The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds Activities and Comprehension Questions

Do your students struggle with a growth mindset? The Dot is a great picture book to promote perseverance, self-reflection and having the confidence to give something a go. Read on to find The Dot activities and comprehension questions.

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds is a cumulative picture book that deals with self-esteem, perseverance, growth mindset, and creativity. It is also a great book to teach about:

inspiring others
celebrating differences
having the confidence to give something a go
open-mindedness
self-reflection
character traits
point of view

The Dot Summary

At the end of art class, Vashti stares at her blank piece of paper. Her teacher encourages her to make a mark to “see where it takes you”. She angrily jabs the paper with her pencil and makes a dot. She is surprised when her teacher asks her to sign it and then hangs it on the wall of the art room.

The encouragement from her teacher leads Vashti to make a better dot, and then another and another. She gains pride and confidence in her artistic abilities and displays all her dot artwork at the school art show. She sees a young boy admiring her work and he tells her how he can’t draw. Vashti encourages the boy, as her teacher did to her, to “make a mark and see where it takes you.”

Scroll down for The Dot activities, discussion questions and videos.

The Dot by Peter Reynolds
Illustrator: Peter Reynolds
Publisher: Walker Books (2004)
ISBN: 9781844281695

Book Series

The Dot (1); Ish (2); Playing From the Heart (3)

Related Books

Ish by Peter Reynolds
Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr Seuss
Thank You, Mr Falker by Patricia Polacco
Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Bob the Artist by Marion Deuchars

The Dot Activities & Resources

I have created literacy graphic organizers for The Dot. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for:

Author’s Purpose
Cause & Effect
Character Traits and Analysis
Comprehension Questions and Writing Prompts
Inferring and Predicting
Main Idea and Theme
Making Connections
Point of View
Problem and Solution
Retelling, Sequencing and Summarizing

*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.

External The Dot Activities & Links

Candlewick Press: Creatrilogy Classroom Guide
The Highland Council: Equality and Diversity Lesson Plan
‘The Dot’
Peter Reynolds Official Website
Prindle Institute for Ethics: Guidelines for Philosophical Discussion
Reading is Fundamental: Support Materials
Read Works: The Dot 1st Grade Unit
Teaching Ideas: Teaching Ideas and Resources
Walker Books: International Dot Day Classroom Guide

FREE The Dot Graphic Organisers

Would you like free graphic organisers for The Dot?

I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!

Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.

The Dot Read-Aloud Questions

Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.

What do you think Peter H. Reynolds wants us to learn from reading The Dot?
Describe the problem faced by Vashti and how it was solved.
How did the illustrations help you understand Vashti and her emotions?
How did Vashti's mindset change throughout the story?
What did Vashti learn from her experience?
Do you think Vashti’s first dot was art, or did it only become art when it was signed and framed? Why/why not?
What do you think would have happened if the teacher hadn’t framed her art?
Why did seeing her first dot displayed encourage her to create better dots?
Look through the book to see how Vashti’s emotions change throughout the story.
What was the main event that helped Vashti feel better about her art? Explain.
Explain why Vashti encouraged the boy to make his mark?

You can find a full set of 64 comprehension questions for The Dot available in my TPT Store.

The Dot Book Videos

Books by Peter H. Reynolds

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