Taking the time to get kids excited about reading is essential to creating a community of readers in your classroom. This can be done all day, every day in your actions and words about reading. It can also be done explicitly as a focus each day when introducing and discussing specific books of the day/week/month/season.
I created this resource to help teachers remember to take the time to emphasize a love of reading. It’s hard not to get caught in the go go go of each day. However, taking the time to read a book, just to read it can have a large impact on developing readers.
All you need is a spot to add the sign and display your books. Photo easels work perfectly! Find a spot where all students will see the book of the day/week/month/season- your classroom library is probably the best spot, so these books stand out amongst all the other amazing books in there! Attach the sign to the front of the photo easel (tape works just fine) and then stick your special book of the day/week on there.
Pick a special time of day when you have just a few minutes to dedicate to sharing a good book with your students. (Right before lunch, after recess, before the end of the day…whenever- but pick a time- this is too important to skip!) Though you’re picking one time of day to do the actual reading, it’s important to have your book on display from the start of the day. This builds excitement and anticipation for all your students. They’ll be thinking about the new book all day, before and after you read it!
You may even consider having your student leader of the week be in charge of putting the new book out each day/week/month/season. You know how excited kids are when they can be involved! If you’re someone who wants to add a little more to the read aloud, you can follow up with quick exit tickets. These aren’t meant to be intense comprehension questions because, again, you’re focusing on creating a community of readers who LOVE to read. I included a few, simple response tickets that you can place right near your book display. If you have an extra minute or two, readers can grab a pencil and share their thoughts about the story. You can then grab these at the end of the week and discuss student responses, including likes and dislikes, things noticed and learned.
Last thing I highly recommend doing is making a list at the end of each month of books your students loved as a class (these bulletin board materials are also included in this resource). These make a great bulletin board that readers can refer back to throughout the year. Placing these pages in plastic sleeves or laminating and then hanging on a bulletin board allows for easy access to quickly add a book title that students are raving about after you’ve read it! By choosing their favorite read alouds and posting them in the room, it shows just how much you and your class love reading. This is key to establishing that community of readers! Parents can also check this list out when they’re in your room to provide them with book ideas to get from the library, book order or store for their children.
