetches = white people.
Amazing the power of one little prompt. Amazing where one little comment can go.
Thank you, Terje and all who offer feedback and support for my classroom learning.
Today’s read aloud is Mem Fox’s Feathers and Fools.
My question: If you were in this story, what would people see you doing, feeling, saying. What kind of a character would you be?
Thank you, Anna, Beth, Betsy, Dana, Stacey and Tara of Two Writing Teachers blog for hosting the Slice of Life March Story Challenge. Read other bloggers slices here. 
And I am going to use this tomorrow in class! I love this so much! Your students wrote so thoughtfully and compassionately!!
I can’t wait to hear how the students reflect on this whole experience after several lessons. Do you mind if I stretch this idea even further “If someone would write a book about you, what kind of character would you be?” It might not go with the literature discussion, but it would be an interesting question for a personal reflection. Thank you for sharing your lessons and letting me play with your ideas. It gives me thoughts on what I could do in my class.
Love that idea! Thank you again. The journey continues.
I LOVE this series of lessons, Julieanne. What an important discovery you made about your kids and how amazing that you are getting them to explore the answers. I wish I had my own class to do this with. Might be dinner time conversation!
What a great way to explore characters and produce thoughtful responses to their reading. For some, this is a whole new way to make connections to a book. It will be interesting to see if this carries over to reading later.
I just had my students, as a book response to their recent book group books, write a letter in the voice of the main character to the author, telling their opinions of how they were portrayed. I like what they’ve said, but will also use yours and Terje’s idea next time. Love the responses that your students gave, Julieanne, so thoughtful. Can’t wait to see what they think of Feathers and Fools.
I love that we are getting teaching ideas from our writing experiences here! Great take on Terje’s ideas. You really inspired them to write deeply.
Love this lesson. I think you’ve only just scratched the tip of the iceberg, and I can’t wait to see where this takes you.
I love this lesson. I agree with Danan you have only scratched the service. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
[…] on our work in Read Aloud this week (see Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday posts), I read Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness. Students are very familiar […]