Friday, February 12, 2016

Read Across America Is Coming!

Read Across America Day is coming soon!  As teachers we need to preplan, so here are some ideas to get you started!

Last year, we added a week to do an author study on Dr. Seuss to the first week of March.   I'm sure you know that March 2nd is Read Across America Day! This is a day to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday, but to also celebrate reading!  Last year, my school is had a dress up day and my intern and I dressed up like Thing 1 and Thing 2 complete with tutus! So much fun!

It might seem early to post about it now, but we all have to have time to prepare for a day (or week) as important and exciting as this, so this post will be all about fun things to do during that week! 

One of my most favorite activities to do with my children is make Oobleck!  Bartholomew and the Oobleck is a lengthy book, but I always read it anyway.  My favorite recipe for Oobleck is:

Bowl 1:

  • 1 1/2 cups very warm water
  • 2 cups glue
  • green food coloring

Bowl 2:
  • 1 1/3 cups very warm water
  • 2 level teaspoons Borax

Mix the contents of the two bowls together kneading until it is fully combined. Discard any remaining liquid. 

There is another recipe with cornstarch that I do not recommend because it is very loose and gets everywhere!! 




The good thing about the Borax type Oobleck is that it is super stretchy and it also bounces! I always give my kids some of their own in a Ziplock bag to take home and they enjoy exploring it. 

I also always make Cat in the Hat hats with my students.  We trace them on white poster board and cut them out and then staple them to a sentence strip.  I don't know where the pattern originated...someone just gave it to me at some point, but it's not too hard to free hand! These were finger painted, but some years we just color them.


A fun idea from Jen over at Crayons and Cuties in Kindergarten is making a Cat in the Hat Snack! Head over to see how to make them step by step!!


Some arts and crafts we've done:



And I REALLY want to make these Cat in the Hat noses this year!! 

read across america week

I am planning on using this timeline Freebie from Teaching Second Grade as part of our Author study.

Dr. Seuss Timeline ~ Theodor Geisel Timeline Cut and Paste


For math, you can read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and play this FREE Silly Cat Fish Addition Game!  There are fish counters included, but you could also use goldfish as counters.  Laminate the fish tank and provide students with a dry erase marker and have them write how many red fish and blue fish they have and then how many they have all together.  Each student can record their answers on the recording sheet provided.  


If you need more center activities for that week, you might enjoy my Silly Cat Centers Bundle! You can find it here:


I hope you have a week full of learning and lots of silly fun!  
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