Search
The National Education Association celebrates and encourages reading in its Year-Round Read Across America project. Below is an idea to engage your child’s interest in a new book—and to initiate a conversation about first impressions.
Beyond the Book Cover
It can be a challenge to put internal biases aside. Help students learn a little about their own preconceptions when you ask them to judge a book by its cover. Provide books that students haven’t read and are not familiar with. Ask them to look only at the outside cover. Then, based on what they see, have them write down what they think the book is about, what the characters are like, and what’s going to happen. This can be a paragraph or a list.
Next, have them read the book (or read the book aloud if you are doing this as a group activity) and then write down what the book was really about.
Were their first impressions right? Have them talk about how their opinions changed and why it is important to see what’s inside a book before passing judgement. Use their informed opinions to create a reading list to share for Read Across America.
