Top 14 Resources to Celebrate National Reading Month
National Reading Month gives teachers and students the opportunity to celebrate the joys of reading. Each year in March, students and teachers alike participate in fun reading and literacy activities to demonstrate the power of this important life skill. At Edmentum, we LOVE reading and want to share our passion with you by offering you the best resources we have that are centered around reading! Check out the resources below to kick off National Reading Month in your elementary classroom:
NEW! Edmentum Printable Bookmarks
With the busy educator in mind, we wanted to create a fun and meaningful way to help you encourage reading. These exciting new bookmarks come in three different tracking styles, designed to suit a variety of reading levels. Find which one works best for you and your students!
Accelerate Reading with Literacy Stations (Virtually or in Person)
Effective literacy stations enable young learners to develop their reading, language, writing, and social skills. Literacy stations also help teachers find time for more targeted student instruction. Check out these tips for running successful literacy stations in your virtual, hybrid, or in-person classroom.
Edmentum Brain Game – Reading Comprehension & Famous Authors
The Edmentum Brain Game is a fun, descriptive game that puts an interactive twist on flashcard review by challenging players to describe terms with a partner or group. There are multiple ways to play the game, so your imagination is the limit! Plus, the cards are easy to download and print, so your students can play wherever they are.
We’ve assembled a variety of decks for all grade levels in subjects like: Authors (middle/high school), animals (elementary), math terms (elementary), U.S. state capitals, U.S. presidents, ACT/SAT vocabulary (middle/high school) and more.
14 Read-Aloud Books That Educators Love
At Edmentum, we know a lot about the magic of reading aloud to a classroom full of students, and we have years of experience inspiring imaginations and adventures through books. After all, we’re fortunate enough to say that many members of the Edmentum organization have spent years of their careers serving as educators. In celebration of National Reading Month, we’ve asked them to recount some of their most memorable reading experiences from their days in the classroom.
[Foundational Literacy Skills] Why Reading by the Third Grade Really Matters
The evidence is clear: developing proficient reading skills in all students by the 3rd grade is a must. What can educators do to ensure that students are developing the literacy skills that will put them on the path toward future academic, social, and career success? Here are the latest research and strategies to try in your classroom.
Let’s take a closer look at a few of our favorite stories from one of the most beloved authors in children’s literature, Theodor Seuss Geisel (and the reason for NEA’s Read Across America Day!). Dr. Seuss once said he never began writing his stories with a moral in mind because “kids can see a moral coming a mile off.” Still, it’s hard to make it through any of his classics without learning a little something along the way. Here are seven life lessons we can take from seven of Dr. Seuss’ beloved stories.
5 Book Report Ideas That Skip the Craft Store
While it’s always interesting to see which students really pull out all the stops for book reports, it’s also easy get swept up in the crafting and lose sight of the project’s true purpose: critical analysis of the book. So, what’s a teacher to do? Take a look at these five fun (and glue-free!) book report ideas that will satisfy your craft-loving students and still keep them focused on comprehension.
[Foundational Literacy] Building Your Elementary Classroom Library
For teachers, building your own classroom library to supplement scheduled trips to your school’s library is a great way to encourage students to look for books that interest them; explore new topics; and develop into proficient, independent readers. Here are six tips to help you create a topnotch classroom library so that your bookworms can eat up some great reads!
Striking a Balance: Reading for Skill vs. Reading for Pleasure
Having a negative perspective on reading can hurt a student’s achievement over time. That’s why it’s important to not only celebrate reading as both an academic tool and a fun pastime but to also pay close attention to how your students feel when it comes time to pick up a book. When we look more closely at students’ feelings about reading, we must also consider what reading instruction looks like in school.
[Weekly Inspiration] One Teacher Shares Her Favorite Children’s Books on Racism
Brittany Smith, a pre-kindergarten teacher from New Jersey knows how important, but difficult, it can be to discuss the state of the world to young children. In June of 2020, she created a thread on twitter of 24 books that discuss race and racism. The post quickly went viral for it’s relevance and importance. Browse her recommendations here!
[Breaking Down Literacy Frameworks] Understanding the Reading Workshop
A teacher’s quest to find the best literacy structure for his or her classroom never ends. As spring fever hits and your students begin to get a little antsy with the routines you set up back in September, it might be time to take a closer look at the Reading Workshop framework. Whether it’s something you currently practice every day or an entirely new experience, taking a closer look at how your time can be best spent might just ignite the spark of an idea you need to kick your reading instruction back into high gear before the school year ends.
[Foundational Literacy] 3 Questions About Sight Words Answered
Taking time to explain each new pronunciation or spelling rule (or exception) every time your readers encounter an unknown word can be time-consuming and confusing for learners. But, how can you expect to teach children to read a book like The Cat in the Hat if they don’t understand common word parts like the “th” sound? The answer is sight words. We explore three critical questions about sight words to help understand their value in phonics instruction.
How Teachers Can Support Students with Dyslexia in the Elementary Classroom
When you understand what dyslexia is and how to work around it, you give dyslexic students in your class a better shot at success. Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence or ability—and while there is no magical cure for dyslexia, it can be overcome. Here are six best practices to better support your dyslexic students.
Looking for even more ways to get your class excited for National Reading Month? Watch our recorded webinar all about our favorite literacy learning program, Reading Eggs!
This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated.