Teacher's Aide
Teaching Guide with the help of A.J.Raino’s, Lena Learns the World book suggestions for classroom use.
READ ALOUD
LLW book is wonderful read-alouds. Teachers may want to read a chapter per day followed by discussions on what was what happened, how did the characters feel and what would they have done in that situation.
INDIVIDUAL READING
During down time or free class times is an opportunity to read LLW quietly. Individual reading inspires use of imagination, understanding feels, learning new words while helping children to grow into confident, curious learners. Individual reading isn’t about being silent—it’s about being engaged. Kids laugh, wonder, relate, and sometimes even see themselves in the pages. It turns reading into an adventure instead of an assignment.
LITERATURE CONVERSATIONS
Arrange for four to six students to sit across from each other with a bit of distance to discuss the LLW book. By sharing their reactions, opinions, and feelings with their classmate, students will be more open to express their thoughts one on one with their classmates on Lena’s experiences. Another idea is to form smaller circles of children (for class of 12, put in 4 groups of 3 or 3 groups of 4). Each student shares their thoughts with three words to describe, How the book made them feel, how they related to characters in the book and What emotion could they relate to. Build on the words to create a group discussion for students to Listen, Think, Share, Respond kindly and Respect different views.
Parent's Tips
Parents, interest in reading to or with our children at home will lead and make sharing the book,
Lena Learns the World a family activity!
A good start to reading with our children is
Let your child take the lead
If they want to pause, ask questions, follow their curiosity. Engagement matters more than just getting the book completed.
Read together—even if they can read alone
Take turns reading pages or voicing characters. Shared reading builds confidence and keeps connection strong.
Ask “wonder” questions
Instead throwing questions at them like a quiz, try asking:
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“Why do you think they felt that way?”
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“What would you do in that situation?”
Question Jar—Kids write down curious questions, choose one to explore during storytime, then dive into a character-drawing activity where they illustrate how Lena feels and explain why. These simple moments extend reading time, spark meaningful conversations, and often inspire families to share their creations.
Let Lena Learns the World spark conversation.
Additional Nuggets
Reading does not end when the book closes—sometimes the best part is the talk afterward.
End on a positive note. Stop while they’re still interested. That leaves them excited to come back.
