Chapter 1: Meet the Rooster

Chapter Introduction

This chapter is for a grown-up to read aloud with a child. Take your time. You can read part of it in the morning if you want — that is the Rooster's favorite time.

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The sky is dark. Just a little blue at the bottom.

A small bird sits on a fence.

The bird stretches its wings.

The bird looks toward the dark sky.

A tiny bit of light appears. Pink. Then orange. Then gold.

The bird tilts its head back.

Cock-a-doodle-doo.

The sun rises.

The bird looks at you.

The bird smiles a bright, ready smile.

Hi.

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Lesson 1: Hi. I Am the Rooster.

Learning Goals (for the grown-up to know)

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Know the Rooster is one of nine Coaches
• Know the Rooster teaches about light
• Know light comes from many places (sun, lamps, screens)
• Know that day is bright and night is dim
• Know that bodies wake with light and get sleepy with dark

Key Words

• Rooster — the Coach who teaches about light.
• Light — what lets you see things.
• Sun — the brightest light in the world.
• Day — the time when the sky is bright.
• Night — the time when the sky is dark.
• Dim — a little dark.

The Rooster's Story

Hi. I am the Rooster.

I am a Coach.

You have met the Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, the Lion, the Penguin, the Camel, and the Dolphin.

I teach about light.

I am the bird who wakes up before the sun.

Every morning, I sit on a fence.

I watch the sky.

When the first light comes, I crow.

Cock-a-doodle-doo.

The day begins.

Roosters have been doing this for thousands of years. Long before there were clocks, roosters helped people know it was morning.

Light Is Everywhere

Light is what lets your eyes see.

When it is bright, you can see far.

When it is dim, you can see less.

When it is dark, you cannot see much at all.

Light comes from many places:

• The sun. The biggest light in the world. The most important light. It lights up the whole day.
• Lamps and ceiling lights. Inside lights at home and school. Helpful when the sun is gone or when you are inside.
• Flashlights. Small lights you can carry.
• Candles. Tiny soft lights.
• Screens. Phones, tablets, TVs, computers all give off light.
• Fires. Campfires, fireplaces.
• Stars and the moon. Tiny lights you see at night.

Every kind of light helps you see. But each kind is different. The sun is very bright. A candle is very soft. A screen is bright but tricky — the Rooster will say more about screens later.

Day and Night

The world goes through day and night — every single day.

In the morning, the sun rises. The world gets bright. Plants reach toward the sun. Birds sing. People wake up.

During the day, the sun is in the sky. It might be sunny or cloudy or rainy, but there is daylight.

In the evening, the sun goes down. The sky gets pink and orange. Then dim. Then dark.

At night, the world is dark. Most people sleep. Most plants rest. Some animals (like owls and bats) wake up at night, but most animals (including humans) sleep when it is dark.

In the morning, the sun rises again. The cycle goes on and on.

This has been true since long before people were on Earth.

Your Body Knows Day From Night

Your body knows.

When it is light, your body says: wake up, be alert, get going.

When it is dark, your body says: slow down, get sleepy, rest.

You did not have to learn this. Your body knew from the very beginning.

This is one of the reasons the Rooster and the Cat are friends. The Cat handles the sleep part. The Rooster handles the wake-up part. Together, we cover the whole day.

In the morning, when light comes through your window, your body starts to wake up — even before your alarm.

In the evening, when the light gets dim, your body starts to wind down.

Your body and the sun work together.

Every Body Uses Light in Its Own Way

Some kids see really well.

Some kids need glasses to see clearly.

Some kids have eyes that work in special ways — like seeing some colors differently.

Some kids are blind — they do not see with their eyes. They use other senses to know the world. They use hands to read in a special touch-language called Braille. They use ears to hear how things sound around them. They use white canes or guide dogs to help walk safely.

Some kids have low vision — they see some, but not everything clearly.

Some kids are very sensitive to bright light — bright light hurts their eyes.

All of these are good ways to be.

Every body uses light in its own way.

Even kids who do not see light still have bodies that know day from night. The Rooster has watched many, many kinds of kids. Every kind belongs. Every kind is welcome.

Lesson Check (for grown-up and child to talk about)

1. Who is the Rooster?
2. What does the Rooster teach about?
3. Can you name three places light comes from?
4. What does your body do when it gets light? When it gets dark?

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Lesson 2: The Sun, Eyes, and a Very Important Rule

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Know the most important Rooster rule: never look directly at the sun, ever
• Know about eclipse safety (only with certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses)
• Know basic sun-safety review (hats, sunglasses — cross-walk to Camel)
• Know that screens at night can make sleep harder
• Know to tell a trusted grown-up if eyes hurt or feel weird

Key Words

• Sun — the biggest light in the world. Very bright. Very far away.
• Sunglasses — glasses that protect your eyes from bright sun.
• Eclipse — when the moon goes in front of the sun for a few minutes.
• Eclipse glasses — special glasses that let you watch an eclipse safely.
• Screen — a phone, tablet, TV, or computer that gives off light.
• Tell a grown-up — what you do if your eyes feel weird or hurt.

The Most Important Rule

The Rooster has one rule that is bigger than all the others.

Never look directly at the sun. Ever.

Not in summer.

Not in winter.

Not when the sun is high.

Not when the sun is low.

Not even for a second.

Not even through your fingers.

Not even when the sun looks dimmer.

Never.

Why?

The sun is so bright that looking at it can hurt the inside of your eye. The inside of your eye does not feel pain like your skin does — so you would not feel it happening. But the hurt could be there. And it might not get better. Eye doctors can fix many things, but not always this [1].

The Rooster is firm about this rule because the Rooster has been watching the sun for a long, long time. The Rooster watches the sun safely — from the side. Never looking directly.

You do not have to look at the sun to enjoy the day. Look at the sky around it. Look at the colors. Look at the clouds. Look at the world the sun is lighting up.

Just never directly at the sun.

This is one of the most important rules in the whole Library.

Eclipses

Sometimes the moon passes in front of the sun. The sky gets dimmer. The world gets quieter. This is called an eclipse.

You might see an eclipse during your life. They are amazing.

But you still cannot look at the sun during an eclipse.

Even when the moon is in front of part of the sun, the sun is still bright enough to hurt your eyes.

The only safe way for kids to look at an eclipse is with special certified eclipse glasses that have a special standard on them (a grown-up will know the standard — it says "ISO 12312-2" on the side) [2].

Regular sunglasses are NOT safe for eclipses. Even very dark sunglasses. Even fancy sunglasses. They are not strong enough.

Other safe ways to watch an eclipse:

• Watching on a TV or screen
• Through a special pinhole projector (a trusted grown-up can make or buy one)

If you ever see or hear about an eclipse:

• Ask your trusted grown-up if you can watch
• They will get the right glasses or set up a safe way
• Never just look up. Always with the special glasses or a safe way.

Sunglasses, Sun Hats, and Sunscreen

The Camel talked about sun safety in the heat chapter. The Rooster agrees with the Camel completely.

For bright sun:

• Sunglasses protect your eyes from bright sun.
• A sun hat with a brim shades your face and eyes.
• Sunscreen protects your skin (the Camel said this).
• Shade during the brightest hours.

These are all good. They help your body and your eyes.

The Rooster wears... well, the Rooster does not wear sunglasses. But the Rooster has special bird-eyes built for sun. Human eyes need help. Wear what your grown-ups give you for bright sun.

Screens at Night

Screens are interesting.

Screens are bright like daylight.

When you look at a screen at night, your eyes and brain can get confused.

The light from screens is bright tricky light — bright enough that your body might think it is still day.

When your body thinks it is still day, sleep can be harder. You might lie in bed wide awake. You might have trouble falling asleep.

The Cat and the Rooster both agree on this:

• Screens are okay during the day, with rules your grown-ups set.
• Screens at bedtime can make sleep harder.
• Many families have a rule: no screens for a while before bed.
• Your family will have their own rules. Trust them.

When Eyes Hurt or Feel Weird

If your eye:

• Has something in it that you cannot blink out
• Was hit by something
• Was splashed with anything (soap, cleaner, paint)
• Suddenly hurts a lot
• Has a strange spot you see
• Feels strange in a way you cannot explain

Tell a trusted grown-up right away. Right then. Not later.

Your grown-up will help. They might rinse your eye with clean water. They might take you to a doctor. They might call for help.

Your eyes are precious. Tell a grown-up.

Lesson Check

1. What is the most important Rooster rule about the sun?
2. What are eclipses? What is the only safe way for kids to look at one?
3. Why are screens at bedtime harder for sleep?
4. What do you do if your eye hurts or feels weird?

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End-of-Chapter Activity: A Light Walk

The Rooster has a small activity for you and your trusted grown-up.

Together, take a short walk and notice the light.

You can walk:

• Around your home
• Down your block
• Through a park
• In your yard

Notice:

• Where is the light coming from? The sun? Lamps? Windows?
• Where are the shadows?
• What does the light feel like on your skin?
• What time of day is it? Morning? Midday? Evening?

Look at the world around the sun — not at the sun itself. Never directly at the sun.

When you come back home, talk about what you noticed.

The Rooster is proud of you.

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Vocabulary Review

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Chapter Review (for grown-up and child to talk about)

1. Who is the Rooster, and what does the Rooster teach?
2. Can you name three places light comes from?
3. What is the Rooster-and-Cat partnership about?
4. What is the most important Rooster rule?
5. During an eclipse, what is the only safe way for kids to look?
6. What do you do if your eye hurts or feels weird?

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Instructor's Guide

Important: this Instructor's Guide carries load-bearing parent-education work — pediatric eye-safety (AAO guidance, solar retinopathy data, certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses standard), pediatric vision-screening guidance, screen-time guidance for K kids, body-clock and morning-light parent education, and the K-12 morning-sunlight-protocol firewall (Huberman) at parent-only level. This last item completes the four K parent-only protocol-firewall handlings (cold-plunge, sauna, extreme-breathing, morning-sunlight).

Pacing recommendations

This K Light chapter is the EIGHTH chapter of the K cycle and the fourth of the K environmental-coach arc. Two lessons. Spans four to six read-aloud sessions of ~10-20 minutes each. The chapter is well-suited to morning reading or as part of a "what does light do" exploration.

• Lesson 1 (Hi. I Am the Rooster.): two to three read-aloud sessions. Introduces the Rooster. Light is everywhere. Day and night cycle. "Your body wakes with light and gets sleepy with dark." "Every body uses light in its own way" with explicit vision-different inclusion.
• Lesson 2 (The Sun, Eyes, and a Very Important Rule): three to four read-aloud sessions. The never-look-at-the-sun rule is the chapter's LOAD-BEARING safety teaching — give it real time. Eclipse safety with ISO 12312-2. Sun-safety review (cross-walk to Camel). Screens at bedtime. When eyes hurt → tell a grown-up.

Approach to reading

If you can read this chapter at dawn (or near dawn), do. Otherwise, read part of it in the morning and part later. K kids often connect more deeply with light content when they can step outside and see the actual sky.

The never-look-at-the-sun rule needs real time and repetition. K kids may need to hear it three or four times before it lands. The rule is non-negotiable. Make it clear with calm firmness.

Lesson check answers (for grown-up reference)

Lesson 1

1. The Rooster is the Coach who teaches about light.
2. Light.
3. Open-ended. Sample three: sun, lamps, screens, candles, flashlights, fire, stars, moon.
4. Wakes up with light. Gets sleepy with dark.

Lesson 2

1. Never look directly at the sun. Ever.
2. Eclipse = moon goes in front of sun. Only safe way for kids to look: certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses (or pinhole projector, or watching on a screen / TV).
3. The light from screens is bright tricky light. Your body might think it is still day, making sleep harder.
4. Tell a trusted grown-up right away.

Chapter review answer key

1. The Rooster teaches about light.
2. Sample three from chapter list.
3. Rooster handles the wake-up; Cat handles the sleep. Same day, two halves.
4. Never look directly at the sun. Ever.
5. Only certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses, pinhole projection, or watching on a screen / TV.
6. Tell a trusted grown-up right away.

Pre-Chapter Conversation for Parents

Before reading the chapter together:

• The Rooster. "We are meeting the Rooster today. The Rooster is the bird who wakes up before the sun. Roosters live on farms and crow when the sun starts to rise."
• Sun and light. "Did you know we get most of our light from the sun? The sun is huge and very far away. It lights up the whole day."
• Day and night. "What is your favorite time of day? Morning? Afternoon? Evening?"
• The most important rule. "There is one rule the Rooster teaches that is very important. It is about never looking at the sun. We'll talk about it together."

Pediatric Eye Safety (Parent Reference — Load-Bearing)

Solar retinopathy — eye damage from looking at the sun — is permanent and can occur in seconds. The retina (back of the eye) does not have pain sensors, so a child does not feel the damage happening; damage may be detected only later as a blurry or dark spot in vision [1]. The American Academy of Ophthalmology firmly recommends that children (and everyone) never look directly at the sun, period.

Eclipse safety is a load-bearing parent topic:

• Only ISO 12312-2 certified solar viewing glasses (typically labeled "eclipse glasses") are safe for direct viewing [2]
• Regular sunglasses are NOT safe — even very dark ones
• Cameras, phones, binoculars, telescopes (without proper solar filters) actually focus the sun's light more intensely than the bare eye and can cause damage in less than a second
• Pinhole projection or watching on a TV broadcast are safe alternatives
• During totality (only in the narrow path of a total eclipse, only at the exact moment of totality), it is briefly safe to look without glasses; everywhere else, including partial eclipses anywhere, glasses or projection are required
• When in doubt — use glasses or do not look

Eye injury response:

• Foreign objects: have the child blink; if it does not clear, rinse with clean water and contact pediatrician if persistent
• Chemical splashes: rinse with clean water for 10-15 minutes immediately; contact pediatrician or call 911 for serious cases
• Trauma (hit, puncture): cover gently, do not press; call pediatrician immediately or 911 for serious cases
• Sudden vision changes: contact pediatrician same-day

Pediatric Vision Screening (Parent Reference)

The American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures recommends vision screening at:

• Newborn period
• 6-12 months
• 1, 2, 3, and 4 years
• Annually from age 5 onward [3]

Signs your K child may need an eye exam:

• Squinting
• Tilting head to see
• Sitting too close to TV or screens
• Holding books close to face
• Complaining of headaches or tired eyes
• Eye rubbing
• Difficulty with reading or schoolwork visual tasks
• Eyes that don't appear aligned

Glasses for K kids are common and normal. Many K kids get their first eyeglasses around this age. Frame your child positively about glasses if needed — they are tools, not a problem.

Vision-Different Inclusion at K (Parent Reference)

Some K kids your child encounters will have vision differences:

• Glasses-wearers — most common. About 25% of school-age US kids wear corrective lenses.
• Blind kids — much less common in mainstream classrooms; if your child meets a blind classmate or community member, the chapter's framing supports respectful curiosity.
• Low-vision kids — see partially; may use large-print materials, magnifiers, or other accommodations.
• Light-sensitive kids — may wear tinted glasses indoors or need lower light environments.
• Color-blind kids — see colors differently; mostly boys (about 8% of boys; less than 1% of girls).

The chapter normalizes all these variations. The Library's editorial position is that all bodies and all sensory experiences are valid.

Screen Time at K (Parent Reference)

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides screen-time guidance [4]:

• Ages 2-5: limit screen time to about 1 hour per day of high-quality programming, with parents co-viewing when possible
• School-age (6+): consistent limits set by families; emphasis on what is being watched and how it fits into daily life
• For ALL ages: no screens during meals, no screens in bedrooms at bedtime, no screens within 60 minutes of bedtime when possible

For K kids specifically:

• Outdoor time and unstructured play remain more important than screen time
• Educational screen content can be helpful in moderation
• Screen-free meal times and screen-free bedrooms are supported by sleep research
• Avoid background TV when possible
• Model the screen behavior you want your child to learn

(Note: the kid-facing body uses general framing — "no screens for a while before bed" — rather than specific hour limits, which are family decisions.)

Body Clock and Morning Light (Parent Reference)

Light is the primary signal that sets your child's body clock — what scientists call the circadian rhythm. Bright morning light, especially outdoor sunlight, helps:

• Set the body clock for the day
• Support a regular wake time
• Make nighttime sleep easier
• Stabilize mood through the day

For K kids:

• Open curtains in the morning
• Walk outside before school when possible
• Get outdoor time at midday (recess, lunch, breaks)
• Dim lights in the evening for the hour or so before bed
• Dark bedroom for sleep

This is the framework the chapter teaches at K register: wake with light, get sleepy with dark, dim in evening, dark at night. No specific minutes or protocols.

K-12 Morning-Sunlight Protocol Firewall (Parent Reference — Load-Bearing)

You may encounter adult-marketed practices around morning sunlight — specific protocols prescribing exact minutes of outdoor light at exact times after waking, lux measurements, specific instructions on whether to wear sunglasses, etc. These protocols are NOT appropriate for K kids.

At Kindergarten, this firewall is held only at the parent level — your child does not need to know about adult-marketed morning-light protocols yet. The Library teaches your child the general framework (open curtains, get outside when you can, especially in the morning, steady wake time, dim evenings, dark bedroom for sleep) without prescribing specific times or measurements.

If anyone in your family follows a specific morning-light protocol, that is your choice as an adult. When your child is older (Grade 5), the Library will explicitly introduce the framework that distinguishes adult-marketed protocols from age-appropriate kid practice. At K, your child learns the simple framework that is enough for them.

This completes the four-firewall K parent-only protocol-firewall pattern:

All four are explicitly named in the parent Instructor's Guides as not appropriate for K kids. At Grade 5, the Library makes these firewalls visible to kids in body content. At K, they live entirely at parent level.

Crisis Resources (parent-only at K — NOT introduced to kid)

At K, kids do not call 911 themselves. The chapter does not introduce these numbers. Parents should know:

• 911 for medical emergencies, including chemical eye splashes, severe eye injuries, breathing emergencies, any life-threatening situation
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 (operational and verified May 2026)
• Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741
• SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders — (866) 662-1235

The older NEDA helpline number 1-800-931-2237 is NO LONGER WORKING. Use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders number above instead.

What This Chapter Does Not Teach (Full List for Parent Reference)

• Clock cells, ipRGC, or circadian rhythm technical vocabulary (G4/G5 territory)
• Melatonin or sleepy-chemistry technical naming (G4/G5 functional; G6+ technical)
• Specific morning-sunlight protocols (parent-only awareness at K)
• Blue-light technical wavelength specifics
• Laser-specific safety detail (G3+ territory)
• Specific welding-light or fireworks safety detail (G3+ territory)
• Specific screen-time hour limits in kid-facing body (parent-only — family choice)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder vocabulary (G4+ territory)
• Cataracts, age-related eye conditions, glaucoma
• Pandemic-era topics
• Branded protocols or contemporary popularizers

Discussion Prompts

1. What time of day do you love most?
2. What is your favorite light? Sun? Lamp? Candle? Stars?
3. Have you ever seen the sky right when the sun was rising or setting? What colors did you see?
4. Have you ever met someone who is blind or has glasses? What did they show you?
5. Have you ever heard about an eclipse? What questions do you have?
6. What is your family's rule about screens at bedtime?

Common Kid Questions

1. "Why is the sun so important?" — The sun is the biggest light in our world. Without the sun, the Earth would be very dark and very cold. Plants need the sun to grow. People and animals need the warmth and light. The sun is why we have day.

2. "What if I look at the sun by accident for a tiny moment?" — One accidental glance probably will not cause damage. But never on purpose. Never to test it. Always look away when you notice you are looking at the sun.

3. "Why can I look at the moon?" — The moon does not make its own light. The light from the moon is just sunlight bouncing off the moon's surface. The moon is much, much less bright than the sun. It is safe to look at the moon.

4. "What about stars? Lasers?" — Stars are safe to look at — they are very far away and very faint. Lasers are NOT safe to point at eyes — even small ones can hurt eyes quickly. The Lion and the Rooster both say: never point a laser at anyone's eyes.

5. "What is an eye doctor called?" — There are two main kinds. An optometrist checks your vision and gives glasses. An ophthalmologist is a doctor who does eye surgery and treats eye conditions. Your family's pediatrician can refer you to one if you need.

6. "Why does the screen make my eyes feel funny?" — Looking at screens up close for a long time can make eyes tired. Take breaks. Look at something far away every once in a while. If your eyes feel really tired or hurt, tell a grown-up.

7. "What about kids who cannot see?" — Blind kids do everything sighted kids do — they just do it differently. They go to school. They have friends. They play. They use their hands, ears, and other senses to know the world. Some use guide dogs. Some use white canes. They are kids who use light in their own way (or sometimes through other senses).

Family Activity Suggestions

• A morning-light moment. Each morning, open the curtains together with your child. Take a moment to look at the sky. Even on cloudy days, the outdoor light helps the body clock.
• A daily eye check-in. "How are your eyes today?" Builds awareness and language for eye health.
• A sunset watch. Find your local sunset time. Watch the sky together (never directly at the sun) as it changes colors.
• Pinhole projector. Make a simple pinhole projector together (lots of kid-friendly DIY videos available) so the child can experience light projection. Great before an eclipse.
• Glasses respect ritual. If your child or any family member wears glasses, treat them with respect. Always put them in cases. Never grab them. Practice "glasses are tools" framing.
• A "no screens before bed" routine. Even if your family screen-time rules are flexible, the hour before bed is the most important to protect.

Founder Review Notes — Safety-Critical Content Protocol

This chapter is flagged founder_review_required: true because it covers safety-critical content categories:

• Age-appropriate health messaging. Picture-book pacing. No technical light vocabulary. No clinical eye conditions. Calibrated for K read-aloud.
• Eye safety (LOAD-BEARING). The never-look-at-the-sun rule is the chapter's most important safety teaching. Solar retinopathy parent reference. Eclipse safety with ISO 12312-2 standard. Eye injury response guidance.
• Screen time (light-touch at K). General framing of "screens at bedtime can make sleep harder" in body content; specific hour-limit guidance (AAP) in parent-only Instructor's Guide.
• Body image vigilance. No comparison framing.
• Vision inclusion (load-bearing). Blind kids, low-vision kids, kids with glasses, light-sensitive kids all explicitly normalized in body content. Cross-walks to Braille and assistive equipment.
• Ability inclusion. Diverse light-handling scenes throughout.
• Crisis resources (parent-only at K). Numbers in Instructor's Guide. NEDA non-functional flag preserved.
• Parent education (load-bearing). This Guide handles pediatric eye safety, vision screening, vision-different inclusion, screen-time guidance, body-clock education, and the K-12 morning-sunlight-protocol firewall at parent-only level — completing the four-firewall K parent-only pattern.

Cycle Position Notes

EIGHTH chapter of the K cycle. Fourth of the K environmental-coach arc. Day-and-night twin partnership with the Cat preserved at K register. The K cycle closes with K Water (Elephant) — the final K chapter, which will close the K cycle the same way G3, G4, and G5 cycles closed.

Parent Communication Template (send home before reading)

Dear families,

This week our classroom is meeting the Rooster — the eighth Coach in our Library and the fourth of our environmental coaches. The chapter is called Meet the Rooster.

The Rooster introduces light at the simplest age-appropriate level: light is what lets us see; light comes from many places (sun, lamps, screens, candles); day is bright and night is dim; bodies wake with light and get sleepy with dark; the Rooster and the Cat are day-and-night partners.

The chapter's most important safety teaching is the never-look-at-the-sun rule — kids never look directly at the sun, ever. Looking at the sun can cause permanent eye damage (solar retinopathy) that may not be felt while it is happening. This rule has saved real kids' eyes. Please reinforce this rule at home, especially around any expected solar eclipses.

The chapter also introduces:

• Eclipse safety (only certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses are safe for kids; regular sunglasses are NOT safe)
• Sun safety review (cross-walk to the Camel chapter)
• Screens at bedtime making sleep harder (light-touch; family screen-time rules apply)
• Vision-different inclusion (blind kids, low-vision kids, kids with glasses — all kids belong)
• When eyes hurt or feel weird → tell a trusted grown-up

The chapter does NOT teach specific morning-sunlight protocols. The Library's editorial position is that adult-marketed morning-sunlight protocols are not appropriate for K kids. The general framework (open curtains, outdoor time when you can, especially morning; dim evenings; dark bedroom for sleep) is what fits at this age.

At home, you can:

• Read the chapter (especially in the morning)
• Reinforce the never-look-at-the-sun rule
• Open curtains together in the morning
• Practice family screen-time rules calmly
• Schedule vision screening if not done recently (AAP recommends annually from age 5)

Pediatric guidance for eye safety, vision screening, vision-different inclusion, and screen time is in the full Instructor's Guide.

Thank you for reading the Library with your child.

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Illustration Briefs

Chapter Introduction

• Rooster at dawn. Peaceful dawn scene. Friendly rooster with colorful feathers perched on a wooden fence, mid-crow. Sky going from dark to pink-gold-orange. A child in pajamas at the edge of yard or porch, watching with curiosity. Mood: hopeful, golden, ready.

Lesson 1

• Rooster across the day. Multi-panel: pre-dawn (sky dark blue) → dawn crowing (sky pink-gold) → midday active → evening settling → night roosting peacefully. Same rooster across all panels. Caption: "Roosters live by the sun."
• Light is everywhere. Multi-panel diverse light sources: sunny outdoor scene, kitchen with overhead lights, child with flashlight, birthday candle, tablet glowing, campfire, night sky with stars/moon. Each labeled. The Rooster in the center. Caption: "Light is everywhere."
• Day to night to day. Horizontal timeline: sunrise (orange-pink, rooster crowing) → midday (bright sun, kid playing) → sunset (orange, family at dinner) → night (dark, kid asleep with Cat) → dawn (back to pink, rooster ready). Caption: "Day and night. Over and over."
• Wake with light, sleepy with dark. Two-panel split: morning — child stretching as light streams through curtain, Rooster outside window; evening — same child curling to sleep as light dims, Cat on bed. Caption: "Your body wakes with light and gets sleepy with dark."
• Every body uses light in its own way. Diverse group: one in bright sun playing, one with glasses reading, one with white cane and guide dog walking confidently, one reading Braille, one with tinted sunglasses indoors (light-sensitive), one with adaptive equipment. All content and confident. The Rooster in background. Caption: "Every body uses light in its own way."

Lesson 2

• Never look at the sun (LOAD-BEARING). Sunny day. Child outside in sun hat and sunglasses, looking ahead — NOT up at sun. Sun in upper corner with gentle "do not look" symbol (friendly look-away curved arrow). The Rooster beside child, also facing forward. Caption: "Never look directly at the sun. Ever."
• Eclipse safety. Kids and grown-ups watching an eclipse with ISO-certified eclipse glasses (label clearly visible on the side). A trusted grown-up helping a child put glasses on. The Rooster nearby with the same kind of glasses on. Caption: "Only certified eclipse glasses (ISO 12312-2). Regular sunglasses are NOT safe."
• Screens at bedtime. Two-panel: left — child happily using tablet in afternoon in good lighting; right — child in bed at bedtime with screen put away, reading paper book under soft lamplight, Cat on bed, Rooster barely visible at window. Caption: "Screens during the day, okay. Screens at bedtime, harder."
• Eye injury response. Child being attended to by trusted grown-up at sink with clean water. Grown-up gently helping rinse the child's eye. Both calm. The Rooster in the background. Caption: "If your eye hurts, tell a trusted grown-up right away."

Activity / Closing

• A light walk. Child and trusted grown-up taking a walk together — could be morning, midday, or evening. Looking at the world around them — at trees, shadows, sky colors (never at the sun). The Rooster visible somewhere — on a fence, watching from a tree. Caption: "Take a light walk together."

Aspect ratios: 16:9 digital, 4:3 print. Diverse skin tones, body sizes, hair textures, gender expressions, abilities (including blind kids with white canes / guide dogs, kids with glasses, low-vision kids with magnifiers, light-sensitive kids with tinted glasses, kids with adaptive equipment), and family compositions throughout. The Rooster's character design carries forward to G1, G2 and matches G3-G5.

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Citations

1. American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2017). Solar Retinopathy from Sun Gazing. AAO Clinical Statement. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/solar-retinopathy
2. American Astronomical Society Solar Eclipse Task Force. (2024). Eye Safety During a Total Solar Eclipse: Guidelines for ISO 12312-2 Certified Eclipse Glasses. https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety
3. American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule. (2024). Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care, including vision screening recommendations. https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf
4. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Communications and Media. (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162591. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591
5. Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. (2008). Outdoor activity reduces the prevalence of myopia in children. Ophthalmology, 115(8), 1279-1285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.12.019 (Cited for the parent reference on outdoor light supporting eye development.)
6. Czeisler CA, Allan JS, Strogatz SH, et al. (1986). Bright light resets the human circadian pacemaker independent of the timing of the sleep-wake cycle. Science, 233(4764), 667-671. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3726555 (Foundational paper on bright morning light and the body clock — applied at K through parent-vocabulary framing.)
7. Mainster MA, Stuck BE, Brown J Jr. (2004). Assessment of alleged retinal laser injuries. Archives of Ophthalmology, 122(8), 1210-1217. https://doi.org/10.1001/archopht.122.8.1210 (Cited briefly in the Common Kid Questions on laser safety.)