Reading Outside

Hi, Teaching Friends!



                                   


Such a simple post title for a simple idea, but one that can lead to an activity your students will love and long remember! Plan some time before the end of school to take your class outside to read. It's a joy to watch the fruits of your year-long labors, and likely to be something you'll want to make time for several times at the end of the school year.

Just have your little readers each grab a small stack of books and something they can sit on (more on that below!). As they finish their books, they can quietly trade with someone near them.

Remember to take out a book of your own to enjoy. There's nothing like modeling your enjoyment!

For our little reading fests, we park ourselves on a shady patch of grass right outside the front door of the school. Passing school visitors have often stopped to tell us wistfully that reading outside with their class is one of their fondest memories of early school years.

Sometimes we start out with a read aloud, sometimes it's our independent reading time, sometimes a combination of both. Whatever - it will definitely be a special and memorable time!

Here's a letter you might want to send home to parents to ask for mats for your little readers to read on. Just click on the picture to download it!

The days left in the school year are passing quickly. Plan to spend some time outside together enjoying the pure pleasure of books!

Do you spend time reading outside with your class? Tell us what you do to make it special!

Happy Teaching!