Free Teacher Resources & Classroom Activities for Multicultural Books & Social-Emotional Learning
Teachers can use My Three Wishes as a powerful and sensitive entry point into a wide range of classroom topics that support both academic learning and emotional development.
The story naturally opens discussions about feelings, loss, and healing. Teachers can guide students to identify emotions such as sadness, hope, love, and acceptance. It helps children understand that grief is a process and that emotions can change over time.
This book is especially valuable for introducing the concept of loss in an age appropriate way. It allows teachers to talk about death, separation, or change with care and compassion, creating a safe space for students who may be experiencing similar situations.
Students can explore how characters feel and learn to recognize emotions in others. This builds empathy and encourages kindness, patience, and supportive behavior among peers.
Teachers can invite students to write their own wishes, stories, or reflections. Activities can include journaling, letter writing, or storytelling inspired by the themes of hope and healing.
The story encourages meaningful conversations. Teachers can ask open ended questions that allow students to express thoughts, listen to others, and build confidence in sharing personal ideas.
The book supports reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and inference. Students can analyze characters, setting, and theme while connecting the story to their own experiences.
Teachers can incorporate quiet reflection activities such as drawing, breathing exercises, or guided visualization based on the wishes in the story. This promotes calmness and emotional regulation.
Students can create visual representations of their wishes or emotions using drawing, painting, or collage. This helps children express feelings that may be difficult to put into words.
The story introduces themes such as selflessness, inner strength, and the importance of cherishing memories. Teachers can connect these ideas to everyday life and decision making.
Drama: Role play scenes to explore emotions
Ethics or Religion: Discuss life, loss, and meaning
Health: Talk about emotional wellbeing
Language Arts: Analyze story structure and themes
Using My Three Wishes in the classroom goes beyond reading. It becomes an experience that nurtures emotional intelligence, strengthens communication, and supports children through some of life’s most complex feelings.
Teachers can use the story to introduce:
• ailments, illness and injury
• selflessness and putting others first
• inferencing and guessing what happens next
• drawing upon previous experiences to discuss the story
• vocabulary related letting go, acceptance, and adaptation to life's challenges
Is My Three Wishes, A Fantasy Tale About Bereavement Serenity and Selflessness when Dealing With Loss. For Children 7 to 12 good for classroom reading?
Yes. The story is ideal for read-aloud sessions, life experience discussions, and describing one's feelings for elementary students.
The book is best suited for children ages 7 to 12 making it perfect for kindergarten through grade 6 classrooms.
Activities for Teachers
• Create a “My Three Wishes” wall where students draw their own three wishes
• Ask students to discuss things that tugged at their heartstrings
• Discuss proper and acceptable reactions related to emotions (cause and effect)
• Draw your favorite scene from the story
• Write about your family's losses or situations of bereavement
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