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Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for The Day You Begin

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Use The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson to strengthen your students' comprehension skills, build their vocabulary, and help them understand how words work.

Jacqueline Woodson's story about fitting in" will resonate with many learners. It's a great Back-to-School read aloud or a smart choice for later in the year when students need to be reminded that we're all unique and special in our own way. By pairing the book with lesson plans focused on making connections, visualizing, asking questions, synthesizing, and understanding text structure, students will learn to find the deeper meaning in the story.
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Explore lesson plans and activities to help you teach with The Day You Begin in the drop down below.

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Asking Questions with The Day You Begin

Students will undoubtedly have many questions as they read The Day You Begin. This mini lesson will help students to clarify their questions as they relate to the plot and feelings of the characters.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.1,RL.3.3,RL.3.4,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1c,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7D,3.13H,3.13E,3.13A,3.9C,3.8C,3.7G,3.7F,3.7E,3.1A,3.7C,3.7B,3.6I,3.6B,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
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Making Connections with The Day You Begin

Knowing how to make connections to deepen comprehension is an important reading skill. Use this lesson plan to help students practice making meaningful connections with themselves, the world, and other texts.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.1,RL.3.3,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7C,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.8C,3.7G,3.7F,3.7E,3.7D,3.1A,3.7B,3.7A,3.6I,3.6E,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
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Synthesizing with The Day You Begin

Students will be able to follow Angelina's transformation from a shy girl to a happy friend while practicing their synthesizing skills as they read and comprehend the text.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.1,RL.3.2,RL.3.3,RL.3.4,RL.3.5,RL.3.6,RL.3.7,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1c,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7C,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.8D,3.8C,3.7G,3.7F,3.7E,3.7D,3.1A,3.7B,3.6I,3.6H,3.6G,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
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Understanding Text Structure with The Day You Begin

Jacqueline Woodson uses several text structures in The Day You Begin. This lesson helps students to identify description, cause/effect, sequence, compare/contrast, and problem/solution, to deepen their understanding of the text.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.5,RL.3.7,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7E,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.10C,3.10B,3.9E(iii),3.8C,3.7F,3.1A,3.7C,3.7B,3.6I,3.6H,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
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Visualizing with The Day You Begin

Jacqueline Woodson's vibrant description helps students create mental images that they can connect to the vivid illustrations in The Day You Begin. Use this lesson plan to help students practice their visualization skills.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.7,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7A,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.10C,3.7F,3.7E,3.7C,3.7B,3.1A,3.6I,3.6E,3.6D,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
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Suffixes with The Day You Begin

This word work lesson plan and set of teaching resources use The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson as a springboard for instruction focused on suffixes.

By anchoring word study to the text, students will benefit from seeing how words ending in -er are used inside of the text before engaging in both guided and independent practice with suffixes.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
RF.3.3,RF.3.4
TEKS Alignment
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Vocabulary Connections with The Day You Begin

This set of vocabulary development resources for The Day You Begin highlights the words that are most important for students to know and understand while reading the book. Through engaging in fun word games, matching words to definitions and pictures, and practicing how to categorize words, students will develop the vocabulary necessary to comprehend this story and many others.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
L.3.4a,L.3.5b,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7E,3.7F,3.3A,3.3B
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Comprehension Assessment with The Day You Begin

Use this Common Core aligned comprehension assessment to evaluate students' comprehension of The Day You Begin.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
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Running Record with The Day You Begin

Use this Running Record to assess oral reading fluency with The Day You Begin. Track meaning, structure, and visual accuracy using the first 100 words of the text to determine whether or not this book is a good fit for the readers in your classroom.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
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Just for Fun with The Day You Begin

In The Day You Begin, Angelina is a girl with big curly hair and brown skin, who feels like she doesn't fit in. Angelina listens to the other kids in her class describe their travels to Paris, Maine, and India and is afraid to share her summer of reading and taking care of her little sister. It's not until Angelina makes an unexpected connection with one of her classmates that she learns the secret to making friends lies in sharing your story and connecting with others. 

When paired with the text, this worksheet is the perfect ice-breaking activity to use during the first week of school or anytime you want to focus on meaningful community building.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
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Asking Questions with The Day You Begin (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Making Connections with The Day You Begin (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Synthesizing with The Day You Begin (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Understanding Text Structure with The Day You Begin (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Visualizing with The Day You Begin (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Just for Fun with The Day You Begin (Spanish)

Worksheet
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About the Book

The cover for the book The Day You Begin
Title: The Day You Begin
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Friendship, Social Awareness, Back to School, Perseverance
ISBN: 9781524741730
Publisher's Summary:
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson is a moving picture book that warmly addresses the feelings of uncertainty and difference many children experience when stepping into new environments, like the first day of school. The story follows Angelina, a young girl with big curly hair and brown skin, who feels out of place as her classmates share exciting stories about their summer adventures. Unlike her peers, Angelina spent her summer at home caring for her sister, and she worries that her story—and the things that make her unique—are not enough to help her fit in.

As the narrative unfolds, other children emerge with their own stories of feeling different: Rigoberto, a recent immigrant from Venezuela who is conscious of his accent; a girl whose lunch seems unusual to others; and a boy who feels alone for his own reasons. Through honest storytelling and moments of vulnerability, these children begin to find common ground, discovering that sharing their own experiences helps bridge gaps and foster friendships.

The Day You Begin is celebrated for its poetic, reassuring text and Rafael López's vibrant illustrations, which together create a heartfelt reminder that everyone feels different at times, but those differences can become the starting point for connection. Themes of courage, empathy, inclusion, and the importance of sharing one's voice make this book an invaluable resource for the classroom. It opens the door for meaningful conversations about diversity, self-acceptance, and the power of storytelling, making it an excellent choice for educators seeking to build a welcoming and supportive community.
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