Riding the Reading Roller Coaster:

Promote Active Reading

 

Connect books with a talk, a walk, or a picture taking expedition.

 

Make reading more active by connecting the book to an activity that involves students in exploring the world around them. For example, your students could use the digital camera to take pictures of things inside or outside the school. They could bring in artifacts from home to share and record. They could go on a short field trip recording the world as they see it.

 

 

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Lindsay Barrett George

In the Woods: Who's Been Here?

The book called In the Woods: Who's Been Here? follows two children and their dog as they walk through a forest area. One page will show a scene and the next will explain what is found there. For example, one page shows a nest and the next shows the bird and babies in the nest. Another shows some tracks and the next shows the animal who left them. Ask students to use this approach and create their own book showing scenes from the playground or local park. They can even create a map like the one in the front of the book.

Select books that show outdoor scenes. Then, open your eyes and go outdoors! Take your digital camera, sketch pad, and maps. Create a treasure hunt or write a narrative.

Stephen T. Johnson,

Alphabet City

Alphabet City is an alphabet book that uses visual scenes to represent letters of the alphabet. Make reading fun with rhyming, alliteration, alphabet books, and limericks. Online alphabet books are fun! Explore these:

• Master List of Online Alphabet Books
• Mrs. Alphabet
• Alphabet Book
• EarthQuake Alphabet
• Space Alphabet
• Emmi's Critters
• Grandad's Alphabet Animals
• Virtual Alphabet

Choose one of the following activities:

 

1) Create your own alphabet book for a particular subject you are exploring. This is not just an activity for primary children, check out the EarthQuake Alphabet. Use your digital camera, scanner, or paint software for the pictures.

 

2) Explore a book. Brainstorm at least 7 ways that a digital camera or scanner could be used as part of a lesson associated with an informational book, picture book, or chapter book.