Common Core Standards & Holi

The common core standards were created to raise student achievement and to help teachers and parents have a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. The English Language Arts Standards can easily be taught with the book It’s Time for Holi! Below are some suggestions for grades K-2.

Kindergarten

RL.K.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text

Start by reading the title and asking your students if they have ever heard about the celebration of Holi. This gives you a chance to activate their prior knowledge and to develop an understanding of what your students may already know about the topic. At this time, you can also address any misconceptions and answer questions about unknown words such as Holi (see last 2 pages of book for child-friendly information on Holi).

RL.K.6 With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

Speak to your students about the role of the author and the illustrator in creating this book. The author tells the story with the use of written words while the illustrator tells the story by drawing the pictures.

RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear.

Do a picture walk with your students by turning each page and predicting what you think might happen in the story before reading it. While reading the book, be sure to point out and talk about any unfamiliar words that appear (e.g., blooming, shed, doubt, Nani/grandma, yoga, shrieks). After you finish reading the story, have your students distinguish between the winter and spring season based on the illustrations. Then have your students identify which page signifies that it is time for the boy to celebrate Holi (i.e., When spring arrives…).

First Grade

RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

After reading the story, have students answer some questions about the story: What was the boy celebrating?  Why did he have to wait? What did the red, blue and green colors remind him of? How did he celebrate Holi?

RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to senses.

While reading the story, identify the words or phrases about how the boy feels when he thinks about Holi (e.g., I am so excited, I can’t wait, I jump up, I want to celebrate, etc.). Also talk about what the boy senses during the spring season (I see red roses, I see green grass, I hear blue birds singing, I sprinkle, I pat, etc.)

RL.1.5 Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.

Have students talk about the differences between books that tell stories such as, It’s Time for Holi! and books that give information such as Holi (Celebration in my world) by Lynn Pepas.

Second Grade

RL.2.1 Ask and answer questions who, what, where, when, why and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

After reading the story ask them to tell you who the main character is, what he is celebrating (Holi), where they are celebrating it (home), when the story take place (winter and spring season), why he is celebrating it (see last page of book), and how they are celebrating it (using colored powder).

 2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

Talk to your students about how the use of chanting, repeated lines, and rhymes in the book provide rhythm while reading (e.g., P. 5 The colors are out: Spring is here. The colors are out: Holi is near). Also, point out the use of alliterations in the book (e.g., red roses, blue birds, green grass growing).

 2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

Have students talk about how the beginning of the story starts with the boy anxiously waiting for spring to arrive so he can celebrate Holi and how the ending concludes with the action—when the boy celebrates Holi with his family.

 RL 2.6 Acknowledges differences in point of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when dialoguing aloud.

Assign read aloud roles to students. This book has dialogue for the Boy, Ma, Papa, and Nani/Grandmother (you will also need to assign a narrator). Make sure children stay in character and speak in a different voice for each character.

Extension Activities

See link It’s ALMOST Time for Holi! for ways to celebrate Holi in your house before or after reading this book!