Materials: Think-aloud prompts, partner discussion cards
Pause at key moments in the story and model thinking aloud about the importance of names. For example, when the child asks why they have their name, say aloud: “I think the child wants to know more than a definition. They want to know how their name connects to who they are.”
Invite students to turn and talk using prompts such as: “A name can … ,” “The child is learning … ,” and “I think names matter because … .” Students use the narrator’s point of view to explain how the meaning of a name grows across the book.
Discussion Questions:
- Can a name protect memory?
- Why do people want their names to be remembered?
- How does the child’s point of view shape the story?
Extension: Students write one sentence beginning, “A name matters because …”
Student Product: Name Matters Sentence