Making Connections with Kindergarten

I absolutely cherish my time with kindergarten! They are so eager to learn, read, write, and be at school. We recently started an author study over Mo Willems with the kindergarten classes. In their classroom reading times, they were working on text-to-text and text-to-self connections. So, we worked it into the library time as well.

This week, we read KNUFFLE BUNNY by Mo Willems, and I had the students make a text-to-self connections. We compared Trixie at the beginning of the story, not being able to tell dad what was wrong, to the end of the story when she finally speaks words that are understandable.

Students made connections by thinking of something they could not do when they were as young as Trixie, but that they can do now that they are 'big' kindergartners.

Could not talk, but now can talk

I could not walk, now I can walk. 

Could not walk, but now I can READ! YAY! 

I had enough books written by Mo Willems, that most of the students were able to check one out. They are having a great time finding the pigeon, Piggy, and Elephant in the other books. We are also comparing the books and how Mo Willems uses speech bubbles in his books.