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1. Together as a class, have the students brainstorm a list of different types of flowers. The teacher will write the names of the flowers on the board or large chart paper.
2. Tell the students that they are going to hear a story about a girl whose name is the same as the name of a flower.
3. Read aloud CHRYSANTHEMUM and afterwards discuss the story. Why didn't Chrysanthemum like her name? How did she feel at the end of the story? etc. 4. Tell the students that the fiction books are arranged on the shelves according to the first three letters of the author's last names. Explain that all of Kevin Henkes books are located on the 'H' shelf and the first three letters of his last name are 'H-e-n' . Explain that if the books were not in some type of order, it would be very difficult to find a particular book when they wanted it. 5. Have each student choose a paper flower cutout. Ask them to write the first three letters of their last name on the flower.
6. Direct the students to locate the easy fiction shelf that is labeled with the same letter as the first letter in their last name. Explain that if the students were authors, that is where their books would be found. Have the students tape the flower to the shelf. Do this activity with a few students at a time with the classroom teacher assisting the students. When everyone has placed a flower on the correct shelf, have all of the students stand by the shelf where his or her paper flower is.
7. Together, arrange the flowers in alphabetical order on the board. If more than one name begins with the same letter, explain how to alphabetize using the second and third letter in the name.
8. As a closing activity, have them line up in alphabetical order according to their last name.