Leading a Read Across America Day at your School Site

Read Across America Day, also called Dr. Seuss Day, is a national holiday created to get kids excited about reading. It was established by The National Education Association in 1998 and is celebrated every year on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March 2nd. Schools around the world put together elaborate celebrations to spread the joy of reading to children.

How to Lead a Read Across America Day Celebration

Hosting a successful school wide event requires thorough planning. The four-part system listed below will help you deliver an unforgettable experience for staff and students.

1. Set the Intention- Explain the importance of the event by providing an example of your expectations
   • Choose a mentor text
   • Pull out a key focus
   • Model best practices for reading
2. Provide the Road Map– Share expectations for what teachers are to do
   • Give teams time to plan (choose a book, pull out key focus, align daily activities)
   • Carry the book theme throughout all content taught during the day
   • Create interactive bulletin board displays to showcase learning
3. Jump In
   • Hop into classes and model strong reading habits
   • Participate in special reading activities with all grade levels
4. Celebrate the Learning
   • Make announcements on the loudspeaker throughout the day to keep the energy going
   • Praise students with a “Caught Being a Great Reader” certificate
   • Announce winners for reading contests

Ways to Celebrate Read Across America Day

The following list of ideas can be implemented at your school site to foster a love of reading and expose students to a variety of books:

• Scholastic Book Fairs
• Book Reading Contests
• Peer Reading Buddies
• Host a Book Club (chapter book recommendations included)
• Pair Students for a Text Talk
• Favorite Book Character Costumes
• Reading Themed Days (if a week long celebration)
• Book Tasting
• Local Author Visit
• Author Study
• Mystery Guest Readers
• Bulletin Board Contests
• Special Activities
  • Peer Book Reviews (“Book Buzz”)
  • Book Hunt (+ Text Features)
  • America Reading Day Response Activities

Book Suggestions for Read Across America Day

There are lots of great books to showcase during the reading event. Coordinating chosen texts across grade levels will ensure students are exposed to a variety of books. Reorganizing your literacy block for efficiency and effectiveness can make this a smooth event.

A few text suggestions are listed below:

• Favorite Picture Books:
  • Giraffes Can’t Dance
  • Where the Wild Things Are
  • Corduroy
  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
  • The King’s Foot (How Big is a Foot?)
• Favorite Book Series:
  • Mr. Men 
  • Berenstain Bears
  • Dr. Seuss
  • Curious George
  • Roald Dahl 

In honor of Read Across America Day, come grab some swag!  Click the picture below to grab it in various sizes or colors:

Go Be Great!

How did you lead teachers through Read Across America Day?

About the author, Gretchen

I am a teacher trainer and coach. Working elbow to elbow with teachers and teacher leaders to ensure instructional proficiency and student achievement soar lights me up. We have a real need in our nation for strong educators to remain in the field. My blog, book, podcast, courses and instructional materials are geared towards empowering teachers (and those that lead them) to receive the support needed to grow and thrive today, tomorrow and always.

• Links:
• Twitter
• Website
• Google +
• Facebook