Every year there is a student in class that is just LOUD! They don’t even realize they are talking loud, it's just how they have become accustomed to speaking. As a result, teachers are responsible for educating children about volume control. This was something I always struggled with until I found the book Decibella and Her Six Inch Voice. Using this as a read aloud at the beginning of the year was a game changer. It helped my students learn the language about different volumes, what they sound like and when to use them. Every teacher should have this book as a resource! - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
Everyone calls Isabella the name Decibella, because she is always too loud! In the movies, at the library, and in class, Decibella is always shouting. Her teachers keeps her in one day during recess to talk about making better choices when it comes to the volume of her voice.
Decibella’s teacher introduces her to five different kinds of voices: whisper, 6-inch, table talk, strong speaker, and outside. The two spend time practicing what each voice should sound like and Decibella’s teacher explains when she should use each voice. Decibella learns she was using an outside voice inside and that can bother people. After learning about the different voice volumes, Decibella is able to make good choices about the voice she uses depending on the situation she is in. This book is a great way to introduce students to volume control.
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
While this book makes is a great resource for setting expectations about volume, it can be used to teach many academic skills as well. Our book companion forDecibella and Her Six Inch Voice has 25 comprehension questions, 30 writing prompts, and ideas for teaching grammar and social emotional learning. Take a peek at some of the topics included below!
- Help students to identify the main idea of the story and key details that contribute to the main idea.
- Ask students to discuss the author’s purpose for writing this book and point out events in the story that helped them determine the purpose.
- Encourage students to write narrative stories about using their different voices.
- Have students write about why it is important to know about volume when it comes to speaking.
- Teach a lesson on multiple meaning words.
- Review compound words, contractions, and antonyms.
- Discuss the importance of having good manners.
- Teach students about your expectations of volume in the classroom and making good choices.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
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
Once you read this book you are going to want to use it at the beginning of each school year. The activities we’ve designed will help you to do that! Our worksheets, comprehension questions and writing prompts can be used across various grade levels and differentiated to your students needs. This is a resource you will want to pull out over and over!
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook
- What if Everybody Did That by Ellen Javernick
- My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook
- Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laruie Keller
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!
