The Best Fiction Book:

General Information:

• Title: Open Wide: Tooth School Inside
• Author: Laurie Keller
• Publication date: May 1st 2000
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Description of book: This book takes dental health and hygiene and makes a story out of it that children can relate too. This clever book takes teeth and re-imagines them as students in a classroom. Their teacher helps the students learn about dental health and hygiene and interesting facts. It can be integrated with the common core in reading as a read aloud and also in writing with a follow up task.

Core Integration: We would integrate this book into a first or second grade classroom by using it for a read aloud with students. The story has a fun nature to it and it could be used with many different follow up activities. One that we might use would be for students to come up with information that they have learned from the text and illustrations in small groups and will then independently write about the characters, setting, and plot to show their understanding of the book and dental health.

NHES Standards:

• NHES 1: “Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.”
  • PHW1.2.1: “Identify the proper steps for daily brushing and flossing teeth.”
    • HBO 1: “Brush and floss teeth daily.”
    • HBO 2: “Practice appropriate hygiene habits.”
  • PHW1.2.2: “State why hygiene is important to good health.”
    • HBO 1: “Brush and floss teeth daily.”
    • HBO 2: “Practice appropriate hygiene habits.”

Common Core Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
  • Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2
  • Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.