Opening a Book

Material
- A table and a chair
- A Book

Presentation

Introduction

Prepare a child’s table and place a book on it. Place a chair to sit on behind the table. Invite 3-4 children to come participate in your lesson by telling them you have something to show them. Show each child where exactly to sit and once the children are seated, you sit so that you can see them all, they all can see you, and yet you are not in front of them. Call their attention to the book on the table and tell them that you are going to show them how to open and close a book.

Opening

1. Stand up and sit in the chair at the table.
2. Place your left hand in your lap.
3. Place your right thumb at the top right corner of the book, just under the book cover.
4. Lift the book cover just slightly and place your other three right fingers under the edge of the book cover.
5. Slide your right fingers down the edge of the book cover until you reach the median.
6. Slide your right hand under the book cover (still near the edge), so it is vertical with your fingertips pointing to the top of the book.
7. Gently push the book cover to the left, thus opening the book.
8. Slide your right hand over to the middle binding of the book and press down gently to make sure the book stays open.
9. Remove your right hand.
10. Tell the children that the book is now open.

Closing

1. Tell the children that you will now close the book.
2. Place your left thumb under the top left corner of the book cover.
3. Lift the cover just a little and place your three other left fingers under the book cover.
4. Slide your fingers down the edge of the book cover until you reach the median.
5. Rotate your left hand so it is under the book cover (near the edge) and so your  left fingertips are pointing up.
6. Rotate your left hand to the right so the book cover is slowly closing.
7. Once the book is about 45° from the table, place your right hand flat on the inside part of the cover and exactly opposite your left hand.
8. Rotate your two hands to the right until your right hand is laying flat on the first page of the book.
9. Gently and slowly slide your right hand from under the book cover.
10. Remove your left hand from on top of the book cover.

Offer each child the opportunity to open and close the book.

Once they have all had a turn excuse them one at a time, making sure each child has thought of what he would like to de next.

Purpose

Direct: Care of the Environment: The child becomes aware of how to be gentle with books and is helped to respect his environment.  
 
Indirect: Coordination and carefulness in movements.

Points of Interests
Where to place your fingers when you are opening and closing a book.

Age
2 1/2 - 3 1/2

Note
When seating the children, make sure they will be able to see your movements on the table when you are opening and closing the book.