World Reading Week

This week we celebrated reading in a variety of ways.  The entire school read the book Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, and we discussed many ways we could display kindness to others.  Students in class have created a kindness box which they will fill with observations of kind acts they witness.  Each day we had a special guest reader. 

Mrs. Vozzella came and read Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs by Tomie DePaola.  She shared a lot of connections with the students about her own grandmother and great-grandmother.

 

 

Mrs. Higginbottom read Possum Magic by Mem Fox.  She also brought maps of Australia, the setting of the story, as well as pictures of foods enjoyed in that country.

 

 

Mr. Higginbottom read a book he loves to read with his granddaughter,  Howard B. Wigglebottom by Howard Binkow. 

 

 

 

 Mrs. Wolf came to read one of her favorite stories, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. 

 

 

 Mrs. Ristaino read her granddaughter's favorite book, The Sea Chest by Tony Buzzeo, as well as The Luckiest Kid on the Planet by Lisa Campbell Ernst, in honor of Saint Patrick's Day.

 

 

 

All of the readers shared their love of reading, and the children had a wonderful time!

 

Lastly, the children are deep into book discussion groups.  There are five different groups in the classroom, each reading a different story.  Right now we are reading The Haunting of Third Grade, Invisible in Third Grade, Jake Drake Bully Buster, The Chocolate Touch, and Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One.  Students are reading independently and then meeting every other day to hold a discussion about their book.

 

I have seen a huge increase in stamina over the course of the year.  As the children increase their reading, real progress is being seen as well.  Please make sure that they continue to read nightly to reinforce strategies learned during the day.