World Read Aloud Day is Coming!

Join in the fun as we celebrate the joy of reading and the power of story at Northside Elementary School!  

World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) is a global celebration of reading sponsored by Litworld being held on Wednesday, March 5.  Last year, the celebration reached over 65 countries and a million participants! This year, we will join the celebration!

To give you background on WRAD, Litworld puts it best:   

Every year on the first Wednesday of March LitWorld's advocacy campaign for the human right of literacy calls worldwide attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories. 

Imagine a world where everyone can read...

World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.

By raising our voices together on this day we show the world’s children that we support their future: that they have the right to read, to write, and to share their words to change the world.

          Be one in a million (or more) to join in celebrating the power of reading aloud this March 5th.

How Northside will Celebrate: 

We will celebrate the power of literacy and profound impact reading can have on our lives March 3-5.  Combining the fun of Read Across America Day with World Read Aloud Day, we will use this week in March to share the joy reading brings to our lives. 

Monday, March 3 - Read Across America
We will read with others across America in honor of Dr. Seuss and the power of books in our lives.  We will form a Northside reading chain as we line the hallways with books in tow and kick off our day with 15 minutes of quiet reading.  

• Each student and staff member will choose the book they wish to read during our reading chain by Friday, February 28. 
• Each student will write their name and the title of the book they will read on a paper strip that will be part of a paper chain that will be on display through the school halls. 

In addition we will have a reading display of all the staff holding their favorite children's book.  We will turn it into a guessing game for our students by only showing the staff member's eyes peeking out from behind each book.  Students will have to figure out the mystery readers behind each book shown.  We will be coming around to take photos of staff members with your favorite book.

Wednesday, March 5 - World Read Aloud Day

• On this day all Northside staff members will share our collective love of story by reading aloud to students across Northside.  Sharing our favorite picture book or treasured childhood story we will give our students a glimpse into our reading life with a book worth sharing because of the love we have for it.   

Finally, we will have a digital message board students, staff and Northside families can contribute to in which they share their favorite memory of their reading life.  Was it a favorite book that you couldn't put down?  A special reading moment you will always treasure?  A favorite reading spot?  I look forward to seeing all the ways reading is celebrated and shared in the lives of our students and staff at Northside.     

Additional ways to celebrate include: 

1. Get students in on the action of sharing the collective love of reading books aloud.  Partner up with a younger class and have older students read to younger and vice versa! 
2. Using SKYPE in the Classroom or Google Hangout, connect with students around the nation and world who are looking for ways to collaboratively celebrate.  Share a story your class has written with another audience outside our school.  Share a favorite poem or partake in a shared Read-Aloud.  The possibilities are endless. Click here for a list of individuals seeking collaborative partnerships. I will host some collaborative Skype experiences in the library too and will send out the schedule for that soon (first come, first serve).
3. Connect with authors who are willing and able to share a read aloud via SKYPE.  Many authors have partnered with Skype in the Classroom to celebrate this special day...the best part....it's FREE! 
4. Have parents come in on this day to share a read-aloud with your class -- perhaps a favorite book that is shared at home.  
5. Have students use the Tellagami App to create a 30 second book review using an avatar image of themselves.  Share with each other in class on during the week!

If you have more fun or creative ideas share them in the comment section below.  I look forward to celebrating and sharing the love of literacy with our community.  Happy Reading!