Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, first published in 1972, is still relevant with its message that even when a day feels terrible, horrible, no good, and very bad, it’s just a single day. This module uses drama and visual arts to explore big feelings and the connection between color and emotion. It provides space for students to empathize with story characters and peers, consider different perspectives, and engage in meaningful reflection about how we communicate our feelings.
Before you begin...
Each Artful Reading Module is flexibly designed for a 2-3 week duration.
Lessons are marked for Before-, During-, or After-Reading to guide your
planning. We have added a sample of a Before Reading lesson entitled I Heard Your Feelings for you to preview. Each lesson is designed in an easy to read format, with standards, materials needed, and step-by-step directions to ensure you are fully prepared when it’s time to deliver.
This module contains the following lessons:
- Ways to Feel
- I Heard Your Feelings
- I Heard Your Feelings Tableaux
- Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
- Bad Day Portraits
- I Think I’ll Move to Australia
- A Perfect Day
At the end of the module, you will find options for summative writing tasks and optional extensions that can stretch the module further.
Standards Matrix
For your reference, we have added images of the literacy standards matrix for this module.
Key Vocabulary
Feelings, Tableaux, Terrible, Horrible, Perfect, Australia
Note: This module is part of 2nd Grade: Series 2. The four modules in Series 2 collectively address all National ELA and Core Arts Standards.