Reading fun fictional books in school settings can ease student anxiety about being in a new environment or with new people. It can also be a way to address proper behavior humorously. If you Take a Mouse to School is a great choice as a back to school read aloud for just this reason. For example, if we spill something on ourselves, we would not remove all our clothes as Mouse does.
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Summary
Giving Mouse a lunchbox triggers a series of actions in the If You Give a Mouse series style that will take you through the whole school day.
Read Aloud Questions for If You Take a Mouse to School
Before Reading
- Looking at the cover, do you think it is a fiction or nonfiction story?
- What do you think would happen if you took a real mouse to school?
- What kinds of things do you think the mouse in the story will do at school?
During Reading
- Does the boy’s classroom look like our classroom? What is different?
- What other things could Mouse have used to make furniture for himself?
- Would a mouse be good at playing soccer and basketball? Why?
After Reading
- What do you think Mouse enjoyed the most about school?
- What things did Mouse do that might have caused problems at school?
- Do you think the teacher will let him come back again?
Connecting Standards to If You Take a Mouse to School
Compound Words
There are several compound words in the story, such as lunchbox, backpack, notebook, etc. You can teach a quick mini-lesson and have students look for the compound words in the story. Then as a class or individually, have students generate a list of compound words.
Cause and Effect
Have students identify the actions and results of those actions that take place in the story.
Narrative Writing
Mouse decided to write his own book in the story. Students can write their own version of If You Take a _____ to School. Have students choose a different animal and write about what would happen if they took it to school. Have them include at least three activities their animal would do and what would happen.
More Fun Things to Do with Mouse
Laura Numeroff has been writing children’s books for over 30 years. Check out the author’s website to learn more about her books and watch story videos.
If you’re looking for more activities for this book, check out the Learning Through Literature If You Take a Mouse to School book companion at Resource Ranch.
Resource Ranch
Rhonda is the author of Resource Ranch. Most of her classroom experience has been in early elementary. She has also taught Title I Reading, ESL, and gifted students. She is certified as a Texas teacher in grades 1-8 and as a K-12 librarian.
