Peter Reynolds' The Dot is a beloved children's book that has sparked International Dot Day, a day devoted to the book as well as the themes it teaches. The book teaches students about growth mindset, the idea that intelligence and skill are not fixed but rather can be developed through hard work over time. This resource will provide you with the perfect starting place if you're planning for your classroom's Dot Day celebration.
1. Design a Paint Brush
In one scene of The Dot, we see Vashti with a paintbrush tied to a long pole. Her innovation allowed her to create beautiful pieces of art. Inspire your students to get creative with supplies by designing a new kind of paintbrush or just using non-traditional supplies to create.
Learn more: Momgineer
2. Dot Scavenger Hunt
Send students around the room to hunt for as many dots as they can find! This is a fun activity that is also low-prep for you.
Learn more: Hanging Around In Primary
3. Dance Along to The Dot Song
This video with motion guide will help your students sing and dance along to this catchy song about the inspirational story of Vashti and her dot.
Learn more: Emily Arrow
4. Candy Graphing
Keep the Dot Day Spirit going in math class. Give each student a handful of colorful dot-shaped candies (Skittles or M&Ms will do). Then have them count the amount of each color candy they have and graph it on a bar graph. This is a great way to make counting fun.
Learn more: Hanging Around in Primary
5. Anchor Chart Analysis
The Dot is such a simple yet powerful text making it the perfect story for deeper analysis using the first, next, then, last sequence. You can use this work as a preview with older students before reading harder content.
Learn more: Alina Warren
6. Jelly Beads STEM Activity
Using beans that grow in water, have students make predictions about what will happen to the beans when they touch the water. Then have them confirm if their hypothesis was correct. This is a great dot STEM activity to practice these crucial skills of scientific experimentation.
Learn more: First Grader At Last
7. Dot Glue Practice
Your youngest learners can always use gluing practice so why not incorporate it into Dot Day? Give students a sheet with several dots that they have to neatly cover with glue. This activity builds students' fine motor skills and executive functioning.
Learn more: First Grader At Last
8. Salt and Watercolor Dots
For another clever STEM tie-in, have students paint watercolor dots and sprinkle them with salt to analyze how quickly the salt absorbs the liquid. This effect will create lovely textured artwork to hang up on a Dot Day bulletin board.
Learn more: Jenny Knappenberger
9. Wax Resist Dots
Have students draw a design with a white crayon. This will act as the wax that the watercolor will resist. Then have them paint colorful circles with watercolors. The wax will show up as white. Have a class discussion about why that effect may happen.
Learn more: Jenny Knappenberger
10. Make Your Mark Communal Poster
This beautiful idea has students contribute to a communal poster with the words Make Your Mark written along the edges. The only rule is that they have to leave space for their classmates to also draw. This will lead to a display-worthy poster for your classroom.
Learn more: Jenny Knappenberger
11. What Can You Make With a Dot?
Give students a collection of Dots candies and toothpicks. Their challenge is to create a unique structure using only those supplies. You can also hold a competition to see whose structure gets the highest without falling. This kind of group effort is great for teaching esteem, perseverance, growth mindset, and collaboration.
Learn more: Carly and Adam
12. The Dot Bridge
In this lesson plan idea, students have to create a bridge that holds several washers using only popsicle sticks and dot stickers. This is a great extension activity to pair with a unit on engineering or bridges.
Learn more: Carly and Adam
13. Dot Bulletin Board
Start your youngest learners out with reading the book then painting dots on a piece of paper. Frame their artwork on a swirly gold bulletin board just like Vashti's teacher does in the book. Discuss the importance of trying new things, even when they feel difficult.
Learn more: Framed in Swirly Gold
14. Coffee Filter Dots
Invite students to experiment with mixing colors in this fun art project. Students will layer colors using simple Crayola markers and then watch as the colors blend together when sprayed with water. Hang up the dried coffee filters to make a colorful display.
Learn more: Kitchen Table Classroom
15. Goal Setting With The Dot
After reading the text, have students discuss what they find tough academically. Then have them brainstorm solutions for overcoming their challenges. This is a great way to reset goals in January.
Learn more: Conversations In Literacy
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