Ways to Celebrate Read Across America
You can find year-round resources to take part in Read Across America. During March, numerous events are organized across the nation to promote reading among children. You can find and attend local events that are happening in your school or community. Or you could even volunteer at or host your own Read Across America event to celebrate reading! Here are some ways to celebrate Read Across America.
Find Scheduled Read Across America Events
Your local community is likely planning events in the month of March. Check the school, district, or public library website or calendar to learn more about events like read-a-thons, parades, and guest readers for Read Across America day or week.
Volunteer
Read Across America celebrations are special events that require planning and manpower to bring to life. Learn about opportunities to which you can lend your time and talent. You can reach out directly to your local school, PTO, or library if you are interested in being a Read Across America volunteer. Other organizations (like United Way or United Through Reading) seek reading volunteers, mentors, and tutors to participate in the Read Across America program through local chapters both year round and in March.
Plan Your Own Event
In charge of planning a Read Across America event in your organization or community? Really all you need is a great book and some children to share it with. Pair a read aloud with an engaging activity that builds on the book’s themes. You can select a book with built-in activities to make the activity planning effortless, like Paula's Patches written by Gabriella Aldeman and illustrated by Roccio Arreola. This beautiful children’s book shares the story of Paula, a problem-solver with a creative solution to share with her community.
While she is at school, Paula’s pants tear. When she tries to hide the hole from her classmates, she realizes that they too have things in disrepair. Readers will follow Paula through her initial embarrassment, to curiosity about colorful patches, and finally excitement about a solution that helps both her and her classmates. This engaging text is also a natural discussion starter on important topics of consumerism, throwaway culture, and fast fashion. The back of the book includes a section with suggested art activities for children.
If you have another book in mind for your read aloud, the Great Works Series of instructional guides offered as companions to many literary works can help. These guides accompany some of the most beloved literary works including Newbery Medal and Honor titles, timeless classics, popular children's, tween, and young adult literature. They include engaging activities and lessons created to support each title, including two Dr. Seuss classics. The Green Eggs and Ham guide includes cross-curricular lessons and activities that work in conjunction with the text to teach students how to analyze and comprehend literature. The Cat in the Hat guide supports students in analyzing story elements in multiple ways, close reading and text-based vocabulary practice, and determining meaning through text-dependent questions. Both guides offer options to build on the fun and engagement of your read aloud.
Simply Share a Good Book
You don’t need a special day or even month to celebrate reading. We know how powerful reading can be. Great books have the power to instruct, teach lessons, demonstrate life skills, and reflect powerful emotions that students feel. Reading books aloud creates community, bringing us all together with shared experiences. Even if it’s not part of a formal Read Across America event, reach for a book. Share a story with the children in your life as often as possible, and pair it with an activity that builds on the power of the shared experience and the lessons it holds.
Read Across America celebrates the joy and the importance of reading year-round, and especially during March with Read Across America Day and National Reading Month. With fewer students reading for enjoyment, carving out the time and space to make room for fun community reading opportunities is more important than ever. There are so many ways to participate!