Title: Smile
Author: Raina Telgemeler
Publisher: Graphix
Copyright: 2010
Reading Level: 8 - 12 years
Lexile: GN410L
Suggested Delivery: Independent read
Words to describe this book: coming-of-age, silly, dental drama, friendship,
Summary: The coming-of-age story about a sixth grader named Raina. One night, after Girl Scouts, Raina falls while racing her friends to her doorstep and loses her front teeth! She can't imagine her middle school life with a huge gap in her mouth. After seeing many dentists, Raina's teeth seem to be on the road to recovery. Although she has a frustrating journey, she learns about friendship, boys, and how to smile.
Key Vocabulary:
*Definitions found at http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Before Reading Activity:
Before/During/ After Activities found at:
http://www.scholastic.com/graphix_teacher/pdf/scholastic_grphxwebcast_rtelgemeier.pdf
Electronic Resources:
http://www.scholastic.com/raina/smile/index.htm
A website about the book Smile. Students can create their own comic strip using the characters from the novel. Also, there is a Smile video that gives students a preview of what the book will be about. You can also see inside the book before either purchasing it or reading it.
http://goraina.com/
The official website of Raina Telgemeier! Students can explore her illustrations, current books, her upcoming events/books, and blogposts.
Writing Activity: Prior to reading, students wrote about an embarrassing, frustrating, or uncomfortable situation they experienced. After reading Smile, have students compare their experience to Raina's. What was similar? What was different? What would you want to happen differently?
Author: Raina Telgemeler
Publisher: Graphix
Copyright: 2010
Reading Level: 8 - 12 years
Lexile: GN410L
Suggested Delivery: Independent read
Words to describe this book: coming-of-age, silly, dental drama, friendship,
Summary: The coming-of-age story about a sixth grader named Raina. One night, after Girl Scouts, Raina falls while racing her friends to her doorstep and loses her front teeth! She can't imagine her middle school life with a huge gap in her mouth. After seeing many dentists, Raina's teeth seem to be on the road to recovery. Although she has a frustrating journey, she learns about friendship, boys, and how to smile.
Key Vocabulary:
- Novocaine - medicine: a drug that causes a part of your body to feel no pain. Mostly used by dentists
- Optimism - a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future
- Extraction - the act or process of getting something by pulling it out, forcing it out, etc
- Negligence - failure to take the care that a responsible person usually takes: lack of normal care or attention
- Orthodontist - type of dentist who specializes in straightening crooked teeth
- Earthquake - a shaking of a part of the earth's surface that often causes great damage
*Definitions found at http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Before Reading Activity:
- In the novel Smile, Raina discusses her embarrassing, uncomfortable, and frustrating moments during middle school and high school. Have students write about a time they felt these emotions. While reading, students can relate their feelings to the rough times Raina experiences.
- Ask students to look back at one of Raina's orthodontist appointments. Since it's a graphic novel, have students write their perspective of Raina's appointment in narrative form.
- Have students create their own comic about a time when they felt uncomfortable, embarrassed, or frustrated
- Have students rename the novel. What would they call it? Why? Use details from the text to support reasoning. For an extension activity, have students create the cover of their book.
Before/During/ After Activities found at:
http://www.scholastic.com/graphix_teacher/pdf/scholastic_grphxwebcast_rtelgemeier.pdf
Electronic Resources:
http://www.scholastic.com/raina/smile/index.htm
A website about the book Smile. Students can create their own comic strip using the characters from the novel. Also, there is a Smile video that gives students a preview of what the book will be about. You can also see inside the book before either purchasing it or reading it.
http://goraina.com/
The official website of Raina Telgemeier! Students can explore her illustrations, current books, her upcoming events/books, and blogposts.
Writing Activity: Prior to reading, students wrote about an embarrassing, frustrating, or uncomfortable situation they experienced. After reading Smile, have students compare their experience to Raina's. What was similar? What was different? What would you want to happen differently?