Yesterday we learned about different parts of a book. We use books each day in our classroom. Books are a good way to learn new things. Books are also fun!

Today we will learn how to take care of books. It is important to take good care of our books so we can enjoy them for a long time.

I have a book I want to share with you today.

[Display book cover.]

What do we see on the cover of our book? (title and author, illustration, a stain)

[Point to each part of the cover as mentioned.]

The front cover tells the title of the book. The book is called (title of book). The front cover also tells us the name of the author. Remember, the author writes the words of a book.

The author of this book is (author’s name).

[Point to stain on front cover.]

• What do you think happened here?
  [Engage children in a discussion of how a stain might have happened.]
• Let’s look inside our book. Where should I begin reading on this page?

I will start reading with this word. Please watch my finger follow the words.

[Read the first page as you point to each word.]

I started here.

[Point to first word.]

Then I read the words across the page. I moved down to each line as I read. We read across the page and from top to bottom.

[Motion from left to right. Use your finger to demonstrate left to right and top to bottom as you point to the lines of words on the first page.]

The words on this page told us some things.

[Briefly describe what the first page communicated in words and/or picture.

Read the second and subsequent pages as you point to each word. After reading the text on a page, draw attention to the damage and support children in talking about what might have happened. Examples: “Someone used a pencil to draw on Mr. Snail.” “It looks like someone with muddy hands touched the book.” “How do you think this page got a rip?”

Also describe difficulty in looking at pictures and reading words when there is damage. Example: “It is hard to see the pictures and words on this page. Some of the crayon marks are covering the words in our book. I am looking more at the crayon marks than at the words.”

Compare a damaged page to the first page (which has no damage). Point out the ease of looking at a page without a problem.]

Today we read a book called (title of book). Why was it hard to read and look at pictures in our book?

[Engage children in a brief review of different types of damage to the book. Emphasize the difficulty of sharing a book that has been damaged.]

We know that sometimes we can look at a small group of items and tell how many there are without counting.

[Place 2–4 identical counters (circles) next to each other on a table for a few seconds. Then, cover them with the box.]

How many circles did you see?

[Do not comment on the accuracy of children’s responses. After children have said how many, uncover the counters and say the number. Invite children to join you in counting the counters as you point to each.

Repeat the above process several more times with a different number of counters (up to five), based on children’s skill in telling how many without counting. Be sure to engage children in counting the number of counters after you show the group of counters again.

Then repeat the above process with three different types of items (crayons, pencils, markers), one type of item at a time (see Enrichment tip for adding challenge). Use children’s counting skills to determine how many items to temporarily hide. Encourage children to join you in counting the group of items after children have an opportunity to tell how many.]

Sometimes we can tell how many without counting. Today we looked at groups of items and figured out how many there were without counting.

Let’s together count the number of fingers on one of our hands. We will want to say a number each time we point to one of our fingers.

[Encourage children to count with you as they point to a finger on their hand.]

How many fingers did we count?

Today we will talk about ourselves and each other. We are all the same and different in many ways. Remember, when things are the same, they are exactly alike. When things are different they are not the same.

Stand up if you have clothes on today. Look! We are all wearing clothes. That is one way that we are all the same. Please sit down.

Now, stand up if you are wearing ______ (jeans, a certain color, a kind of shoes, etc.). Only some of us are wearing a _____. We are all wearing clothes, but we are all wearing different clothes.

We are the same and we are different! Let’s celebrate that we are the same and different by giving our neighbor a high five!

I’d like to tell you about a little girl named Lexi and a little boy named Carlos. Lexi and Carlos are the same and different just like us.

Lexi has red hair and green eyes. This is a picture of Lexi.

[Display provided picture of a girl.]

Lexi loves to dance and play with her friends. She has friends who are tall, short, older than her, and younger than her. Lexi likes to do nice things for her friends like share her toys and help them when they get hurt. Lexi loves cats but she doesn’t have any pets at her house. Sometimes Lexi’s dad makes spaghetti for dinner. Lexi loves spaghetti!

• Does anyone in our classroom have green eyes like Lexi?
• Do you like to dance like Lexi?
• Lexi loves spaghetti! Do you like spaghetti?

Carlos has black hair and wears glasses. This is a picture of Carlos.

[Display provided picture of a boy.]

Carlos likes to share toys with his friends. When it is nice outside, Carlos likes to play soccer. Carlos also likes to play with his pet worm. Carlos is proud of himself when he cleans his room. Carlos loves his two cats that he takes care of with his family.

• Does anyone in our classroom wear glasses like Carlos?
• Does anyone here today have a pet worm or cats like Carlos?
• Lexi and Carlos are the same and different. What things do Lexi and Carlos both like? (playing with friends, sharing, cats)
• What things are different about Lexi and Carlos? (Carlos wears glasses, Lexi is a girl, Carlos has a pet worm and cats, Lexi doesn’t have any pets)

Today we talked about how people are the same and different. We are all wearing clothes, but our clothes are different. Do Lexi and Carlos have the same color of hair? (no; Lexi has red hair, Carlos has black hair) What does it mean for things to be different? (not the same)

I am thinking of something so small that we can’t see it. It is something that is all around us. It is something that can make us sick. What are your ideas about what I’m thinking of?

Let’s talk about germs. Germs are very small things that can make our bodies sick.

• Have you ever felt sick?
• What did you feel like when you were sick?

There are different ways we can feel sick. Our ear can hurt, our head can hurt, our throat can hurt, and sometimes our stomach can hurt.

Germs are small but powerful. Germs have the power to make us sick. The word power means that something can make things happen. Germs can make us feel sick.

Today we will read a book that tells us about germs.

[Display book. Point to title as you read it.]

What are the two children on the cover of our book doing?

[Read the book through p. 27. Describe illustrations. Pause to talk about pages that seem confusing to children.]

• Where can we get germs? (in the air, food, water, and on all the things we touch)
• What can germs do to us? (make us sick)
• What can happen when germs get on our hands? (they can spread to other people)
• How can we get rid of germs on our hands? (wash our hands)

Today we learned about germs. We cannot see germs but they have the power to make us feel sick. When are some good times to wash our hands? (before and after we eat, after playing outside or with pets, after we sneeze, cough, or blow our nose, after rubbing our eyes, after picking our nose, after counting our coins, after crying, after using the bathroom, whenever they’re dirty)