The purpose of this reading is to bring together the information in both the text and the illustrations. The discussion and activity options focus on analyzing the main idea, theme, character traits, setting and how all of the story elements fit together.
During this reading your child and you will read the story all the way through. Three ways that you can add fun and improve recall during this reading are:
~You may switch roles and become the listener and the questioner as your child “reads”(retells) the story to you. Assist your child in matching the retelling of the story to the illustration. Help your child pay attention to the details in the illustration to know when to turn the page.
~Your child and you may alternate the pages you “read”to each other.
~Your child and you may role play the story. One of you may be Chloe. Chloe has quite a big job in this story, being both the narrator and one of the major characters. One of you may be Maya, and the other minor characters. If one of you chooses to play all of the minor characters, talk about how the characters might each have a different sounding voice.
DISCUSSION OPTIONS:
~After reading this story, how might you treat a new person in your class or your neighborhood?
~Have you ever been the “new”person? Can you make any connections to Maya’s experience?
~Who is the most important character in the story? Use events in the text to support your choice.
~Talk about kind things that others have done for you.
ACTIVITY OPTIONS:
~Tell your family about the rock and the ripples. Interview your family or friends about acts of kindness that they have done for others.
~Think of someone for whom you have never done an act of kindness. Think of something that you can do for this person.