Remembering Discussion Questions During Interactive Read Alouds

I put a lot of thought into the questions I ask students while I’m reading aloud to them. Some counselors may be able to remember which page to ask which questions on, or be able to come up with amazing ones on the spot, but I’m just not there yet. I want to be purposeful not just about the content of the questions, but also the pacing (too many all at once and the students become disengaged from the story) and the timing and the quantity.

In an effort to remember my book discussion questions from class to class (and from year to year!), I use these SUCK UK Transparent Bubble Shaped Sticky Notes on the pages. I love them with such a fervor that I probably should have included them in my Must Haves – “Stuff” post! I write the discussion questions on the note and stick it right on the page in the book on the bottom corner. If there’s any previewing/scaffolding questions, I put the note on the front cover. For questions once the story is done, the note goes on the back cover. It’s also so handy to have these when I’m pulling a book off my shelf to read
with individual students in individual counseling. Sometimes those books are less used and less fresh in my memory.

Bonus: The stickiness level on these bad boys is perfection. You know what I mean…they stay stuck on but are also completely repositionable and removable. Win!