I always start my first graders off with a couple of lessons about Just Right Books. As a former 1st grade teacher, I understand the importance of this and want to encourage those firsties to get books THEY CAN READ!!! My first "just right" lesson uses Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians from Upstart. They usually get a bookmark that goes along with it and we spend a lot of time that day practicing the "5 Finger Rule." I try to extend checkout time that day to give them ample time to apply that rule and find a just right book.
I follow up that lesson with the Daily Cafe's Good Fit Book lesson using shoes. You can find the link to the lesson here. It's a fun lesson that compares finding the right shoes with finding the right book. 1st graders always think it's hilarious to see me wearing shoes waaaaaaaaaay too big or waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too small. I also try on house shoes, water shoes, rain boots, running shoes, fancy shoes, etc. I end by trying on really UGLY shoes. This allows me to expand on the lesson and talk about how you have to find a book that is the right size (not too big or not too little), serves your purpose, and one that you like. I didn't have the book Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts that is mentioned in the Daily Cafe's lesson. But I use the book Shoe La La by Karen Beaumont instead. It's a super cute book about some young glamour girls going shoe shopping. Because of its humor (it says "underwear"-hilarious!) and rhyming text, first grade boys didn't seem to mind all the glitz and sparkle.
I follow up that lesson with the Daily Cafe's Good Fit Book lesson using shoes. You can find the link to the lesson here. It's a fun lesson that compares finding the right shoes with finding the right book. 1st graders always think it's hilarious to see me wearing shoes waaaaaaaaaay too big or waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too small. I also try on house shoes, water shoes, rain boots, running shoes, fancy shoes, etc. I end by trying on really UGLY shoes. This allows me to expand on the lesson and talk about how you have to find a book that is the right size (not too big or not too little), serves your purpose, and one that you like. I didn't have the book Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts that is mentioned in the Daily Cafe's lesson. But I use the book Shoe La La by Karen Beaumont instead. It's a super cute book about some young glamour girls going shoe shopping. Because of its humor (it says "underwear"-hilarious!) and rhyming text, first grade boys didn't seem to mind all the glitz and sparkle.
To give myself some time to work one-on-one with individual students on checking out good fit books, I made a little coloring sheet for them to color and to act as a reminder about our lesson. They could design their perfect shoe. Get it on Google Drive here.
