Unit 1: Friendship & Self Discovery Belonging in Books™ Bundle

Belonging in Books Unit 1 Bundle: Friendship & Self Discovery 

If you’re looking for a low-prep, high-impact way to bring purposeful comprehension instruction into your PreK–1 classroom or homeschool, this resource is for you! Part of the Belonging in Books curriculum, this unit supports deep thinking, joyful reading, and inclusive discussion using 7 powerful anchor texts:

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox
The Tale of the Valiant Ninja Frog by Alastair Chrisholm
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Natsumi by Susan Lendroth
Koala Lou by Mem Fox
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

This bundle of books centers on the theme of friendship, identity, and belonging, helping students explore what it means to discover who they are and where they fit in. Throughout this unit, students will focus on understanding characters’ feelings and motivations, retelling stories using key events from the beginning, middle, and end, and making connections between characters’ experiences and their own lives. As students engage with each story, they will build empathy, emotional awareness, and confidence while learning how challenges, perseverance, and supportive relationships help characters grow. By comparing multiple texts with shared themes, students will deepen their comprehension skills and develop a stronger understanding of themselves and others as readers and members of a community.

Each Belonging in Books unit is built around a high-quality read-aloud and carefully designed to:
✔️ Teach comprehension through rich, age-appropriate conversations
✔️ Build vocabulary and language skills in context
✔️ Explore story elements and text structures
✔️ Practice key comprehension strategies
✔️ Support synthesis using a paired companion text
✔️ Center student voices and diverse perspectives

What’s Included:
5-day lesson arc (20–30 minutes/day):

• Day 1: Connect & First Read
• Day 2: Vocabulary Exploration
• Day 3: Story Elements or Text Structure
• Day 4: Comprehension Skill
• Day 5: Paired Text & Synthesis Discussion

+Semi-Scripted daily lesson plans
+Thoughtful discussion questions
+Printable graphic organizers
+Visual Vocabulary and child-friendly definitions
+No Prep student practice sheets
+Anchor chart templates
+CCSS Alignment
+Student “I Can” statements
+Lesson plans for a culminating project or hands-on response
+Companion text suggestion and extension ideas

Each book in Belonging in Books can be a stand alone week of learning, or you can dive into an entire thematic unit of quality mentor texts that connect through themes, character experiences, comprehension strategies, and text structures.

Want the entire curriculum? Grab the Complete Curriculum Bundle!