World Read Aloud Day

Me, reading our current chapter book, Toys Go Out

Bogart, my chihuahua, reading his favorite book.

Today is World Read Aloud Day!  I had planned a day long event including parents and the principal visiting to read a favorite picture book and we also visited a first grade to read aloud to them.  We had planned a Skype session, but ended up needing to reschedule it for another time, which was ok since I have a cold and have nearly lost my voice.  So it was a good thing that everyone else was doing most of the talking and reading!  Please visit my class blog, Mrs. Rosenquist's Classroom Blog, to read more about our day and view photos.

In honor of this special day I want to share a story from my class.  Yesterday when I picked my class up after lunch one of my little boys was upset because someone had called him a nerd.  When I asked if he knew what a nerd was, he shook his head no.  I asked, "Do you want me to tell you what a nerd is? Because I know, because I am a nerd."  Of course all eyes were on me now!  So I explained to my little friends that a nerd is someone that is very curious and always wants to know how things work, and likes to explore the world.  Nerds have lots of questions and look for answers.  Nerds are smart.  As we continued to walk down the hall back to our class, the nerd discussion continued and the little boy that had first been upset now walked down the hallway proudly.  When we got back to class I couldn't believe they still wanted to discuss this concept of "nerd".  So, I continued to explain that there was a special "Nerd Club" called the Nerdy Book Club that I belonged to and they could join also.  When a few students asked when the club had meetings I explained that we had meetings all day long.  Every time readers get together to read or talk about books they were having a Nerdy Book Club meeting.  They seem to love this idea and I could hear them telling each other, "I am in the Nerdy Book Club too."  Today when one of the parents came to read aloud she asked about the Nerdy Book Club because her daughter had come home and discussed being a member of the Nerdy Book Club.  Awesome!  I love that the discussion continued at home.

So now, pick up a book, find someone you care about, snuggle up together and read a book.  Repeat often!