Amara and Her Different Friends

Amara and Her Different Friends

by

Patches the Story Dog

Patches the Story Dog

for your 1st Grader

1st Grader Friends Are Different Social-Emotional Learning

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Amara stands in her schoolyard beneath the big oak tree, looking up at the sky with one finger raised and a curious, wonder-filled expression on her face. She is smiling warmly. In the background, a bright colorful schoolyard with painted benches, a garden full of wildflowers, and a wide grassy field.

Amara loved to ask big questions. She asked, "Why is the sky blue?" She asked, "Where do birds sleep at night?" She asked so many questions that her family called her "The Question Girl."

Amara runs joyfully across the wide grassy field toward the big oak tree, her arms stretched out and her face full of excitement. In the background, the bright schoolyard with painted benches and the garden full of wildflowers under a sunny sky.

Today was the first day back at school. The bell rang for recess, and Amara ran outside. The sun was warm. The grass was soft. The big oak tree spread its branches wide, like it was giving the whole schoolyard a hug.

Amara stands near the big oak tree, looking curiously at the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt, who are each doing their own activity beneath the tree's wide branches. In the background, the schoolyard with painted benches and other children playing on the grassy field.

Under the big oak tree, Amara saw three kids she had never met before. A tall boy was drawing shapes in the dirt with a stick. A girl with bright red glasses was humming a little song. And a boy in a green striped shirt was reading a book about birds.

Amara crouches down near the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt, all gathered in a small circle beneath the big oak tree. The tall boy shows his dirt drawing, the girl with red glasses gestures happily, and the boy in the green striped shirt holds up his bird book. In the background, the garden full of wildflowers and painted benches in the sunny schoolyard.

"Hi!" said Amara. "I'm Amara. What are you all doing?" The tall boy looked up. "I'm drawing a house for birds," he said in a quiet voice. The girl with red glasses smiled. "I'm making up a song about trees!" The boy in the green striped shirt held up his book. "I'm reading about robins. Did you know robins can eat fourteen feet of worms in a day?"

Amara points up at a robin perched on a branch of the big oak tree, while the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt all look up with excited smiles. In the background, the bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds above the schoolyard.

"Wow!" said Amara. "You all like such different things!" She looked up at the big oak tree. A robin sat on a branch, singing its song. "I have a big question," said Amara. "What if we built a real birdhouse for that robin?" Everyone smiled. "Yes!" they all said together.

A pile of wood pieces, small nails, a bottle of glue, and little pots of colorful paint sit on the grass near the base of the big oak tree. In the background, the wide grassy field and painted benches of the bright schoolyard.

Their teacher brought them wood, nails, glue, and paint. She set it all on the grass by the big oak tree. "Work together," she said with a wink. "A good team makes the best things." The four friends looked at the pile of supplies. This was going to be fun!

Amara, the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt stand around the birdhouse supplies on the grass, all gesturing in different directions with frustrated expressions on their faces. In the background, the big oak tree and the garden full of wildflowers.

But soon, it was not so fun. The tall boy wanted to build the walls first. The girl with red glasses wanted to paint it first. The boy in the green striped shirt wanted to make sure the door was the right size for a robin. Everyone talked at the same time. No one listened.

Amara stands looking down at the messy pile of fallen wood, spilled paint, and sticky glue on the grass, while the tall boy has his arms crossed, the girl with red glasses frowns, and the boy in the green striped shirt sits on the ground looking disappointed. In the background, the big oak tree and the painted benches under a bright sky.

The wood fell over. The paint spilled. The glue got on the grass. "This is not working," said the girl with red glasses. The tall boy crossed his arms. The boy in the green striped shirt sat down with a sigh. Amara looked at the mess. She felt sad, but then she had a thought.

Amara stands confidently in front of the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt, holding up one finger as if she has a bright idea. The three friends look at her with hopeful, interested expressions. In the background, the big oak tree with the robin perched on a branch above them.

"I have a big question," said Amara. Everyone looked at her. "What if we each do the part we are best at?" The tall boy was great at building. The girl with red glasses was great at painting. The boy in the green striped shirt knew all about birds. And Amara? She was great at asking questions and making plans.

Amara, the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt work together happily around the birdhouse on the grass. The tall boy hammers, the boy in the green striped shirt measures, the girl with red glasses paints, and Amara holds pieces in place, all smiling. In the background, the big oak tree and the sunny schoolyard with wildflower garden.

This time, they worked as a team. The tall boy stacked the wood and hammered the nails. The boy in the green striped shirt measured the door to make it just right for a robin. The girl with red glasses painted the birdhouse bright yellow with red flowers. And Amara helped everyone and made sure each part fit together.

Amara, the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt stand together beneath the big oak tree, looking up with joyful faces as the robin hops into the bright yellow birdhouse with red flowers hanging from a branch. In the background, the colorful schoolyard with painted benches, wildflowers, and a bright blue sky.

When they were done, they stepped back and looked. The birdhouse was beautiful! It was strong and sturdy. It was bright yellow with little red flowers. And the door was just the right size. They hung it on a branch of the big oak tree. The robin flew over and peeked inside. Then it hopped right in!

Amara and her three friends — the tall boy, the girl with red glasses, and the boy in the green striped shirt — stand in a happy group beneath the big oak tree with the yellow birdhouse above them, arms around each other's shoulders, all laughing and smiling. In the background, the warm golden afternoon light falling across the schoolyard with painted benches and the garden full of wildflowers.

Amara smiled at her three new friends. "We are all so different," she said. "And that is what made our birdhouse so great." The tall boy nodded. The girl with red glasses laughed. The boy in the green striped shirt grinned. Amara had one more big question. "Same time tomorrow?" "Yes!" they all said together.

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