Picture Books~ This Is Not My Hat CCSS/ AASL aligned discussion guide

This Is Not My Hat

Jon Klassen

written & illustrated by: Jon Klassen 

Interest level grades K-3

Reading Level:

Grade level Equivalent: 2, Lexile^® Measure:AD340L, DRA: 16, Guided Reading: J

Type of Book: Read-Aloud Book

Themes: Conflict resolution and problem-solving.

WINNER OF THE 2013 CALDECOTT MEDAL!

From the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning I Want My Hat Back comes a second wry tale.

Summary & Mrs. Cowell's endorsement:
When a tiny fish swims onto the page wearing a hat that happens to fit him perfectly, trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.
I loved reading this book because there is so much to think about based on the illustrations alone including many tie ins with Dale Street School's character education program. Children of all ages will get a thrill out of the little fish's boldness and the big fish's silent retaliation. There are many ways to incorporate this book into our 4th/5th grade classrooms. Here are a few to get you started: 

Aligned to CCSS & AASL:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. 
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. 
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
CC.4.R.L.6 Craft and Structure: Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
AASL.4.1.1 Read, view, and listen for pleasure and personal growth. 
AASL.4.1.2 Read widely and fluently to make connections with own self, the world, and previous reading. 
AASL 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.

OBJECTIVES 
• Students will make inferences and predictions using the text and illustrations. 
• Students will analyze point of view. 
• Students will use shared writing to discover how the story might change from a different point of view.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
• Why did the little fish steal the hat? How did the big fish feel about it? 
• Throughout the book, did the little fish know what was going on? What makes you think that? 
• What events happened in the book that the little fish didn’t know about? Why didn’t he know? 
• What do you see in the picture that the words do not talk about? (The crab told the big fish where the little fish went.) 
• What can we guess, or predict, has will happen next? Did we use textual clues or pictures clues to help us with our prediction? Then, read or play the part when the big fish comes out of the tall plants.  
• What do you think happened to the little fish? What in the pictures make you think that?
• What is stealing?
• Why is stealing wrong?
• How does someone feel if something is stolen from him/her? Why do you think they feel that way?
• What are some reasons that people might steal?
• What are some consequences for stealing?

ACTIVITIES:

• The book is written in the first person. Can you rewrite it in the third person?
• Create speech bubbles using the world language you study.
• Check out the Caldecott Medal requirements and list of winners... Caldecott criteria why do YOU think this book won in 2013?
• Create a set of captions / speech bubbles / thought bubbles for the illustrations in the book
• Use art software/ iPad/ paper/ etc... to design a new hat for the fish & share it with your classmates explaining why you created it the way you did
• Look at the illustrations. How do the images convey movement / expressions?
• Make a list of reasons why it is wrong to steal things from others. How does it make the people involved feel?
• Think of things that the small fish could do if he was ever tempted to steal again. How could he stop himself?