When I Was Young in the Mountains

By Cynthia Rylant

This is a wonderful book to model making connections to your lives.

I read the book straight through first.

Then I tell the students that I am going to read one page and we'll 
discuss the connections they are making to their lives. I read a page, 
then give a teacher example, then the students make connections.

Page one -

When I was young in the mountains,

Grandfather came home in the evening

Covered with the black dust of a coal mine.

Only his lips were clean, and he used them

to kiss the top of my head.

I model making a connection (text to self). My dad was a volunteer 
fireman. When he came home from fighting a fire, he was covered in soot 
and ashes. He always had a kiss for the top of my head no matter how 
covered in ash he was. He would strip down to white underwear and go 
take a bath.

The students then share their connections of how they great their 
parents when they come home from work.

I then read the next page. Share a connection and let the children 
share 
their connections to this second page. Continue with this pattern until 
the book as been fully shared.

After completing the book, the children then write in a reading 
response 
journal. I use the following sentence starter to get them writing about 
the book:

When I Was Young in the Mountains reminded me of....

After 5-7 minutes of writing, the children sit in a circle and share 
their memories.