Wednesday, March 7, 2012

World Read Aloud Day

March SOLC

Today is World Read Aloud Day. Our entire school stopped this morning to raise awareness about literacy. We all worked to wrap our minds around the idea that there are 793 million illiterate adults in the world. While we were recognizing how blessed we are a poem was read to the entire school and then every student, teacher, and staff member headed out onto the field for some reading time. The rest of the day was up to each teacher, though our superintendent did read aloud to each elementary grade level as a group. What did my day look like?

8 I started I Am In Charge Of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor
8:10 Poem to entire school
8:15 On the field with towels, hats, sunglasses, and books

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8:55 Back to our room to finish I Am In Charge Of Celebrations followed by independent reading time
9:30 Grade 5 gathered to hear our superintendent read A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech Illustrated by Harry Bliss
9:50 Back to our room for snack followed by independent reading time
10:15 Met with our 2nd grade buddies to read aloud bits of our own writing

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10:30 Independent reading
10:55 I read Fox In Socks by Dr. Seuss (One of my all time favorites!)
11:05 recess and lunch
11:45 Our usual time for Read Aloud - currently A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, which we are listening to an audio recording of while I show the book on the document camera
12:10 Picture books to a partner - Yesterday we made a short detour through the library and I had them each pick a book with only the following instructions, "it must be a picture book you like". Many of them hypothesized we would be reading them with our second graders, but my intent all along was to have them read them to one another, which is what we did. It was great!
1:00 Guest reader - the Middle School Counselor came to read Day of Ahmed's Secret by Florence H. Parry Illustrated by Ted Lewin
1:20 Off to their specials (today P.E. and Arabic)

Now it is the weekend. Yippee!

6 comments:

  1. What a great day of celebrating literacy. :) I like how you used a timeline to document it.
    Ruth

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  2. I am sure the children loved it. My favorite time you described was when they shared a book with a partner. What a great day!

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  3. Every book on your list is a winner. Love Byrd Baylor! Sounds like a great day. Wish I could have been a reader for you.

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  4. Love the schedule! How neat that kids can take Arabic!

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  5. @Lee Ann - They have to take Arabic. It is mandated by the Ministry of Education for all student in the country. (Saudi Arabia)

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  6. Ooh, it sounds like a fun day for you and your students! I love that you get to read outside on the field. That must be such a treat for the kids. It makes me want to do something like that at my school once the weather gets warmer. Thanks for sharing the schedule with us! :)

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