Here We Are is part of our Starts With a Story Collection, which includes more than 550 picture book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Learn more about this children’s book below! - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
Â
SUMMARY
"Here We Are" by Oliver Jeffers is a touching and beautifully illustrated picture book that serves as a heartfelt guide to planet Earth. Written as a message from a parent to their newborn child, the book introduces the wonders and complexities of the world we live in. From the vastness of oceans and mountains to the diversity of life and cultures, Jeffers celebrates the uniqueness of our home planet and the importance of kindness, empathy, and understanding. Through simple yet profound words, the book encourages readers to cherish and protect our precious Earth and its inhabitants, fostering a sense of responsibility and care for the world we share. It is a tender and reassuring tribute to the shared experience of humanity and will leave readers feeling grateful for the beautiful world that we can call home.
 USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
Our read aloud lesson plans for this picture book come with reading comprehension questions (with sample student responses), 30 writing prompts, teaching ideas for grammar skills, social emotional learning discussion ideas, and more. Check out our list below to get a sneak peek at some of the skills this resource teaches.
- Have students identify the point of view and discuss the benefits of the narrator.
- Identifying the theme, message, or moral is an important skill that takes a lot of practice. Use this story as an opportunity to help your students with this reading strategy.
- Help students to analyze what the author’s purpose for writing the book might be.
- Analyze the illustrations in the story. Discuss how they provide meaning that the words might not.
- Have students sequence the important events in the story. This is an important skill when it comes to retelling a story.
- Teach students how contractions are used.
- Discuss responsibility and the qualities of a responsible person.
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
- 30Â 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
This book is a must have for your school or classroom library. Your students are going to love completing these activities for the book and you will be impressed with how much they learn. You will want to read this book to your class every year.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will love the similar books listed below, which can all be found in our free picture book list.
- Stuck by Olivers Jeffers
- Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
- Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker
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!
