SEL Read Aloud: The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
Summary
“The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson celebrates the journey of finding one’s voice and belonging in a world where no one else is quite like you. It explores moments of self-discovery, connecting with others through shared experiences and unique differences, ultimately embracing the power of individuality.
Comprehension Questions
Six questions aligned to Bloom’s taxonomy for teacher’s to evaluate students’ comprehension
- Remembering: What is the name of the main character in the story?
- Understanding: Why does the main character wonder if her own experiences are as exciting as others’ travels?
- Applying: How would you comfort a friend who feels like they don’t belong?
- Analyzing: What are some examples of how the main character shows bravery and resilience in the story?
- Evaluating: How does the main character’s realization about shared experiences and differences impact her sense of belonging?
- Creating:
- Write a short story about a new student who feels like an outsider and how they find a place of belonging.
CASEL Discussion Questions
Five questions aligned to the CASEL competencies for teachers to foster an engaging discussion and foster social-emotional learning
- Self-Awareness: Have you ever felt like an outsider in a new environment? How did you cope with those feelings?
- Self-Management: How can we learn to manage our emotions when we encounter unfamiliar situations?
- Social Awareness: How did the other students’ reactions to the main character’s experiences affect her feelings of belonging?
- Relationship Skills: How can we foster positive relationships with new students or individuals from diverse backgrounds?
- Responsible Decision Making: What are some responsible ways we can respond when someone makes fun of our cultural background or traditions?
Design Thinking Challenge
Take students’ learning even further by incorporating the Imagineerz design thinking framework
Design and create a welcoming and inclusive classroom community.
Understand
- Read the book “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson together as a class or in small groups.
- Engage in a class discussion to explore the emotions and experiences of the main character and the other students.
- Reflect on times when they felt different or like an outsider and discuss how they managed those feelings.
Ideate
- Divide students into small groups or pairs.
- Encourage students to share their unique stories and experiences with each other within their groups.
- Brainstorm ideas on how to make everyone feel included and celebrated in the classroom, considering cultural backgrounds, interests, and strengths.
Prototype
- Provide art supplies such as paper, markers, colored pencils, and craft materials.
- Each group or pair will create a prototype of their idea, which can be in the form of a poster, collage, or 3D model.
- The prototype should include ways to embrace diversity, promote empathy, and celebrate each student’s unique story.
Test
- Each group or pair will present their prototype to the class, explaining the rationale behind their design choices.
- The class will discuss the potential impact of each idea on promoting inclusivity and social-emotional learning.
- Collectively, decide on one or more ideas to implement in the classroom to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment.
Read Aloud
If you appreciated getting to read this book with your class, you might also want to share this book with them!
Additional Resources
Copyright Notice
The image on this page comes from the book The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline Woodson.
