How to Celebrate Read Across America Day
Every year on March 2nd, teachers and students around the country celebrate Read Across America Day. This event is dedicated to getting students engaged in the reading experience. This can mean learning about new authors and books, dressing up as book characters or getting together to discuss literature. Here are a few ways you can celebrate Read Across America Day with your child.
[Don’t] Judge a Book By its Cover
This activity sounds counterintuitive, but it’s a lot of fun! Find a book that your child hasn’t read, and have them write down what they think the book is about based on the front cover alone. Make sure they don’t cheat and read the back. After they decide what the book is about, talk about it. Go over the differences between what they wrote, read the book together, and then see if their assumptions held up against the actual content! This is a great lesson about books and in life — to not judge a book by its cover.
Little Free Library
Some neighborhoods have little free libraries; these can take the shape of oversized bird houses with glass doors or old telephone booths with shelves. To see if there’s one near you, look for a single-shelf bookcase lifted by a wooden peg with a glass window. If you can’t find one, make one and stock it with books from your collection! This is a great way for people to read books and find new ones for free. If you do find one nearby, consider taking a book and donating a book in return.
Host a Book Exchange
You can have your child’s friends over for a book exchange party or encourage your child to swap books with classmates at school. Each child can select their favorite book to trade with another child. This will give them a fun way to relate to one another and great books to read in the process. If your child takes virtual classes and doesn’t have friends who can come over, introduce your child to one of your favorite age-appropriate books as an “exchange.”
Set Up a Family Book Club
Have everyone in your family read the same book, and get together on Read Across America Day to talk about it. Choose a book that’s appropriate for children and engaging for adults. Even if it’s just a book club between you and your child, it can be fun to discuss the book you read and learn about your different perspectives. Think of questions and talking points in advance to get the conversation going at the family book club meeting.
Reading is a fundamental building block of education, and Read Across America Day is a great day to celebrate it. Our Polk private schools foster an atmosphere of care and an environment of high expectations and effective discipline. We allow students to explore their faith at school and encourage them to do the same at home. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us online.