Chances are, you have a student in your class that is anxious or worried at school. As teachers, we want to do everything we can to make these students feel comfortable in the classroom and help them find ways to manage their anxieties. Today, we are spotlighting the book Wemberly Worried because it is a great way to start a conversation about worrying with your students. Teachers can use this book as an opportunity to teach students that it is normal to worry and share strategies for managing anxiety and worries. - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
Wemberly worries about absolutely everything, from shrinking in the bathtub to losing her parents in the middle of the night. Although her parents and grandmother try to convince her there is nothing she needs to worry about, she is not convinced. Her biggest worry comes when she starts her first day of school. Wemberly is worried about many things when she arrives for her first day. She meets her new teacher, Mrs. Peachum. Mrs. Peachum helps Wemberly feel comfortable by introducing her to a new girl named Jewel. The girls become friends and play together with their special dolls. Wemberly is happy at school and begins to feel less worried.
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
Wemberly Worried is such a great book for teaching a lesson about social emotional learning. However, there are also some great academic lessons that can be taught. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Practice making personal connections to the story. This is an important reading strategy because it strengthens students' understanding of the text.
- Analyze the characters in this story. Help students identify the thoughts and feelings of the character, character traits, and how others view the character.
- Integrate poetry to your read aloud by having students write poems related to the story.
- Teach students to write thoughtful book reviews.
- Introduce quotation marks to students. Explain how and why they are used.
- Explore proper nouns and verb tense.
- Discuss strategies that students can use when they are feeling worried.
- Identify how characters in the story were problem solvers.
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
You are going to love how comprehensive this resource is!
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes
- Ruby the Copycat by Margaret Rathmann
- Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
- Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom PercivalÂ
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!
