The Sun Is a Star: read-aloud with discussion questions
Read The Sun Is a Star aloud on the projector: 11 pages of big type with each word lit as it is said, 86 words (about a minute), level 5, grade 1, and 5 questions to talk about.
Page 1 of 11
Nell sits in the sand. It is hot!
Keys: ← → or Page Up and Page Down turn the page, Space starts and pauses the voice, Home and End jump, F fills the screen. Tapping the right side of a page goes on; the left side goes back.
How to use it
- Press Full screen (F) to put the book on the projector.
- Press Read to me (Space), or read it yourself and turn pages with the arrow keys or a tap. Pick the Pace that suits the class.
- After the last page the questions come up on the screen. The same questions are below, with what to listen for.
About this book
- Level 5, Grade 1
- 11 pages, 86 words, about a minute aloud
- A true book, gentle
- A picture on every page
Related
About The Sun Is a Star
A true book in 86 words that answers a child's question: why is the sand hot? It moves from the sun to the idea that the stars at night are suns too, and it includes a plain safety line about the sun and eyes.
Nell sits on hot sand and asks what makes it warm. The sun is a star, and the stars at night are suns too.
Before you read
Ask what makes the sidewalk hot in summer. Tell the class that Nell asks the same question, and ask them to listen for her answer.
Words to preview
- sun
- our star
- star
- a sun far away
- heat (HEET)
- warmth
- far
- a long way off
- light (LYT)
- what lets us see
Questions to talk about
- What made the sand hot?Listen for: The sun, which gives us light and heat.
- The sun looks small. What does the book say about that?Listen for: It is far, far away. Ask about the car trip: you would be old, old, old by the time you got there.
- What does the book say you should not do, and why?Listen for: Do not look at the sun, because it can hurt your eyes. Say it as a class rule.
- What does Nell see at night, and what does the book say about it?Listen for: Stars, and many stars are suns too, but far away. The sun is a star.
- Why do you think Nell waves at the stars?Listen for: Any idea that fits: they are suns like ours, and waving is friendly. It shows how she feels about what she learned.
Questions
How long does The Sun Is a Star take to read aloud?
It has 11 pages and 86 words, so about a minute at the Steady pace and a little less at Quick. If you stop to talk on the way, plan for more.
What reading level is The Sun Is a Star?
Level 5, Grade 1. The library numbers its levels from 0 to 18 and puts the level of a book on its cover; level 5 sits at grade 1. A level is a guide for choosing, so look at the pages yourself.
Whose voice is it?
Your browser's own. Read to me uses a speaking voice already on the computer, so it sounds like that computer and works without a sign-in. Voices differ: some light each word as it is spoken, and some do not, in which case the highlight follows a steady pace instead. Some browsers use an online voice; if yours does, the browser, not us, sends the words of the page to its speech service. If no voice is installed, turn the pages and read it aloud yourself.
Do students need an account?
No. Nothing is asked of anyone and nothing is sent to us. Project the page, or share the link and let students open it on their own screens.
Where does this book come from?
It was written for Peabody's library as a true book. It is not copied from a textbook or another site.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. The voice is your browser's own. No sign-in, no ads.