Flat Stanley is much more than a paper doll you are sending out. Teachers have missed a key opportunity to teach some amazing things through this book because we use it as a Social Studies opportunity and it is, well, fun! There is an entire world of literary wonder at just the right level for late first graders, second graders, and early third graders to learn about. This book is written at a level that allows students to critically examine a text for elements they need to know about. It is also written for them to have fun! Why not combine the two and have a great book study! Let's look at how!
Comprehension
Although it doesn't look like there are opportunities for great comprehension, there is! Each chapter packs a little bit of an opportunity to think about and comprehend what is in the chapter. For instance, in the first chapter, (Grab the freebie here!) there are some interesting parent interactions! There is also a chance to look at how this story is a fantasy. And, it even has a chance for some fun measuring in your classroom to get kids ready for the deeper stuff.
This continues throughout the rest of the book, building deeper and deeper meaning and thoughts expressed by the author. All of this can be assessed through comprehension questions that help students build true understanding of the text.
Character Reactions
Students can have a different kind of experience with Flat Stanley by examining character reactions. This can be done with a Wants and Needs Chart. This chart is not the typical wants and needs we complete in the Social Studies Standards. This looks at what character want and what they need to do to accomplish that want. What happens when we examine characters in this way, we can look deeper at what the author's purpose is. This, ultimately, leads the students to discover themes for each character and the book overall! This is a priceless way to use Flat Stanley, because it exposes sibling rivalry to students who are always amazed at how much Stanley and Arthur have in common with their lives!
Vocabulary
Although Flat Stanley doesn't jump to mind as a great vocabulary teaching opportunity, it is in there! This story was written at a time period where different words were used. Fragile, jostle, and rummage are examples of the strong words used by Jeff Brown in his authorship of this book.
And More!
There are even more opportunities packed into this text. Looking at dialogue, character feelings, and more can be done with Flat Stanley. Don't miss out on the opportunity to boost your students' skills with this great book AND this great product! Everything you need for a great novel study is found inside!
I'd love to hear what you have to say about Flat Stanley! What have you done to get the BEST out of this study! Drop me a comment or follow me over on Facebook or Instagram to share on a post! I'd love to hear from you!
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