Looking for some fun ways to celebrate Read Across America Week? I am the librarian/tech or STEM teacher (I actually call it STREAM– Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, Math) in a K-8 school. It can be tricky to find something that appeals to all students K-8, but everyone participated in these fun activities this year!
Bookmark Contest
We had a school-wide bookmark contest! The winning bookmarks are above. Students had to design a bookmark that had something to do with reading. I hung up all the bookmarks in the following categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8. We also have a homeschool program, so I had a category for homeschool as well. I used masking tape to hang the bookmarks and numbered each bookmark on the masking tape starting with #1 in each category. I made a google form and added the number for each bookmark as a multiple choice option. I sent the google form to students on google classroom and gave them a week to vote for their favorites in each category. A google form automatically gives you the percentage for all the votes, so it's easy to find the winner!
Rewards: Our school has a dress code (solid color polos and solid color pants or skirts), so as reward, I gave every student who entered a dress down pass (they can wear whatever they want for one day). The winners in each category got a dress down pass, a full size candy bar, and we made copies of their bookmark for everyone in their category. For example, all kindergarten and first grade students got a copy of the winning bookmark for K-1. We announced the winners at a school assembly and passed the bookmarks out for students to use during Read Across America Week.
Spirit Week + 'Silly' Ways to Read
Of course a Read Across America Week wouldn't be complete without some spirit days! We added a little novelty and fun to those spirit days by having 'silly' ways to read all week. Classrooms made reading goals for the week, and if the class met that goal, they got to 'silly' string the principal on Friday! (PLEASE NOTE: Our school voted to celebrate Read Across America one week later than usual because it was the week before spring break. That is why the dates on the flier above don't match the actual dates of Read Across America).
Monday: Fox in Socks – Wear crazy socks, and take your shoes off to read with your feet on your desk!
Tuesday: Thing 1 and Thing 2– Twin day! Dress like someone else, your 'twin' for the day (or dress like several others--it could even be as a whole class that dresses alike!) and buddy read that day!
Wednesday: Hop on Pop– Wear athletic gear, i.e. sweats, gymnastics or work out clothes and read on top of your desk!
Thursday: Cat in the Hat–Hat Day! Wear your favorite hat and read outside (weather permitting)!
Friday: Sleep Book– PJ Day! Wear your PJs and build a reading fort with blankets and desks and read with a flashlight!
Teachers made reading goals for their classes that were age appropriate such as: a certain number of minutes read each day, a certain number of books read or read alouds in class, a certain number of reading assignments completed. The teachers picked a goal with their class and hung their goal sheet on their door so we could all see their class's progress throughout the week. Having silly ways to read in order to reach their goal helped keep things novel and fun (especially the week before Spring Break!). How did you celebrate Read Across America Week?
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience, for which I do receive commissions when a purchase is made, but at no cost to you.
Thursday March 2nd, 2017 is Dr. Seuss's birthday and Read Across America Day. Are you ready? I made QR codes for 8 videos of Dr. Seuss stories. Your students can use them at a listening center. I like to put the QR code inside the book so they can follow along.
How would you describe the main
characters in the story? What is he/she like? What
did he/she do in the story to make you describe the character this way?
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How did the character (Sam I am) respond to the problem? (He could not get the other character in the story to eat green eggs and ham) Why did he/she act this way? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.2.3, 3.3, 4.3
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words in the text rhyme? How
does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words provide the text with regular beats? How does it effect the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which lines in the
text repeat?
How does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS
RL.2.4
The Sneetches
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the theme of this story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the central message,
lesson, or moral
of the story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.1.1, 2.2, 3.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
When did this story take place?
What evidence from the text makes you think so?
CCSS RL.1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1
(It could be argued that this story is taking place today. We have problems in the world today that could be compared and contrasted to this story. It could also be argued that it took place in the past. This story could be compared and contrasted with reasons that war broke out in the past.)
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Why do you think the author
wrote this text?
CCSS
RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.1
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Describe
the overall structure of the story:
•Beginning
introduces the story
•Setting
•Major
Events
•Ending
concludes the story
CCSS
RL.1.3, 2.5
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Does any part of this book
(characters, settings, problem, theme, plot) remind you of another story? How?
Use evidence from both texts to support your answer.
CCSS
RL1.9, .2.9, 3.9
(This story's plain belly Sneetches could be compared to the character The Lorax. Both characters have an opinion that is not very popular and they are not treated well due to their beliefs.)
The Zax
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How would you describe the main
characters in the story? What is he/she like? What
did he/she do in the story to make you describe the character this way?
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the theme of this story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the central message,
lesson, or moral
of the story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.1.1, 2.2, 3.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How did the character respond to
the problem? Why did he/she act this way? Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.2.3, 3.3, 4.3
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Would you respond in the same way
as
the character in this story? Why or why not?
CCSS
RL.3.6
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Why do you think the author
wrote this text?
CCSS
RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.1
Ten Apples Up On Top
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words in the text rhyme? How
does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words provide the text with regular beats? How does it effect the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which lines in the
text repeat?
How does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS
RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Record yourself
reading the text aloud (or part
of the text) and use different voices for each character.
CCSS
RL.2.6
Dr. Seuss' ABC
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words provide the
text with alliteration?
How does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS
RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words provide the text with regular beats? How does it effect the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which lines in the
text repeat?
How does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS
RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Record yourself
reading the text aloud (or part
of the text) and use different voices for each character.
CCSS
RL.2.6
Hop on Pop
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words in the text rhyme? How
does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which words provide the text with regular beats? How does it effect the way you read it?
CCSS RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Which lines in the
text repeat?
How does that supply rhythm and meaning to the way you read it?
CCSS
RL.2.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Record yourself
reading the text aloud (or part
of the text) and use different voices for each character.
CCSS
RL.2.6
The Lorax
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How would you describe the main
character in the story? What is he/she like? What
did he/she do in the story to make you describe the character this way?
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the theme of this story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the central message,
lesson, or moral
of the story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.1.1, 2.2, 3.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How did the character respond to
the problem? Why did he/she act this way? Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.2.3, 3.3, 4.3
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Would you respond in the same way
as
the character in this story? Why or why not?
CCSS
RL.3.6
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What does this word or phrase from
the story mean? (Thneed)
What evidence from the text makes you think so?
CCSS RL.4.4
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Why do you think the author
wrote this text?
CCSS
RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.1
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Describe
the overall structure of the story:
•Beginning
introduces the story
•Setting
•Major
Events
•Ending
concludes the story
CCSS
RL.1.3, 2.5
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Who is telling the story?
How do you know? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.1.6, 2.6, 4.6
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How is
this story similar to another story? Use evidence from both texts to support
your answer.
CCSS RL.2.9, 3.9
(This book could be compared to Just A Dream by Chris Van Allsburg)
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Does any part of this book
(characters, settings, problem, theme, plot) remind you of another story? How?
Use evidence from both texts to support your answer.
CCSS
RL1.9, .2.9, 3.9
Horton Hears A Who
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How would you describe the main
character in the story? What is he/she like? What
did he/she do in the story to make you describe the character this way?
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the theme of this story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS RL.2.1, 3.1, 4.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
What is the central message,
lesson, or moral
of the story? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.1.1, 2.2, 3.2
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
How did the character respond to
the problem? Why did he/she act this way? Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.
CCSS
RL.2.3, 3.3, 4.3
Thoughtful Log Entry Question:
Would you respond in the same way
as
the character in this story? Why or why not?
