Original Prompt4th Grade Beginning-of-the-Year Reading Lesson
Book: Trying by Kobi Yamada
Theme: Perseverance and Growth Mindset
Grade: 4th Grade
Time: 45–60 minutes
Learning Objective
Students will:
Understand the meaning of perseverance.
Identify examples of perseverance in the story.
Connect the theme of perseverance to their own school year.
Set a personal goal for something they will persevere through this year.
Essential Question
Why is it important to keep trying, even when something is difficult?
This resource focuses on helping students select appropriate books that match their reading levels and interests. It draws a parallel between video gaming difficulty levels and the challenges in reading. The guide emphasizes that choosing books that are too easy or too hard can lead to disengagement, while 'just right' books enhance learning and enjoyment. It introduces the 'I PICK' strategy—Interest, Preview, Identify, Comprehend, Keep reading—designed to aid in selecting engaging texts. Additionally, the resource outlines the 'Five-Finger Check' to assess the difficulty level of books, and encourages students to share their book selections with peers, promoting discussion and collaborative learning.