First Day Jitters: Questions and Activity Ideas for this Back to School Read Aloud

• What feeling(s) do you have on the first day of school and why do you feel that way?
• What can you do to feel less nervous on the first day of school?
• What are jitters? Have you ever had jitters before (perhaps in a non-school setting)? Explain using details.

• What clues do the author and illustrator give that show Sarah is nervous? 
• Do you think anyone else at school feels the same way as Sarah? Explain.
• How do you think Sarah will feel at the end of the book? Why do you think that?

• Why did the illustrator not show Sarah until the very end of the book?
• How did the ending change your understanding of Sarah? 
• What do you think the author wants you to learn from this book?

This book is an excellent choice for teaching text-to-self connections. A text-to-self connection is a connection between something that happens in a book and a reader's own life or experiences.

Students can record their thinking using a simple chart like the one below:

To help students make meaningful connections, encourage them to use sentence starters such as:

• This book reminds me of when…
• I know how Sarah feels because…
• I can relate to Sarah because…
• This book made me think of…
• This story reminds me of a time when I...

First Day Jitters can also be used to teach text-to-text connections. Books such as The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, and Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro share a similar theme of characters feeling nervous as they face new experiences.

After reading First Day Jitters, discuss how Sarah felt nervous about starting at a new school and entering an unfamiliar situation. Explain to students that one way to feel more comfortable in a new environment is to get to know the people around you and become familiar with your surroundings.

A fun and easy way to help upper elementary students connect with their classmates is through a Find Someone Who Activity, like this one. Students walk around the classroom in search of classmates who match different statements. This activity encourages conversation, helps students find things they have in common, and builds a sense of classroom community.

A Classroom Scavenger Hunt, like this one, is another great way to help students overcome first-day nerves by exploring their new learning environment. As students search for different items and areas around the classroom, they become familiar with important locations, materials, and routines in a fun and engaging way.

At the end of First Day Jitters, students discover that Sarah isn't a student at all—she's the teacher! The surprise ending is a wonderful reminder that teachers can feel nervous on the first day of school, too. While students may wonder what their new teacher will be like, teachers are also excited (and sometimes a little anxious) as they prepare to meet a brand-new class.

After reading the story, invite 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students to write a letter introducing themselves to their teacher. Explain that their letters can help their teacher feel more prepared and less nervous by sharing a little about who they are before the school year gets underway.

Students may want to include:

• A short introduction about themselves
• Their hobbies, interests, and favorite activities
• Their favorite school subjects and things they enjoy learning
• Something they are excited or nervous about this school year
• What helps them learn best
• Anything else they would like their teacher to know

This is a great first-week-of-school activity because it helps you get to know your students while also providing a meaningful first writing sample.

For a more in-depth writing experience, use this scaffolded Letter to My Teacher template to walk students through each step of the writing process and support them in creating a thoughtful final draft.

Students can also explore character traits using this book. Begin by introducing different character traits with this free character trait list. Then, have students reflect on Sarah Jane Hartwell's character traits. Ask them to choose a character trait that describes her and support their thinking with evidence from the text.

Some examples include:

• Sarah was nervous at the beginning of the story. For example, she was worried because she didn’t know anyone at her new school.
• Sarah was brave because she went to school even though she didn’t want to.
• Sarah became confident by the end of the story. She was smiling and ready to have a great first day.

Have students use one of these free character trait graphic organizers to record their thinking.

You might also like these other back to school read alouds!