Sarah Jane Hartwell, like a lot of us, has some first day jitters and does not want to leave the house. This story is a great read and is relate-able. Not only students but also teachers can relate to this story. This book can be used as an ice breaker for the first day of class; also for the teacher and the students as they get to know each other.

LEXILE: AD520L

Reading level and Leveling System:

Guided Reading: L

Lexile Measure: AD520L

Sarah Jane Hartwell is hiding under her covers and does not want to go to school. Mr. Hartwell reminds her how much she liked her other school and asks her to think of all the new friends she'll meet. Mr. Hartwell finally gets Sarah to stumble out of bed and get into the car. At school, the principal welcomes her and takes her to the classroom where she is introduced as "Mrs. Sarah Jane Hartwell," the new teacher. This book is great to read on the first day of school. It shows the students that even the teacher is nervous about the first day of school. A first day jitters bulletin board would be a great activity to accompany this book. As students arrive on the first day of school have the students write on a note card something they are nervous or excited about for the new school year or the first day of school. Before reading the story the teacher can anonymously read the students responses aloud to the whole class. After the story is read and the students find out it was the teacher who was so nervous about the first day of school, the teacher could then reveal something she is nervous about. This activity shows the students everyone can be nervous about the first day of school even the teacher.   

This is the one of the best back to school books there is! The main character of this story is SO nervous for her first day of school. Her dad has to encourage her and help her get to school, despite her many protests. However, the reader gets a BIG surprise when they finds out that the main character is actually the teacher who is so nervous for her first day! This book helps show students that we as teachers are just as nervous for our first day of school as they are for theirs and helps relate everyone in the classroom. A fun activity that you could do with this book, is having everyone write down their feeling about the first day of school on an index card ( or for younger grades pick a word out of pre-made stacks) and creating a class  collage to compare how everyone is feeling. I would then personally have my students do a short writing activity on what they learned from seeing how their classmates felt vs how they felt. Was it the same? Was it different? Did it relieve any anxiety seeing how else the rest of the class felt? 

Lexile Measure: AD502L

First Day Jitters is a book about a teacher who is scared to go to school on the first day of school. She misses her old school and plays all of the scenarios that could happen on her first day of class. She worries whether she will like this new school. The book provides a good laugh and children may find it reassuring that they are not alone in their anxieties about new situations. This book could be used in the classroom as a first day of class read. The book could also be used as an introduction to a writing activity  where the students get to write about their fears on the first day of school.  

Fiction

PreK-2

Level L

Brief Review:

First Day Jitters is about a girl named Sarah who is worried about her first day of school. A girl named Sarah who is fighting a man about getting out of bed to get ready for the first day of school because she is worried about starting over in a new school.

Idea of how it can be used in a classroom:

First Day Jitters could be used on the first day of school. The teacher could have the students sit in a circle and talk to each other saying what the hardest part coming to school was and how they were feeling about everything.

Reading Level & Leveling System:

Accelerated Reader

2.4; Second Grade Fourth Month

Book Rating:

I would rate this book a 5 because it shows that the students aren’t the only one nervous about the first day of school, even the teacher could be nervous! This shows the students it is okay to have emotions and to worry but that everything will be okay.