Our Names (a back to school read aloud lesson)
$1
Our Names: Back to School Read Aloud Lesson
A complete, ready-to-teach lesson for PreK–3rd Grade
The first week of school is about one thing above everything else - making every child feel like they belong.
This is a complete back-to-school lesson built around one of the most powerful topics you can explore with young learners... their names! Because when a child feels like their name is celebrated, they feel like THEY are celebrated. And that changes everything about how they show up in your classroom all year long.
This lesson is perfect for classroom teachers AND for literacy or instructional coaches looking for a meaningful, low-pressure way to get into classrooms during the first week of school.
Here's everything included 👇
📖 Book Options
Six carefully chosen read-alouds on the topic of names...you choose the right book for your students' age, needs, and interests:
Your Name Is a Song — Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
My Name Is Yoon — Helen Recorvits
Alma and How She Got Her Name — Juana Martinez-Neal
Chrysanthemum — Kevin Henkes
The Name Jar — Yangsook Choi
Hello, My Name Is… — Marisa Polansky
🎵 Opening Activity
🎯 Purpose Statement
💬 During Reading Questions
🗣️ Discussion Questions
⭕ Sentence Starter Circle Activity
🎨 Optional Extension Activity
🖍️ Two Coloring Pages
This lesson is for you if:
You're a teacher looking for a meaningful, community-building first week lesson
You're a literacy or instructional coach who wants a ready-to-run read aloud to bring into classrooms in week one
You want something that celebrates diversity, identity, and belonging from day one
You need something that works across PreK through 3rd grade with minimal prep
Suggested time: 25–45 minutes
Best for: PreK–3rd Grade
Topics: Back to school, social-emotional learning, identity, community building
When a child feels like their name is celebrated, they feel like THEY are celebrated. And that changes everything.
~ Leah @theearlyliteracycoach