Second Graders Draw Life Lessons from Storybook Characters

“He learned that he should do the right thing, even if it’s hard.”

That was the takeaway that Sylvia, a student in Pam Bartell and Samantha Cordone’s second-grade class had after a recent read-aloud of “A Bike Like Sergio’s” by Maribeth Boelts. The lesson was part of a deeper dive into understanding storybook characters and the lessons they learn over the course of a story.

Students listened closely to learn about Ruben, whose wish for a new bike may be realized when he finds a $100 bill–until he encounters the woman who lost it.

Throughout the story, Bartell and Cordone paused, asking students to interpret Ruben’s complex feelings, match them to their classroom Mood Meter and make connections to other books they’ve read.

“He feels proud that he told the truth.”
“He feels disappointed because he gave back the $100 but really wanted to buy a bike.”
“He’s not excited that he gave it back, but he’s calm.”

“It’s amazing how many different feelings a character can have in one story, isn’t it?” Cordone observed.