reading

A little too equal.."Harrison Bergeron" online

This was recommended by teen volunteers at our public library, who also liked The Giver, Hunger Games and Brave New World : Harrison Bergeron

Dinner Diary

Summary: 

Simple literacy activity - start a 'dinner diary' and encourage kids to make entries. A parent may write the entries for younger children to illustrate.

Keeping a family diary is a fun way to remember events, special stories or funny things that someone said. Brief entries but with specific details or quotes are often the most fun to look over later. Children enjoy hearing their words read back to them at a later date, and writing down verbatim what very young children say can be quite entertaining!

Down to Grade/Age: 
Toddlers
Up thru Grade/Age: 
High School

Cooperative Reading Bingo

Summary: 

Simple, no-pressure reading game. Adult and child take turns covering a bingo board that has pairs of words. The child chooses which word to read each turn.

A few key elements of this game: because the child can choose which word to read, he has control over the level of difficulty he is comfortable with. The pairs of words allow the adult to help inobtrusively by choosing a difficult word on her turn, which the child may or may not decide to pay attention to and learn from. The child feels free and is not subject to direct instruction or correction.

For added incentive, the markers may be pennies, raisins, beads or some other attractive object which the child can keep or eat at the end of the game.

Down to Grade/Age: 
Toddlers
Up thru Grade/Age: 
2nd Grade

Quotable Art

Summary: 

A memorable, simple craft project: quotes for the wall, or for bookmarks

This is a simple craft that makes for a family time of choosing and reading quotes together.

You'll need one or a few good quotation books, such as Quotations for Kids by J.A. Senn. Art materials can be anything that can go on the wall - poster board and permanent marker would work well.

Let each family member choose a certain number of quotations to place in a common area (like the bathroom!), and invite them to make up a few as well. The source of the quote should be included in small print and may provide follow-up opportunity for related reading.

Down to Grade/Age: 
PreK
Up thru Grade/Age: 
High School
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