So What is a Noun?

" Hill is a noun. Mill is a noun. Even Uncle Phil is a noun."
-A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What is a Noun?

Non-fiction books come in all shapes and sizes. The book, "A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink" is one of a series that introduces grammar concepts to kids in interesting and fun ways. This book introduces the concept of "a noun" to children using the traditional definition of "a person, place, or thing" but it elaborates on that definition in a sing-songy fashion. Other books in this series address proper nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. The series is written by Brian P. Cleary and illustrated by Jenya Prosmitsky.

The students of my second grade class have just started learning about nouns. The teacher introduced the concept by telling them the definition, and then having them make a list of people, places, things, and animals that they know. However, many of the students got stuck, and really had problems coming up with ideas. This book would be the perfect supplement to an introductory lesson because it provides students with all kinds of concrete examples of different kinds of nouns. The book ends with the question, "So what is a noun?" and this is the perfect lead-in a student-initiated discussion about nouns.