SUBJECT
Early Reading, Arts, Pride and Self-Esteem, Five Senses, Social Skills, Understanding Self and Others

GRADE
Pre-K-K

DURATION
4 Weeks

I'm Special

By Steven Hicks

Children learn best by building upon what they know about the most - themselves. This includes their bodies, their senses, and what makes them special and unique. For many children, the first day of Kindergarten is their first school experience. They will be coming with all sorts of feelings that need to be shared and discussed. With that in mind, we spend this first month talking and sharing about school and ourselves.

OBJECTIVE

Students Will:

Learn the five senses and how they can be used to explore their world.
Begin to acquire early literacy skills.
Tell and draw about how they are special and how they can be whoever they want to be.

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT
Lesson 1: Making Sense of Our Senses
Lesson 2: I Can Do Anything
Lesson 3: I'm Special Books

REPRODUCIBLES
Five-Senses Mask (PDF)
My Five Senses Journal (PDF)
Five Senses Recording Sheet (PDF)
What Can Boys & Girls Do? (PDF)
I'm Special (PDF)
Family Letter (PDF)

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

At Back to School Night, the children read/tell about their I'm Special books to their parents.

SUPPORTING BOOKS

Books for Teaching about Self and Beginning School

Teacher Store

The Teacher Store

A Bad Case of Stripes

In a wonderfully illustrated book, a little girl is so concerned with everyone's opinion of her that she stops being herself and spontaneously becomes whatever anyone calls her, whether purple polka-dotted or as striped as the flag.

Kirkus
A good poke in the eye of conformity.

$12.76 You save: 20%
Picture Book | Grades 1-3

A Bad Case of Stripes

Grades 1-3 $12.76

Teacher Store

The Teacher Store

Dramatic Play Center

Turn every area in your classroom into a literacy-rich learning area!

$16.25
Book Collection | Grades Pre-K-1

Dramatic Play Center

Grades Pre-K-1 $16.25

ARTICLE	Believe in Yourself: Lesson plan based on Clifford The Big Red Dog, by Norman Bridwell Woof! Woof!: This lesson will focus on involving children in activities that encourage a sense of community through literature, language, and creative expression.

LESSON PLAN	I'm Special Books Help students feel at home at the beginning of the school year by giving them a sense of what to expect and allowing them to get to know each...

ONLINE ACTIVITY	Meet a Mayor Introduce early readers to the job of a mayor! Meet Mayor Steve Yamashiro, who describes his job using simple sentences read aloud.