We love using read alouds to teach students about concepts like math, science and social studies. The book Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday is a great book to incorporate into a math lesson because it is all about moving and saving. Students will enjoy hearing about Alexanders' misfortune. - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday, tells the story of a young boy named Alexander. He really likes money and wants to buy a pair of walkie-talkies. One day, Alexander’s grandparents come to visit and they give him and his brothers a dollar each. Everyone in his family has suggestions for what Alexander should do with his money. He eventually starts spending his money little by little, instead of saving for the walkie-talkies. Alexander goes to the store to buy gum, makes bets with his family, and buys a one eyed bear at a garage sale. Before he knows it, Alexander is out of money and left trying to come up with a way to get more.
Students will enjoy this story as they listen and laugh to what Alexander does with his dollar.
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
While this book would be great to use with a math lesson, it can be used to teach so many other skills too!
- Explore how the author uses repeated phrases throughout the story.
- Identify character traits that can be used to describe Alexander.
- Have students engage in informational writing about money.
- Asks students to write lists based on events in the story.
- Teach a lesson on the apostrophe and why it is used.
- Review adverbs and proper nouns.
- Discuss the importance of patience.
- Teach students about goal setting.
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30 writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
With this resource you won't need any other worksheets or lessons to plan a comprehensive read aloud lesson!
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
- A Chair for my Mother by Vera B. Williams
- A Bike Like Sergio's by Maribeth Boelts
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
It's hard to explain how amazing the Starts with a Story book companions are because there is just so much goodness included in each one. It's best if you experience using one for yourself. Sign up below & we'll send you an entire book companion to try out for FREE!
