
Reading Engagement Idea for Read-Alouds
One of my very favorite parts of teaching is reading aloud to the kiddos. The number one Reading Engagement Idea I use in my classroom is reading great books aloud! I always try to pick a story that moves me and them. I have an awesome group of “story kiddos” this year. No matter how they behave the rest of the day, they are good as gold when I read a story!
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That being said, I read a lot!
At the end of my fantastic read-aloud, the kiddos always want the book I have read. I used to give it to the first kiddo who asked, but then it became the same two all the time. Then, along came Pinterest and this amazing Reading Engagement Idea! I read that someone (if it was you, let me know!) Who did “Book Raffles” with their kiddos.
There are several ways that you can do this. I use craft sticks (Amazon Affiliate Link) with the kiddo’s numbers on them (that way, I can reuse them every year). These are in a specially made “stick picker” can that I made out of two Crystal Light Containers. They are glued together, and a slit is put in one lid. I put the lid on one can and all of the sticks (with the kiddo’s numbers on them) in the other. I choose a stick and let that kiddo choose whether they would like that book for their book box. If they decide to hang on to it, their stick goes into the side with the lid.
When the side with the lid is full, I put the lid on the other container and start over!
I also have another container for picking students to answer questions in class, which could also be used for book raffles. It is a simple soup can that I have covered with paper and tape to make it pretty.
Inside the can is a Dixie cup (Amazon Affiliate Link). The sticks all start in the Dixie cup. When you choose a stick, that stick goes back in on the outside of the Dixie cup.
This way is a little sneakier.
Sometimes, kids would rather not have that particular book, so they say, “No, thank you,” and their stick goes back in for another time.
The kiddos love this system and get excited to “win” the read-aloud! If it is really popular, when they are done, they return the book to the marker rail on the front board for others to have a turn. It works well, and my read-aloud gets shared and used.
If the read-aloud is one of my teaching books, it is labeled with a special sticker on the back, so when the kids are done with it, they return it to me.
Do you share your read-alouds? How do you do it?
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Thanks for reading, and Happy Teaching,
