Tips on Storing Read and Sing Little Books
in the Classroom and at Home
Every child deserves to own a growing collection of books that they can sing and read with pleasure and delight. These cherished reminders of the child's developing reading skills will be kept for years to come. Teachers are encouraged to have volunteers reproduce enough of the Little Books so that each child in the class has two copies. After several "magical memory reading" or "guided reading" experiences at school, one copy can go home with the child to be joyfully shared with family members. The other Little Book can be added to the child's growing collection of Read and Sing Little Books at school.
Children treasure their Little Books. One youngster slept with them under her pillow in a special purse. Whoever tucked her in at night got to hear her proudly sing and read every Little Book.
Teachers have shared clever storage ideas and delightful Little Book rituals with us:
- Provide shoeboxes for children to decorate. These become "treasure boxes" for children to take home and store in a special place in their bedroom. Kathie Bridges spray paints these boxes gold or silver. Children and parents can be reminded to keep all the Little Books that come home in their "treasure box" to be read over and over again.
- Colored 6" x 9" envelopes also can be decorated as my "I Can Read" Books. These can be used at home or at school.
- Little Books may be stored in a teacher-made 8" x 10" plastic pouch (Ziploc bag) for binders. Punch holes and reinforce the bag with library tape on the left side so that it can fit right into a three-ring notebook. The Ziploc bag is stored in the child's Poetry Notebook (a.k.a. "I Can Read" Anthology, "Read Together" Notebook or "Family Reading" Notebook).
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- Book collections can be kept in Ziploc bags in file folders with the child's name on the folder. These folders can be placed in your classroom reading area. During "not-so-silent" reading time, children can choose their reading folder and Little Books for reading practice. Reading and coloring Little Books is often used as a Literacy Center activity.
- A red, yellow, or blue zippered, plastic pouch with a clear window can be added to each child's "I Can Read" Anthology (a.k.a. "Read Together", Poetry, or "Family Reading" Notebook). The book pouch can be color coordinated with the 3-ring notebook so children can quickly find their Little Books and celebrate their growth as a reader. These photos, from Julie Lay's kindergarten, show her efficient color-coded management system.
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"This bookshelf is brand new.
I made it from wood
And painted it blue.
I'll keep my Little Books
Neatly on the shelf
I can read these books
All by myself." |
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Kindergarten teacher Jana Dyal lets each child create a handmade bookshelf of popsicle sticks. The teacher provides pre-cut plywood sides for each bookshelf and the children glue
popsicle sticks for the top and bottom and cardboard for the back. The children then paint the bookshelves blue, using real paint. Jana wrote this rhyme that is attached to the top of each bookshelf:
Jan Dyal has given permission for you to copy this rhyme for student use only.
Children cherish owning a collection of books they can experience success and pleasure with — from "magical memory reading" to fluent independent reading. They proudly read and sing their Little Books over and over again to any appreciative listener.
- Some teachers have parent helpers make individual library holders out of cereal boxes. Boxes are cut down to 7" x 6" and covered with contact paper. Ribbon or string can be taped to the open sides and tied to keep the books in place. The child's name and "I can read!" can be printed on the label.
Teachers create their own special Little Book rituals and traditions to enhance the children's delight in reading. Many teachers enjoy sharing the Reading is Fun rhyme. To reinforce the reading habit, every Friday afternoon the children march out the door holding a new Little Book and chanting:
"Reading is fun.
Reading is fun.
Reading is fun for
everyone.
The more you read,
The better you read,
So read, read, read."
© Copyright 1992 Nellie Edge
Traditional Rhymes and Action Chants Anthology |
Reading is Fun: Internalize This Language
Mary McCartney's Kindergarten friends take turns selecting different voices and characters. One child is the leader and dramatically recites "The more I read." The class responds (in similar character and voice inflection) "The smarter I get!"
Children will enjoy exploring many voices:
- An old man's voice
- A timid elf's voice
- A happy giant's voice
- An underwater voice
- A high operatic voice
- An echo voice
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