I am one of those teachers that LOVES reading aloud to my students. I read aloud for a multitude of reasons, but mostly, I LOVE to read to them because they still enjoy being read to. In addition to my love of reading, research shows read alouds allow my students to:
- Connect with and have models and examples of various genres for their own personal writing
- Provide them the opportunity to hear fluent reading in order to build their vocabulary
- Improve their listening comprehension
- Enhance visualization skills
If you are like me, you are always looking for a few great read alouds to connect student learning and get those imaginations flowing on those first few days back to school.
Here are a few of my favorites to share during this exciting time that I have and will be incorporating into my instruction again this school year…
Read Aloud #1: How I Spent My Summer Vacation…
This read aloud is a fun way to start your work with a brand new crew after summer break.
Writing Prompt: How did you spend your summer vacation?
I like to begin each year with a Smilebox that I make highlighting the summer months with my family. The students get to know a bit about me, my family, and how we spent some time together in the summer. If you are wanting to check out this awesome tool for your own classroom, go to smilebox.com and apply for a free teacher toolbox subscription. You upload pictures and can make video collages, newsletters, and certificates in a snap.
In addition, I love to read this story about a boy who is reporting to his class about how during his summer vacation his imagination got so wild his parents sent him out west and the story goes from there.
My purpose for sharing is that some students take elaborate vacations and some do not. This text gives those that don’t the opportunity to share what they “WISH” they had done on summer vacation if they don’t have what they believe to be an exciting story to tell. A perfect writing prompt…
Writing Idea: Have your students create a list of all the things they did during their summer break. These ideas can be as simple as making lunch to spending time away on vacation. This list can be created on loose leaf with colored pencils, then placed in their brand new writing binder. I like to use these types of lists for student writing ideas when we begin our personal experience narratives.
Read Aloud #2: First Day Jitters…
While First Day Jitters is a beloved story in the primary grades, I find my BIG KIDS love it even more. It is a story told in rhyme with excellent illustrations that will have the students wondering and inferring.
Your older students will LOVE this silly picture book because what they infer is completely wrong. Use this fun book for Predicting, Inferring, or as an Ice Breaker.
The reader of this book believes until the very end that the main character of the story is a little girl that is nervous about the first day of school. The reader finds out at the very end that it is in fact the teacher that is nervous to begin her first day.
Students love this book because they often don’t consider that a teacher is nervous. This text sparks great narrative writing topics about times when we have been nervous, but we didn’t want to admit it. The perfect extension work to go along with this perfect “First Day of School” read aloud is this reader’s theater toolkit. Click the image to take a peek!
What read alouds are tried and true with your kiddos? Please pass along the awesome texts and ideas you utilize to grab the attention of your students from the moment they walk through your door on that first day of the new year! Happy Reading!
Sandy Cangelosi says
Love your ideas for older students, Erin. Sometimes I think upper elementary and middle school are more nervous than younger ones.
Julie says
I love this post! Big kids still like read alouds too! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful ideas 🙂
Jessica says
Great way to take those books we always use with the younger students and make them relevant to upper elementary. I’m sure the big kids love being read aloud to still too!
MsK says
The Teacher From the Black Lagoon was my first day read when I taught primary ESE, and I have continued it with my sixth, seventh and eighth graders. My “big kids” love the inane actions of the teacher, and it gives us a segue into student rights, rules and consequences.
Jennifer Hernandez says
I use this one in middle school, as well!
Brooke says
I always start my first day of school with a book called The Fabtastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. I also read it on the last day of school. When you read it, you will see why❤️
Erin says
Brooke,
Thank you so much for sharing another book to add to my classroom. I will be sure to snag that one up!
I hope you have a great school year!
All the best,
Erin
Lisa Robles says
Love me some Mark Teague!
Lisa
LisaTeachR'sClassroom
Anonymous says
I have used First Day Jitters with each of the grades I have taught in 8 years (Grades 1-4 respectively), it is one of my favorite books and I also have the "sequel"Last Day Blues which I read at the end of the year. I am being placed in a 7th grade position for next year after teaching 1st for the last three and I wasn't going to bring First Day Jitters with me but now I most certainly am! It is one of my most favorite books and since the 7th graders are the newest students to our Jr./Sr. High I am certain many of them will have First Day Jitters right along with me on the first day. I also have How I Spent My Summer Vacation and really enjoyed the writing prompt/smile box idea. Thanks for sharing.
Erin says
Congrats on the completion of another school year! Every year is a true accomplishment. I am so thrilled that you will be utilizing this fitting book with your middle schoolers. No one will ever be able to convince me that 1) this age-level is beyond picture books or 2) they don't LOVE being read to! Great lesson idea…we all get nervous at some time or another. I will be using that one too, thanks to you! Despite your brain already planning for next year-enjoy your summer! You have earned it!
Cristine V. says
Today is my last day of school. But as I was cleaning out my bookshelves, I came across First Day Jitters. I currently teach 7th grade, but kept the book from when I taught 4th grade. I almost tossed out the book until I came across your post. My school is doing a big anti-bully focus so reading your post threw my brain into a furry of ideas for next year's first day of school. Thank you for getting my brain running in that way. I am excited to take a short read aloud and use it for my language arts first day of school activity with prediction/inference along with a writing prompt about being nervous. I'm hoping that will allow for some discussion and we can start the year on an inclusive note.
Erin says
Thanks for the kind words! Keep me posted on how your year goes! What a change of pace!
Anonymous says
I am teaching grade 4 for the first time after teaching Kindergarten and ESL for 4 years, I am a bit scared and I love your site, great help! Tnhanks.
Erin says
I took a peek at it on the goodreads site. It looks like a good book to add to the classroom read-aloud list. Thanks for sharing!
Justin Greene says
I never thought about starting with a picture book. Great idea! First day jitters sounds like a good one. I usually start with a story called Curses Inc. by Vivian Vande Velde from the short story compilation book called Curses Inc. I really like to get in to my characters as I read and this is a great, fun read aloud with a twist at the end. This usually takes me 3 days to read.
Justin Greene
http://inthegreeneroom.blogspot.com/