3/21/2018
Happy March, my friends! I hope you are surviving and thriving during this busy time after Valentine’s Day leading up to Spring Break. I think we can all relate to the feeling of BUSY! Whether you are a classroom teacher or a homeschool mom, there are pressures coming from all sides. And speaking of pressures, what do you have planned for March is Reading Month? If you’re anything like me, sometimes it’s tricky to find creative ways to engage our children in reading. Pinterest can only go so far! ;) Does your voice ever get tired making it hard to read enthusiastically to your children? Do you ever find it difficult or time-consuming to plan activities related to the stories you are reading?
If so, I think you are going to enjoy this month’s featured website! (We also have an awesome giveaway to go along with it, but more on that later.). Storyline Online is a website with over 40 books captured on video. New stories are added periodically to fit a specific theme. For example, this month there are several books revolving around Black History Month.
Each storybook is read by famous individuals, including Sean Astin, Betty White, and Kevin Costner. The stories are read with charisma. Often at the end, the actor explains why they love the book. They might also add a comment here and there while reading.
If this isn’t wonderful enough, there are also links to activities for each storybook, which aline with the learning standards. There are activity ideas for teachers and for parents, large group activities and individual activities.
When I told a teacher friend about this website, she was over-the-moon excited to use it in her classroom. She even brainstormed a list of ideas for use to share with all of us! Here is her list:
Have a story playing on the projector as students come into the classroom. This could encourage students to enter the classroom quietly. Then have a copy of the book featured by the classroom library so students could look at the book throughout the day.
Play a story during Daily 5 for the Listen to Reading station. The teacher could use an iPad and the students would watch the story. Afterwards, they could do one of the activities already connected to the story.
Play a story during lunch while students are eating. Sometimes it’s nice for students to hear a new voice reading them stories.
Thanks for the ideas Kristina! How might you use this website in your classroom or at home?
March Giveaway - Reading Toolkit
OK! So now time for the giveaway!!! This month I'm giving away a TON of fun reading activities to go along with the featured website. The winner of this month's giveaway will receive a copy of my Reading Fluency and Goal Setting Posters, Charts and Graphs; a super fun and motivating way to increase reading fluency! You will also receive my Reading Portfolios which will help you keep track of students reading goals and work samples to assemble into a memorable keepsake students can take home at the end of the year. You will also win my Read and Graph Bundle where your students can practice reading sentences and graphing all the long vowel words (for example). I'm also giving the winner their choice of one of my Reading Themed Color by Number Activities. Choices include addition and subtraction to 10, two-digit addition and subtraction to 100 and multiplication and division facts 0-12. This toolkit is valued at $35!
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