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About the
Book
This book is the delightful and accessible story of a first grader
confronted with the loss of her first tooth. It addresses all of
the anxieties of this experience from a first-grade perspective,
including what someone will look like with missing teeth, the scariness
of being the first one to lose a tooth, and what type of person
the tooth fairy actually is.
This book will
easily open discussion on first-grade fears and allow your class
to explore dental health as well as recycling in science class.
Pre-Reading
In order to get your students interested in what they will be reading,
discuss with them the types of things they have brought in for show
and tell. Ask them to explain to you why they choose these items
and what made them special.
Next, have your
students discuss what things worry them or make them nervous. Explain
to them that Junie is very nervous about something in the story
and ask them what they think that might be. Discuss what it means
to recycle and why it is important.
Discussion
Questions
Junie B. Jones thinks it is very funny when the recycling movie
says that it makes cents to recycle.
• Define with your class what a homophone is.
• Ask them if they know any other homophones and brainstorm
a class list of homophones for display.
Junie B. Jones
begins to feel very proud when she realizes she is going to be the
first student in her class to lose a front tooth.
• Ask you students to explain what it means to feel proud.
• Have them relay a time they felt very proud about being the
first person to do something.
• Discuss other things that they may have done to make them
feel proud.
Junie's friend
tells her that the tooth fairy is actually a mean witch.
• Have your class discuss why her friend does this.
• Ask students whether or not this is a nice thing to and have
them explain why or why not.
• Have them share when someone has done something like this
to them and how it made them feel.
Junie spends
a lot of time worrying about what the tooth fairy does with all
of the teeth.
• Ask your students to brainstorm a host of things they think
the tooth fairy might do with all of the teeth she collects.
Junie begins to feel bad about herself when she thinks she may begin
to look like her friend's Uncle Lou.
• Have your class discuss what kinds of things she should worry
about instead of her looks.
• Discuss with them why they think the things they came up
with are more important than looks.
Junie tries
very hard to keep her tooth from falling out.
• Discuss with your students whether or not it is possible
to keep your teeth from falling out.
• Ask them to explain why it may or may not be possible.
• Ask them to brainstorm a list of other things that show that
they are growing up.
Junie thinks
that her "new look" (after she loses her tooth) is "fascinating."
• Discuss with your students a time when they have had a "new
look."
• Ask them what it was and what they liked and/or didn't like
about it.
Student Activity
In this activity students will have fun solving tooth fairy word
problems while sharpening their math skills.
 Print
and Copy the Classroom Activity Now (PDF)
Related Activities
- Write a story about the tooth fairy where the tooth fairy explains
what she does with all of the teeth she collects. Illustrate your
story.
Write a story that explains where the tooth fairy gets all
of the money she puts under children's pillows at night.
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Junie thinks that the tooth fairy recycles the teeth that she
collects so that new babies can have teeth. Think about some
things you can recycle. What are they? How could you recycle
them? Make an art project where you recycle at least five different
things.
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Junie and her friends experiment with "silly smiles"
after she loses her tooth. Draw a picture of yourself with a
silly smile.
- Junie is fascinated by her new look after she loses her tooth.
What new look might you like to have? Draw a picture of yourself
with a "new look" and write a paragraph where you explain
your new look and why you think it might be a fascinating change
for you.
Lesson Developed by Dr. Susan Shafer
Dr. Susan Shafer is a former elementary school teacher with more
than twenty years of classroom experience and a doctorate in education
from Teachers College, Columbia University. While teaching she received
special recognition for her innovative, theme-based teaching methods.
The author of two books for children and numerous articles for adults,
Susan is presently a freelance writer, editor, and educational consultant.
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