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Remember when it was scary to go to school?
'Cause it was your first day and you didn't know anything? Meet
Junie B. Jones, kindergartner. She's so scared of the school
bus and the meanies on it that when it's time to go home, she
doesn't.
In this guide, you can help your class get to
know each other and their school by taking part in the "Getting
to Know You" and "You Are Here" classroom
exercises just as Junie B. and Mrs. do in Junie B. Jones and
the Stupid Smelly Bus. Map-making and drawing are two skills
explored in these activities.
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"I never missed the bus on purpose,"
says Barbara Park. But she admits that she did go to the
principal's office for talking too much in class. "It's
funny," she adds, "because now principals actually
want me to come talk in their classrooms!"
©1992 by Barbara Park
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Pre-Reading Activities
In Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, Junie
B. meets new friends on her school bus and in her kindergarten
class. Have your students turn to the classmate sitting next
to them and describe and or say one nice thing they know about
their neighbor.
It is important for children to know what to
do in case they find themselves lost. Discuss with your students
what they should do if they are in different situations and
find themselves separated from an adult. Make a list of what
kind of information they should know about themselves ie.
their phone number, address etc. and/or who they should call
for help.
 Getting
to Know You
Junie B. begins to settle in during those first few days in
her kindergarten class after she gets to know a few of her classmates.
With roll paper and crayons/markers, you can help students in
your class find out more about each other as well. Have your
students lie down on roll paper, and trace the outline of each
one. (Students may assist by tracing each other)
After writing their names at the top, students
may design themselves, drawing in facial features, hair, clothing,
etc. Then, along the perimeter of the tracings, assist students
in writing in a number of their favorite things, including color,
food, toy, holiday, etc. Hang completed tracings around the
classroom, using them to acquaint students with each other by
highlighting unique qualities as well as things they have in
common.
You
Are Here
After a walking tour of her school, Junie B. is more familiar
with her school surroundings and the important places to know.
Take your students on a walking tour of your school, pointing
out such places as: the library/media center, the cafeteria,
the nurse's office, the boys'/girls' rooms, the gym, etc. After
returning to the classroom, assist students in listing on the
blackboard, each location visited along with what each one is
for. Then, using their own classroom as a reference point marked
You Are Here, assist students in drawing school maps, locating
and labeling each place accordingly.
This activity may be tailored for younger students
by preparing a map outline for them to fill in. Students may
then color in their maps for classroom display. As a follow-up
activity, students may write a paragraph describing their walking
tour and what they learned along the way.
 Printable
Activities
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