Storyboard That: Henry and Mudge Text Connection Activities

Q: What are text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections in reading?

Text-to-text connections relate a story to another book or text, text-to-self connections link the story to your own experiences, and text-to-world connections tie the story to real-world events or situations. These strategies help students deepen comprehension and relate personally to what they read.

Q: How can I teach students to make connections using Henry and Mudge?

Start by reading Henry and Mudge: The First Book together. Ask students to find examples that remind them of another book, their own lives, or something happening in the world. Guide them to write or draw their connections using a T-chart for clarity.

Q: What is a simple activity for teaching text connections to 2nd or 3rd graders?

Have students use a T-chart to list scenes from Henry and Mudge on one side and their own connections (to another text, themselves, or the world) on the other. Let them illustrate each connection to make the lesson engaging and visual.

Q: Can Henry and Mudge be used for SEL or social-emotional learning lessons?

Yes, Henry and Mudge stories are great for social-emotional learning. They explore friendship, empathy, loss, and reunion , giving students opportunities to reflect on their feelings and relate them to the characters' experiences.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Student Rubric

Lesson Plan Overview

Text Connections
Text to Text	Connection that reminds you of something in another book or story
Text to Self	Connection that reminds you of something in your life.
Text to World	Connection that reminds you of something happening in the world.

Making connections is a very important skill to acquire and perfect. Henry and Mudge: The First Book is a great story for students to connect on many different levels. In this activity, students will be making text to text, text to self, and text to world connections. Students should choose which connection they want to make first and work to write a narrative for that. Once all three connections have been made, students can work on their illustrations.

TEXT TO TEXT

Text: In Henry and Mudge: The First Book, Mudge likes to smell everything. "He smelled his lemon hair. He smelled his milky mouth. He smelled his soapy ears. He smelled his chocolate fingers."
Text: In Henry and Mudge: The Starry Night, Mudge likes to smell. "Mudge loved to hike and smell. He smelled a raccoon from yesterday. He smelled a deer from last night. He smelled an oatmeal cookie from Henry's back pocket.”

TEXT TO SELF

Text: Mudge likes Henry's bed. He likes to climb in with him. "But mostly he loved Henry's bed. Because in Henry's bed was Henry. Mudge loved to climb in with Henry. Then he loved to smell him."
Self: My cat Hazel loves to cuddle with me in my bed.

TEXT TO WORLD

Text: Mudge gets lost. Henry is very sad and looks for him. Finally, they are reunited.
World: On the news there was a story about a young boy who was reunited with his dog after it was missing for a whole year.

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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with Henry and Mudge. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.

Click "Start Assignment".
Identify parts of Henry and Mudge that you connect with.
Parts from Henry and Mudge go on the left side. The connections you make go on the right side.
Create an image for each connection using scenes, characters, items, and text boxes.
Write a description of how the text relates to another text, the world, and you.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 2-3

Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment Individual

Type of Activity: T-Charts

Switch to: Common Core • Arizona • California • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • Iowa • Kansas • Maryland • Massachusetts • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • North Carolina • Ohio • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Texas • Utah

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Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Text Connections

Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with the text: Text to Text, Text to World, & Text to Self.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Text Connections	Student made and labeled all three text connections correctly.	Student made and labeled two text connections correctly.	Student made and labeled one text connection correctly.
Examples of Connections	All examples of connections support understanding of text.	Most examples of connections support understanding of text.	Most examples of connections do not support understanding of text or are difficult to understand.
Illustration of Examples	Ideas are well organized. Images clearly show the connections student made with the text.	Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the connections student made with the text.	Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Text Connections
Text to Text	Connection that reminds you of something in another book or story
Text to Self	Connection that reminds you of something in your life.
Text to World	Connection that reminds you of something happening in the world.

TEXT TO TEXT

Text: In Henry and Mudge: The First Book, Mudge likes to smell everything. "He smelled his lemon hair. He smelled his milky mouth. He smelled his soapy ears. He smelled his chocolate fingers."
Text: In Henry and Mudge: The Starry Night, Mudge likes to smell. "Mudge loved to hike and smell. He smelled a raccoon from yesterday. He smelled a deer from last night. He smelled an oatmeal cookie from Henry's back pocket.”

TEXT TO SELF

Text: Mudge likes Henry's bed. He likes to climb in with him. "But mostly he loved Henry's bed. Because in Henry's bed was Henry. Mudge loved to climb in with Henry. Then he loved to smell him."
Self: My cat Hazel loves to cuddle with me in my bed.

TEXT TO WORLD

Text: Mudge gets lost. Henry is very sad and looks for him. Finally, they are reunited.
World: On the news there was a story about a young boy who was reunited with his dog after it was missing for a whole year.

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with Henry and Mudge. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.

Click "Start Assignment".
Identify parts of Henry and Mudge that you connect with.
Parts from Henry and Mudge go on the left side. The connections you make go on the right side.
Create an image for each connection using scenes, characters, items, and text boxes.
Write a description of how the text relates to another text, the world, and you.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 2-3

Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment Individual

Type of Activity: T-Charts

Copy Activity

Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Text Connections

Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with the text: Text to Text, Text to World, & Text to Self.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Text Connections	Student made and labeled all three text connections correctly.	Student made and labeled two text connections correctly.	Student made and labeled one text connection correctly.
Examples of Connections	All examples of connections support understanding of text.	Most examples of connections support understanding of text.	Most examples of connections do not support understanding of text or are difficult to understand.
Illustration of Examples	Ideas are well organized. Images clearly show the connections student made with the text.	Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the connections student made with the text.	Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand.

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How Tos about Henry and Mudge - Connections with the Text

How to facilitate a rich classroom discussion about text connections

Encourage students to share their text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections aloud. When students discuss their connections, they deepen comprehension and learn from peers’ perspectives.

Set clear expectations for respectful listening

Model active listening and remind students to listen without interrupting. This ensures everyone feels valued and builds a positive classroom community.

Prompt students with open-ended questions

Ask questions like “Can anyone relate to that connection?” or “Has anyone read a story with a similar event?” These prompts help students think critically and connect more deeply with the text.

Use visual aids to support discussion

Display a T-Chart or storyboard for students to reference. Visuals help students organize thoughts and participate more confidently in class discussions.

Celebrate diverse perspectives

Acknowledge different types of connections and praise unique ideas. This boosts student confidence and encourages richer, more meaningful discussions.

Frequently Asked Questions about Henry and Mudge - Connections with the Text

What are text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections in reading?

Text-to-text connections relate a story to another book or text, text-to-self connections link the story to your own experiences, and text-to-world connections tie the story to real-world events or situations. These strategies help students deepen comprehension and relate personally to what they read.

How can I teach students to make connections using Henry and Mudge?

Start by reading Henry and Mudge: The First Book together. Ask students to find examples that remind them of another book, their own lives, or something happening in the world. Guide them to write or draw their connections using a T-chart for clarity.

What is a simple activity for teaching text connections to 2nd or 3rd graders?

Have students use a T-chart to list scenes from Henry and Mudge on one side and their own connections (to another text, themselves, or the world) on the other. Let them illustrate each connection to make the lesson engaging and visual.

Why is making connections in reading important for young students?

Making connections helps young readers better understand stories, retain information, and develop empathy. It encourages active reading and makes learning more meaningful by linking new ideas to what they already know.

Can Henry and Mudge be used for SEL or social-emotional learning lessons?

Yes, Henry and Mudge stories are great for social-emotional learning. They explore friendship, empathy, loss, and reunion, giving students opportunities to reflect on their feelings and relate them to the characters' experiences.