Lit Links for 3/2: Celebrating Read Across America!
Read Across America is Seussational!
Tuesday, March 2nd, is Dr. Seuss’s birthday, and the National Education Association (NEA) invites you to celebrate with Read Across America! Read Across America is an annual event promoted by teachers, librarians, bookstores, politicians, and celebrities across the country to get kids excited about reading. The NEA website and various reading blogs give tons of suggestions for how to celebrate, but here’s the simplest idea–read to a child! One book, two books, red book, blue book…
Now if you want to go beyond reading a book, check out the following activities and events for ideas.
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- The NEA website features a Read Across America song, complete with downloadable sheet music. What kid doesn’t love a song that rhymes “school” and “cool?”
- For students with a flair for ceremony, the NEA gives us the Reader’s Oath, once administered by Supreme Court Justice Steven G. Breyer to a group of Washington, D.C. school children. The site suggests having a judge present, but an official-looking teacher or librarian will probably suffice.
- Seussville.com offers printable Dr. Seuss door hangers, coloring sheets, and word searches to help kids celebrate the late author.
- For even more activities and extras, like Read Across America e-cards, check out Reading Rockets and the main NEA Read Across America website.
IDEAS FOR ADULTS
- The NEA suggests ways to get people involved in Read Across America, from bus drivers to high school students. Ideas include overnight readathons and culture cafes with books on the menu.
- If you’re looking for books to recommend, check out the booklists provided by the NEA. The Kids’ Top 100 Books list is especially great for reluctant readers since it features all the books kids love to read.
- The NEA also gives tips for teachers who want to organize a reading event. The official Read Across America day might be March 2nd, but you can celebrate reading anytime.
COOL LOCAL CELEBRATIONS
- Kids in Northern Arizona may get a visit from an Arizona Sundogs hockey player today to celebrate reading! This is the fourth year in a row that the team has participated in Read Across America.
- Vail, Colorado is celebrating with an event at the Vail Public Library. Local dignitaries (including the mayor) will be in attendance, and there will also be cake!
- Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska are working together to make sure every child can celebrate Read Across America. Adams Elementary, one of Lincoln’s more affluent schools, collected over 1,800 books to donate to McPhee Elementary, a school with a more economically-challenged student population. Thanks to Adams, every McPhee student will be going home today with several new books.
- If you’re hosting a unique event, let the NEA know by entering the 2010 Read Across America Awards!
But Can I Dance While Reading Across America?
- Of course you can! (Dr. Seuss IS the author of Hop on Pop, after all.) Check out this video showing how one elementary school plans to celebrate Read Across America this year.
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