Ready-to-teach lesson
TUMBLETA / CURRICULUM PLACEMENT
Central Message
When We Are Kind · Kindergarten · Kentucky
TEACHES
RL.K.2
With prompting and support, orally recognize key details from a literary text to demonstrate understanding of the lesson in the story.
Why this is a winner Students state the book's message about kindness and support that understanding orally with two key details from the literary text.
Verified framework: Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing, 2025 This regional cover is additive. The canonical teaching page that follows is unchanged.
TUMBLETA / ELA SKILL PLAN
Central Message
When We Are Kind · Kindergarten · 12 minutes
Written by Monique Gray Smith. Illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt. Orca Book Publishers, 2020.
- Objective:
- State a simple message about whom kindness can include and support it with two book examples.
- Student product:
- One oral message supported by two examples from the book.
- Materials:
- Book or read-along; drawing or response materials.
- Kindergarten
- Students may respond orally, by pointing or selecting, with a drawing
- response options:
- and oral explanation, or through adult scribing. Independent writing is not required unless the teacher deliberately adds it.
Focus question
What message do the examples and ending give about whom kindness can include?
- Teacher model:
- The book shows that kindness can include people, the earth, and yourself.
- Expected answer:
- Kindness can reach people, the earth, and oneself.
page 1
Where to look in the book
- Revisit one moment showing kindness toward people.
- Revisit one moment showing kindness toward the earth or self.
- Use the ending to help students see that the examples belong to one larger idea.
- Lesson sequence
- 3 min
- Revisit three examples from the book: care for people, care for the earth, and care for self.
- 2 min
- Ask what all three examples have in common.
- 2 min
- Model a short message: Kindness can include ___.
- 3 min
- Students state the message and point to two supporting examples in the book.
- 2 min
- Exit check: Give the message plus one supporting example.
- Differentiate
- Extend:
- Ask how the ending makes the earlier examples feel connected.
- Support:
- Point to examples for people, earth, and self; have the student choose two and explain each.
Assessment
- States that kindness can include more than one kind of recipient.
- Uses at least two book examples.
- Exit check:
- Give the message plus one supporting example.
page 2