The Day You Begin



Last updated Sunday, February 6, 2022

Author: Jaqueline Woodson
Illustrator: Rafael Lopez
Date of Publication: 2018
ISBN: 0399246533
Grade Level: Kindergarten    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Feb. 2022

Synopsis:
There will be times when you walk into a room
and no one there is quite like you.

There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it.

This books explores how we all feel like outsiders sometimes, and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. Sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.

Note to readers:
•  There are several rulers drawn throughout the book. There is one when Angelina walks into the classroom, one in the lunchroom, and another one at the playground on the tree. The illustrator, Rafael López uses the rulers as a metaphor for measuring ourselves against others. According to the author, when we measure ourselves against other people, “we sometimes forget how fabulous we are…how amazing it is to be able to be who we are, and how grateful every room we walk into should be for our presence there.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDs5d_qFbEs&t=316s

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What makes you unique?
•  What is one thing you like about yourself?
•  What do you and your friends have in common?
•  What are some differences between you and your friends?
•  How do you feel when you meet someone for the first time?

Vocabulary:

•  Homeland: a person's or a people's native land.
•  Blooming: having blooms unfolding: Flowering
•  Maine: a state of the northeastern US, on the Atlantic: chiefly hilly, with many lakes, rivers, and forests. Capital: Augusta.
•  Untraveled: (of a person) not having traveled much.
•  Fragile: something that is easily broken
•  Souvenir: something you get from a different place to remind you of that place
•  Kimchi: a Korean food that is spicy, pickled cabbage
•  Strange: unusual or surprising in a way that is unsettling or hard to understand.
•  Brave: ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.
•  Steady: firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; not shaking or moving.
•  Fabulous: extraordinary and amazing~ super awesome!

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Go back to Page 7 & 8: What differences to you see in the first drawing of Rigoberto and the second? Turn the page to see how does Rigoberto feel when his teacher pronounces his name correctly? Learning to say people’s names properly is an excellent way of making them feel safe and included. Does anyone in your class have a first or last name that people often mispronounce? How would they like people to say it? Listen carefully – who can say it correctly next? Try again in a few minutes.
•  How can you learn more about someone?
•  What were the differences between the students in The Day You Begin? Can you make any connections to them?
•  What makes you fabulously different from everyone else you meet?

Craft ideas:
•  Have kids make a story book about themselves. (See Pinterest activity board)
Instructions:
1. Fold a sheet of paper in half (hot dog style)
2. On the front, title it: The Day (¬¬insert student’s name here) Begins
3. On the inside, have them draw themselves on one side, title it: “This is Me"
4. On the inside, on other side, have them share 5 things about themselves.
5. Have each student share their story book, if time permits it.

OR

•  Have kids draw/color their favorite food. Have them share their completed drawings with the other kids to see if the other kids can guess the food name and where that food comes from.

•  Resources:
•  https://childrenslibrarylady.com/the-day-you-begin-by-jacqueline-woodson/
•  http://maistorybook.com/2020/07/22/maistorybook-the-day-you-begin-welcome-doors-share-your-story-craft/
•  Check our craft ideas on Pinterest!
https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/february-2022-people-places-around-the-world/
•  Check this website for more suggestions: http://readingtokids.org/ReadingClubs/CraftTips.php

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!