Skills Building: Trombone Shorty (PK - 5)

Pre- Reading Questions 

1. Perspective-taking is imagining yourself in someone else’s position and trying to feel how they might feel or react in a certain situation. Perspective-taking is strongly linked to empathy and is the skill you use when you “put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” 
2. Imagine you love to play a musical instrument and you practice very hard all the time. You love to play music and want to share your music with the world. Then one day, you are asked up on stage by a very famous performer to play your instrument! 
   1. How would you feel in that situation? (Remember: you are imagining from the person described perspective and their brain not from your own.)
   2. Now imagine it was you as you are now, how would you feel about going up on stage to play? (hint: have staff say how they would feel.)
   3. Would everyone feel the same way? Why do some people feel one way and other people feel another way?

Post- Reading Questions

1. In the story, we hear about how the artist, Trombone Shorty, got his nickname. Have you ever had a nickname? Put yourself in Trombone Shorty’s place, do you think he likes his nickname? 
2. When Trombone Shorty goes back to New Orleans, he keeps his eyes out for younger musicians who he can help out. Imagine you are Trombone Shorty, why do you think he pays such close attention to the younger musicians? How would one of the younger musicians feel if Trombone Shorty learned about them? 
3. Knowing what you’ve learned from the book, how do you think Trombone Shorty feels about his neighborhood? How would you feel if you were him?