Breaking Rules: Better on Paper

While I was searching through Reading Road Maps on TRC’s Volunteer Central, looking for a theme, I came across Trouble Makers. It was perfect. My Read-Aloud team had been looking for a way to reinforce TRC’s Promises and reset expectations at the beginning of a new year.

I picked out a slew of great books, including one of my childhood favorites - Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Tales tells the story of 9-year-old Peter Hatcher, and more often than not, Peter’s mischievous younger brother – Fudge. Fudge is always causing trouble: destroying Peter’s homework, dumping food on the floor, cutting his own hair. All in all, Blume penned five books featuring Fudge and his antics (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Superfudge, Fudge-a-mania and Double Fudge).

Picking books was the easy part. When I began to plan an activity to reinforce the theme, I worried I had made the wrong decision. Columbia Grove readers are a large, enthusiastic, vocal bunch. An invitation to engage in troublemaking seemed like a recipe for disaster. Instead, I decided to have the kids write about Fudge doing something wild and crazy – rather than doing anything wild themselves. 

At the Read-Aloud, we used the TRC Promises (especially "RESPECT") as a way to introduce the theme and start a discussion about getting into trouble. In a large group, we read a chapter from Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing where Fudge gets into all kinds of trouble. In small groups, we read other books about mischief from the Trouble Makers Reading Road Map as well as M is for Mischief: An A to Z of Naughty Children.

The kids were given a prompt and each wrote one sentence about something mischievous Fudge did on his first day of school. Their responses were wonderfully all over the place, with many (mostly those written by the boys) involving various bodily functions. We compiled their sentences, added a conclusion and bound the pages together into a "book": Fudge-a-Palooza.  

For kids who quickly finished writing their sentence, we had a word search waiting with synonyms for "trouble maker". And for a snack we served, appropriately, fudge.

The Columbia Grove Fudge story

That week, Columbia Grove readers had two things to sign. As always, they signed their new books to grow their identity as readers as well as their personal libraries. They also signed the title page of Fudge-a-Palooza and, hopefully, also began to identify as writers.

The kids showing off their Fudge book and their new books

Guest blog post written by TRC Read-Aloud volunteer, Erin MacKay.

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

Blue-footed boobies and whingdingdillies

If you are looking for a Read-Aloud theme that is light and fun, try this one about odd and unusual animals. This theme provides an easy way to include both nonfiction and fiction selections, as well as real and imaginary animals.

One volunteer's recent trip to the Galapagos Islands provided inspiration for a team from Next Steps (New Hope Housing). Some of the animals of the Galapagos Islands exist nowhere else on earth, and some have evolved to have highly unusual features. The kids loved seeing this volunteer's photos of animals she had seen and could tell stories about -- blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and giant tortoises. Connecting the content with real-life experience helps kids understand the information and builds excitement.

If no one on your team has taken a trip to the Galapagos Islands, the library is a great source of books on the animals of the Galapagos; an internet search on "animals of the Galapagos Islands" will also yield wonderful photos.

Or, drop the Islands angle altogether and introduce the kids to your favorite quirky animals:  platypus, emus, angler fish, sloths or geckos that can regrow their tails. The animals section of the library will give you lots of options!  



You'll find fiction treatments of silly animals just as much fun.  

William Wegman's famous Weimaraners dressed as humans are a great example of visual humor that kids can appreciate. In this video, he introduces his new book, Flo & Wendell.  

Bill Peet and Dr. Seuss are authors famed for their imaginary animals. Peet, an animator for Walt Disney, develops a story around his imaginary animals.  Seuss' animals are more likely to appear as a name and a drawing in a larger narrative.   

Book list

Flo & Wendell by William Wegman

If I Ran the Zoo and other books by Dr. Seuss

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent, The Whingdingdilly and other books by Bill Peet
But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French

The Cow That Went Oink by Bernard Most
Animal Tails by Beth Fielding

Never Smile At a Monkey by Steve Jenkins
Creature Features by Steve Jenkins
How to Clean a Hippopotamus by Steve Jenkins

In the activity portion of the Read-Aloud, the team at Next Steps worked with the kids to make silly animal masks from paper plates. When the children were told that they were free to make the masks as crazy as they wanted, they got very creative. The volunteers cut the centers out of the plates and stapled tongue depressors (handles) ahead of time. At the Read-Aloud, the kids used colored foam, paper, cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs to make their imaginary animal masks. It was loads of fun!

To add some movement, play silly animal "Simon Says." "Simon says waddle like a penguin. Simon says show your feet like a blue-footed boobie. Puff up like a puffer fish!" 

For a song, make up a mixed-up version of "Old MacDonald" based on the mix-ups in the book, The Cow That Went Oink. Together with the kids, make up funny combinations of animals and sounds, and then sing your song.

Don't forget to congratulate everyone on their imagination and silliness!

 To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

The WorldCat World

When looking for Read-Aloud titles, there’s a great big world of books from which to choose. You know what makes a great Read-Aloud book — big, colorful illustrations, memorable characters and words that dance off the page, whether whispered, bellowed, chanted or crooned. 

But how do you get your hands on the actual books?

If you are taking advantage of the suggested titles you find on this blog or in TRC’s Reading Road Maps, it shouldn’t be too difficult to locate a specific book in your local public library. That’s because The Reading Connection staff checks to make sure titles are readily available before recommending them to you!  

This is possible thanks to WorldCat, the world's largest library catalog. Developed and maintained by the nonprofit library cooperative OCLC, WorldCat’s database has more than 2 billion items available in libraries from around the world. Whether you are looking for a book, article, magazine, pamphlet, map, video game, audiobook or eBook, the chances are good that you'll find it in WorldCat — and then be able to find the nearest library that holds it.

Quickly locating a specific title nearby is handy, but there’s much more to WorldCat! You can

 

·       Read a book summary and reviews, including DOGObooks reviews from kids. You can write and add your own reviews, too.

·       Often, you can preview the contents of titles. This could save you a trip to library!

·       Get information about other editions and formats, which is helpful if you want to read the book in another language.

·       Find links to similar items and related subjects. This great feature can help you locate titles appropriate for specific themes. And if you are really interested a topic, it will help you find the books and other information sources that exist on the topic — not just the ones that are available in one library. There are also links to vendors if you want to buy the book.

·       Explore lists of recommended titles created by WorldCat users, including TheReadingConnection.

To take advantage of this free resource, all you need to do is visit the WorldCat website and start browsing. If you decide WorldCat.org is useful, create a free account and a profile and you’ll be able to save searches or create your own lists.

Local public libraries that share their collection databases with WorldCat include Arlington Public Library, Alexandria Library, Fairfax County Public Library, and the Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Several local universities, as well as the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Library, also share their library catalogs through WorldCat. (If you are served by public libraries in Washington, DC, or suburban Maryland, you’ll have to rely on their individual online catalogs.)

WorldCat can point you in exciting new directions, lead you to previously unexplored resources and make your world of books bigger and better than ever. Your next great Read-Aloud book could be just a click away!

Guest blog post by TRC Advisory Council member and Belle of the Book, Rachael Walker.

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

TRC Volunteer Central

Welcome to TRC's Volunteer Central! You can find it at https://volunteer.thereadingconnection.org. 

The design of this central volunteer portal has been driven by volunteers' wants and needs. Designed by Pariveda Solutions, TRC Volunteer Central is TRC volunteers' centralized system for interacting with fellow volunteers, viewing schedules, and planning and reporting Read-Alouds. 

The first time you log into the system, click the "Forgot your password?" button, then enter your email and a link to set your password will be sent to you. Create a password that you can remember and use that to log into the system.

All emails from TRC's Volunteer Central will come from VolunteerCentral@thereadingconnection.org. Please add this email address to your list of safe senders.


Rosters and schedules

Once you log in to the system, the following information will be visible on your landing page:

• Names and contact information for your team members and for all of the volunteers at your site,
• Your team’s Read-Aloud schedule, as well as the schedule for your entire site for the next five months,
• Contact information for TRC and Read-Aloud site staff and
• Your volunteer hours for the month and year.

Beside each volunteer's name, both in the team listing and the full site listing, you'll find his or her email and preferred phone number. Below the full list is are buttons to email your entire team and print the roster or schedule. Clicking these links will open a new message in your default email program. The email addresses will be separated by commas. If you use Outlook, you can change the settings to allow it to accept commas separating email addresses.


Beside each Read-Aloud date, you'll find a "Notes" field where you can enter your selected theme or any comments for your teammates and fellow volunteers. There is also a button to cancel a Read-Aloud. If you cancel a Read-Aloud, you will be prompted to select a reason for cancellation.

You can see your team's full Read-Aloud schedule by clicking on the "Read-Alouds" menu and clicking on "Edit Read-Alouds." This will show all Read-Alouds for your team, both past and preset. You can edit the date range to only show future dates. If you'd like to see all Read-Alouds for your site, remove the team letter or number in the search field and click filter.

Submitting a Read-Aloud report

After each Read-Aloud, one volunteer must submit a Read-Aloud report using Volunteer Central within 3 days of their Read-Aloud. This will provide information to other TRC volunteers, TRC staff and site staff about your Read-Aloud.

1. Click the "Submit a Read-Aloud Form" button or select “Submit Read-Aloud” from the Read-Alouds menu.

2. Select your Read-Aloud location from the drop-down list.

3. Select the date of your Read-Aloud. Only Read-Alouds for which a report has not been submitted will appear as options.

4. The form appears with your team members already listed. If a volunteer was absent on the date on which you're reporting, remove him/her for that Read-Aloud by clicking on the “X” next to the volunteer's name. You can add a volunteer's name by typing it into the text area. Volunteers at your site will appear in the "Volunteer Attendance" box, and volunteers from other sites are listed under "Other Attendees."

5. Children attending your site are listed as well. When you click on a child's name, the circle surrounding the name will turn purple indicating that he or she attended the Read-Aloud. 

6. To add a new child to the program, click the “Add New Child” link and fill out the requested information in the pop-up window. If there were multiple new children, click "Save & Close" and you'll be given the opportunity to add another child.

7. Enter your theme into the theme field. If your theme is not listed, create a new theme and fill out the requested information, just as you did for creating new children. The same applies to books and activities. 

8. Fill in the remaining information requested about your Read-Aloud and click “Submit Report.” Your report will automatically be sent to the TRC program manager, Read-Aloud site staff and the other volunteers at your site.

Searching for a Read-Aloud theme

The database contains a bank of themes collected from your Read-Alouds, Reading Road Maps and culled from great Read-Alouds from the past several years. 


To search for a theme for your next Read-Aloud, click the "Find Ideas for an Upcoming Read-Aloud" button, or select “Read-Aloud Themes List” from the Read-Alouds menu.  Themes that have a Reading Road Map are indicated on the second column. When you click on that theme, you'll find a purple Reading Road Map link that will take you to a printable PDF of the information.

You can also search recent Read-Alouds that have been held at your site or at other sites by selecting "Recent Read-Alouds" in the Read-Aloud menu. The system will default to show only your site, but you can select all sites to see  themes from other sites. Selecting the date will bring you to the report summary of that Read-Aloud. Selecting the theme will take you to a compilation of books and activities used with that theme.

Edit Personal Information

You can update your personal information by clicking "View/Edit Personal Information" in the header.

There you can update your password, add your preferred phone numbers and birthday so that we can wish you a happy birthday.


Issues

If you come across any issues with the site, such as inability to access the system, errors updating information or with problems submitting Read-Aloud data, please submit a ticket through our bug submission form and we will get the issue fixed as soon as possible. 

Summer Read-Aloud outlines

School is out and kids are set to celebrate! But that doesn't mean it is time to stop learning. Summer vacation allows kids the time to explore new things and new places -- going to the beach, visiting the zoo,watching a soccer game or many other possibilities. Unfortunately, not all families have the resources or the time to go on these adventures.

Fewer resources doesn't mean that kids have to miss out on fun experiences that also build their knowledge base. Books and a well-planned Read-Aloud can make these adventures easily accessible. 

Here are some great options for exploring something new with the kids at your Read-Aloud this summer.

Animals and animal homes

Some animals come out in full force in the summertime (fireflies and bats, for example). Why not read about different ecosystems and the animals that live in each?

Ocean Animals

Nocturnal Animals

Bugs

Dinosaurs

Tropical Rain Forests

Zoos and Aquariums

Sports

Summer is the perfect time to get outside and run around. This summer, the FIFA World Cup in Brazil provides a great hook for a soccer Read-Aloud. Cycling, swimming and running are also popular summer sports. 

Summer Sports
Soccer
Running and Racing




New Places

Why stay at home over summer vacation if you can go on a trip to the beach, Europe or another planet?  Can't actually make the trip? Travel somewhere new through books! There are so many things to learn by exploring new places.

Beach
Paris and France
Space

Weather

Summer is all about the temperature heating up and people and animals finding ways to cool down. Sometimes that heat brings thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Explore the science behind the weather and what it means to endure it or embrace it.

Heat
Extreme Weather





Food

Gardens are blooming with fruits and vegetables in summer. Try to find a garden near your site and see if the kids can name the different vegetables growing there. Gather some ingredients and make tasty dishes. Cooking is a great gateway to talk to kids about measurement and nutrition.

Gardening
Chefs and Cooking

Types of books

Exploring books that feature interesting design or word play can excite kids at your Read-Aloud. Some books have no words at all. Allowing the kids to tell the story through the illustrations really gets their creative juices flowing. Other books feature figures of speech that make hearing the book read aloud extra fun. Some authors have written so many great books that you can devote an entire Read-Aloud to their work.

Onomatopoeia
Wordless Books
Doreen Cronin

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

More ways to share poetry

Poetry works so well with kids; its brevity, vivid images, rhythm and emphasis on sound make it kid-friendly and useful with a wide range of ages.  

In our last blog post, poet and author Mary Quattlebaum suggested several general books of poetry for reading with kids from the toddler years through the preteen years. In this post, we focus on haiku, that familiar three-line, 17-syllable form that originated in Japan.  Its short lines and striking sounds and images are just right for kids. Here is a selection of books of haiku we especially like. The books are widely available in local libraries.    


Yum! MmMm! Que Rico! America's Sproutings by Pat Mora, illustrated by Rafael Lopez

A luscious collection of haiku celebrating foods native to the Americas, this book would do well accompanied by a snack of peanut butter sandwiches, blueberries, pineapple, or any of the other foods described in the poems. The pages combine whimsical illustrations with a short description of the fruit/vegetable's history in the western hemisphere. 

"Tomato"
Round roly-poly
squirts seedy, juicy splatter,
Red bursts in your mouth. 




Won Ton:  A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

A clever and endearing cat tells the story of his adoption from a shelter using a sequence of haiku. 


"The Shelter"
Nice place they got here.
Bed. Bowl, Blankie. Just like home!
Or so I've been told.  









Hi, Koo!  A Year of Seasons by Jon J. Muth

Hi, Koo! is the latest of Jon Muth's Zen panda series (Zen Shorts, Zen Ties, etc.). In this book, Muth presents poems and paintings on the seasons of the year, which is one of haiku's traditional subjects. Muth's lovely paintings of the young panda and three young human friends provide essential context for the poems and make this book a keeper.

Reading aloud

a favorite book

an audience of sparrows

  

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

Engaging the older crowd

Hello? Am I getting through to you at all?

As a Read-Aloud volunteer for the past four years, I have often found myself asking that question, especially when it comes to holding the attention of some of the older kids. It’s not easy to keep them interested, focused and entertained. The good news is that they have pushed me to be a better volunteer and to stretch beyond the regular Read-Aloud routine. Here are a few things that I've learned.

Nonfiction books are a big draw for older kids. If you can find a subject they like and are knowledgeable about, you may just strike gold. I suggest taking a survey to see what topics interest the older kids. The more they feel involved in the process and the more you can empower them, the more likely they are to actively participate in a Read-Aloud. A few years ago, my reading team had a gifted boy who started acting out as he matured. He would interrupt the readings and instigate poor behavior in the other kids. I realized that he was simply bored. Once we honed in on the subjects he knew about and gave him the opportunity to share that knowledge with the group, we saw a dramatic change. Little did we know that he was a science wizard!


Older children love technology. It can be challenging to incorporate this, but if you are comfortable with it, sharing a video on an iPad or introducing a book on an e-reader can be an easy way to let the kids explore the theme and keep them engaged. On one occasion, my team used an iPad fireplace app to create a “campfire” setting for our outdoors theme. We also used an iPad to show videos of political speeches during a Read-Aloud about the upcoming presidential election. The kids not only ate it up, they also handled the device with great care. 

Kim leads kids at The Berkeley in a game of 
Ninja Simon Says.

Our team has also had success reaching older kids by choosing subjects that relate to their lives. If they can find parallels between the Read-Aloud topic and something they have actually experienced, you will see a more invested kid. That’s also why it is so important to take the time during the reading to talk about the book and to let the kids share some of their own stories. A few years ago we had some baseball players in our group. When we did a baseball theme to kick off spring, the players were delighted to tell us about their own triumphs and visits to the ballpark.

At The Berkeley Read-Alouds, we have a wide age range and often see kids aged 4 and 11 at the same session. Sometimes it helps to pair an older child with a younger one. Putting them in the position of role model or mentor can give that preteen a sense of responsibility and pride. Next time, try teaming up some of the kids during the activity portion of the Read-Aloud.

Finally, there is nothing more important than reinforcing good behavior. The more you can lift them up for doing something good, the more you will both enjoy your time together.

Guest blog post written by TRC volunteer Kim Oates.

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

Get up and dance!

When dealing with squirmy kids, sometimes the best move is just to get up and move with them! A dance-themed Read-Aloud is a wonderful choice -- dancing is a healthy, fun activity and there are great books available about dance, music and movement with which to create a dance-themed Read-Aloud. 

Teams at ARHA Ruby Tucker Center and Virginia Gardens recently held dance-themed Read-Alouds. Each team brought in special guests to introduce new dance styles to the kids.

At ARHA, Team 4 began its dance day with a participatory song about Miss Susie. The singing and hand movements grabbed the children’s attention right away and led into a successful reading time. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae and Elephants Cannot Dance! by Mo Willems set the stage by presenting two characters (both, oddly, named Gerald!) who believed they could not dance, but discovered they really could. 

ARHA was lucky to have Katy Baytosh, a guest dance instructor, who led everyone through several African- and Caribbean-style dances. The children were excited, engaged and excellent dancers. And the volunteers got a bit of a workout too!

Virginia Gardens volunteers invited special guests from Tobas Dinastía, a local dance group. “Tobas” is an energetic dance that originates from Bolivia and represents the victory of the hunt. The dancers wear colorful, exotic costumes – including feathered headdresses and spears. The volunteers talked with the kids about the importance of dance in different cultures and gave examples of ways it can be used to honor cultural heritage. The team also   read books that highlighted culturally significant dances. The guests performed Tobas for the children and then taught them some steps. A highlight of the night was when the kids were allowed to touch the dancers’ spears (fake, of course!) and  wear their headdresses. 

Dance is universal. As a theme, it offers opportunities to express emotions, social interaction and cultural pride – and even get the squirmies out! 

Here is a list of books that would work well for a Read-Aloud about dance.  

Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae

Elephants Cannot Dance! by Mo Willems

Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman

Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen

Dance! by Elisha Cooper

Rosie’s Ballet Slippers by Susan Hampshire

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

The Jellybeans and the Big Dance by Laura Numeroff

Cats’ Night Out by Caroline Stutson

The Day We Danced in Underpants  by Sarah Wilson

Dumpy La Rue by Elizabeth Winthrop

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

Worms Read-Aloud

A few weeks ago, the volunteers at Sullivan House held a Read-Aloud about worms. They brought in live worms and let the kids get some hands-on experience while reading about these slimy creatures.  

The volunteers began their worm night by reading Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin. This humorous picture book details the life of a worm kid diary format, including eating his homework and having a hard time doing the Hokey Pokey. While keeping the kids laughing, this book also teaches a few interesting facts about worms. 

They read aloud Yucky Worms by Vivian French next. In this book, a little boy and his grandma find a worm in her garden. The boy thinks the worm is yucky until his grandma teaches him all the interesting things she knows about worms.

After reading both books, the group discussed some of the facts it had just learned from the books, including the following:  

• Worms' heads are pointed and their tails are rounded. 
• Worms are segmented and this helps them move through soil. Their movements loosen the soil and aerate the ground.
• Worms eat dead organic material. They also eat small amounts of garbage and small rocks.
• Their waste fertilizes the soil. 
• Worms can regenerate segments of their bodies.
• Some worms can grow up to 22 feet long.
• Worms do not have lungs. They breathe through their skin.
• Worms have no eyes.

After reading in a large group, the volunteers passed out real worms and magnifying glasses, and gave the kids time to examine the worms. This exercise triggered many questions from the kids, which they discussed with the volunteers. They also read some additional books in smaller groups. After washing hands, the group enjoyed a snack of gummy worms.

The volunteers brought a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction books to read in small groups. Some of their favorite additional titles were Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni and Wiggling Worms at Work by Wendy Pfeffer.

If you're not up for digging up your own worms, you can purchase 12 night crawler worms at PetSmart or other pet supply stores for about $4.


To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.