Mystery Readers: Making Reading Exciting!

To develop a love reading is a huge goal in Grade 1. If the children are excited to read at this young age, it is very likely that they will continue to read and be avid readers throughout their lives. 

One way we have been getting really "pumped" about reading is by welcoming in Mystery Readers. By some stroke of luck, we had two last week ... and have more scheduled!

First, the children read three clues about the Mystery Reader. Then, the Mystery Reader is welcomed in to share a story!

For our first Mystery Reader, we welcomed in a grandma! We worked as a team to read her 3 clues and then settled in to enjoy her story. What a fantastic way to begin our Mystery Reader fun! 

We had another reader join us, too! She has a daughter in Grade 1 ... and also a granddaughter!?! Those clues really challenged us, but we loved figuring out that tricky puzzle and meeting Mrs. Beliveau's mom! She brought a fantastic Halloween book!

If you are interested in coming in as a Mystery Reader, or have a family member who is, please get in touch. You don't have to be a grandma (but we sure do love them!). We will find a convenient time and you are welcome to select a book or one can be provided. It really is a simple way of making reading exciting!

Reading is a BLAST

To develop a love reading is a huge goal in Grade 1. If the children are excited to read at this young age, it is very likely that they will continue to read and be avid readers throughout their lives. 

One way we have been getting really "pumped" about reading is by welcoming in Mystery Readers. By some stroke of luck, we have had two this week ... and have three more scheduled!

First, the children read three clues about the Mystery Reader. Then, the Mystery Reader is welcomed in to share a story!

Earlier this week, a former student who has a younger brother in our class excitedly shared a story with us! We worked as a team to read her 3 clues and then settled in to enjoy her book!

Here are the three clues for the Mystery Reader we welcomed yesterday:

It was an enthusiastic mom who came to read a few favourites to us! 

If you are interested in coming in as a Mystery Reader, please get in touch. We will find a convenient time and you are welcome to select a book or one can be provided. It really is a simple way of making reading exciting!

Back in October we took part in the Strathcona County Library's Read Aloud Challenge by reading Brown Bear. WE MADE THE HIGHLIGHT REEL! Happen to know those cuties who are holding the "We love to read" sign? 

Could you spot our whole school reading aloud in the gym? 

We have had so much fun reading together! Stay tuned for more crazy ways we make reading a blast!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Last Friday it was gray. It was rainy. It was gloomy. It was even ... INDOOR RECESS. Think that sounds like a recipe for a crummy day? Not in our Grade 1 class! 

About mid-morning, after we had zoomed around the gym, we had a Mystery Reader! Here were the clues we read carefully and puzzled over:

Did you guess? The kids did, with one student's help, because it was her mom! Our reader shared one of her childhood favourites with the class. 

If you or another family member would like to be our next Mystery Reader, send a note or email. It is an excellent way to get the students excited about reading!

Back to our gray, rainy, windy day indoors ... 

Wiggle Breaks. Necessary in any primary classroom. ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL on a day like last Friday! Our class has been really enjoying a website called GoNoodle for quick, engaging movement breaks throughout the day. There are lots to try, including rockin' zumba dances (Mrs. Beliveau's favourite!), streching/breathing, and even Olympic track events! 

Our GoNoodle certificate
that we earned!

We had chosen a GoNoodle character a few weeks ago, and after every 10 brain breaks (aka. wiggle breaks), our character grew! Well, this past week, he grew so big we needed to choose a new character!

Needless to say, we took several wiggle breaks last Friday to get our new character growing and growing! As you can imagine, most pictures were pretty blurry because the kids were moving so fast! (not at all because of Mrs. Beliveau's photography skills).

Ask your child to "run like the kitty"!

All those wiggle breaks ensured we could focus and work. Rain didn't dampen the fun or the learning in our room last week!

I read, YOU read, WE ALL read!

Making reading exciting is so important in developing engaged, lifelong readers. Our excitement was through the roof today as we welcomed in our first Mystery Reader!

Together, we examined a few clues about the Mystery Reader. Right away, the children discovered that not only one guest was coming, but two!

We were absolutely thrilled to welcome in the mother of one of our students, as well as the family dog, Thomas! The only thing the children were wondering was ... who would do the reading?

We enjoyed two doggie-themed rhyming books. The first was about Thomas' cousin, a weiner-dog named Schnitzel von Krumm, who was on the hunt for a new comfy bed to cozy up in. Can you guess where he finally decided to sleep?

The second book was by the same author, and was a fantastic rhyming book about several dogs who head out for a walk. What might have scared them all away?

Our Mystery Reader and Thomas were easily the highlight of our morning. We look forward to welcoming in more Mystery Readers soon!

We didn't limit the reading to our Mystery Reader, though. The students read, too! Each day, the children are partnered up to re-read their Home Reading book, as well as listen to a classmate read. The children read "EEKK". Does your child remember what EEKK means?

After reading EEKK with a partner, children choose a new book at their level. Choice plays a tremendous role in reading motivation. Then children record their new book in their log.

As they wait for their classmates to complete their logs, children read their new books quietly to themselves.

Thank you for reading the Home Reading book alongside your child each evening. Daily practice at a level that your child can manage independently is crucial in developing a strong foundation in reading.

Celebrate the successes! They are many!