There is just something magical about a snow day. Whether it’s an unexpected day off or a planned cozy winter morning, snow days create the perfect opportunity to slow down, snuggle up, and share a great book together. For teachers, snow days (or snow-themed days when school is still in session) are the ideal time […]
As we prepare to ring in a new year, it’s a great time to press pause in the classroom. We can pause and reset, realign ourselves with what is best for our students, and teach our little humans how to set fresh goals and welcome in new beginnings and growth! My favorite way to spark […]
If you’re planning a gingerbread unit, holiday theme week, or simply want to bring seasonal fun to your literacy block, gingerbread read alouds are the perfect way to bring excitement and meaningful literacy work into your classroom. These stories are filled with engaging storylines and many opportunities for teaching our readers how to think about their reading–what […]
November brings about a lot of warmth and excitement to the classroom, especially in reading! From turkeys to family to thankfulness these November topics are always engaging for budding readers. When it comes to November read alouds, there are many to choose from that help you build strong readers with reading comprehension skills. Because there […]
Spring is the perfect time to refresh your read aloud collection with engaging books that inspire curiosity and deepen comprehension. By pairing quality spring read alouds with targeted reading strategies during your, you can create meaningful read aloud lessons that strengthen your students’ literacy skills. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite books perfect for […]
St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th every year! It’s the perfect time to grab a St. Patrick’s Day read aloud for your classroom. There are many read alouds that are great to help teach about the holiday and students are sure to be engaged as they listen to silly stories of leprechauns, non fiction books […]
February is full of so many holidays and is such a short month. There are many great books to read aloud in your classroom this month, including Presidents Day read aloud books. You have that teach about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and favorite read alouds that teach us what an election is, what makes […]
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and there are so many great Valentine’s Day books to read aloud in your classroom. There are so many warm stories that teach about kindness and love. Others that teach about friendship and classroom community, too. Let’s look at some favorite read alouds you can read in your […]
Every February 2nd, children wake up with one question, “Did the groundhog see his shadow?” It’s such a fun day that is rich in history and perfect for a groundhog day read aloud. I have vivid memories as a child of the excitement of the day as I watched the news to see what they […]
Read aloud lessons with read aloud strategies are one of the most magical moments in a classroom. They allow teachers to model fluency, introduce new vocabulary, and model the pure joy of reading rich stories. However, keeping little learners engaged during read alouds can sometimes feel like herding cats, especially in this tech world with […]
Most of us, as teachers, really enjoy reading aloud to our students. We love it! They love it! It’s a win! The science of reading research has shown us how children learn to read and the best practices for teaching reading. Reading aloud to kids is a powerful tool that aligns well with these evidence-based […]
Are you looking for engaging activities to help your growing readers understand the concept of comparing and contrasting characters in books? Look no further! In this blog post, we’ll explore some fun and creative activities to make this important literacy skill come alive in your classroom. Plus, I have a free download of an event […]
Patriot Day is a significant day of remembrance, and introducing it to our little learners can feel tricky. We want it to be done thoughtfully. One way to do this is through carefully chosen Patriot Day activities such as read alouds. Using stories that explain the importance of unity, bravery, and compassion helps students understand […]
It’s September and school has settled in, your routines are becoming solidified, and it air starts to get cooler. I truly love to welcome September into the classroom because the pace of our day seems to find its rhythm, especially with fall read alouds. We are busy with centers as we get ready for reading […]
When I was in the classroom, I always wanted to help meet each student where they were and move them forward in reading and writing. We all do, right? But there is so much to get done in one school day. It often feels like there’s too much to do and not enough time for […]
While the month of April may not feel as packed with fun holidays as some months, there are still a lot of holidays and themes we can bring into the classroom to integrate into science and social studies. There’s spring, Earth Day, and Easter (even if it’s in the form of bunnies and chicks). One […]
No matter what grade you teach in elementary, helping students develop strong social-emotional skills is always a part of your unspoken curriculum. Helping our young students grow into confident, kind adults can be done in so many different ways. One of my favorite ways to do this is to use books to teach social skills. […]
February sure has lots of fun holidays and events to celebrate – Groundhog Day, President’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. The list goes on. But do you know what we can celebrate on February 1st? World Read Aloud Day! World Read Aloud Day is a day to celebrate the power of reading aloud and sharing stories. […]
