Read Across America Day/Dr. Seuss Day

At our school Read Across America Day starts with door decorating the week or two weeks before depending on how big your idea is.  Our ideas, are usually big.  

This year Kelly's first graders read Big Al by Andrew Clements.  They examined the author's message and each kiddo made their own school of fish. 

How cute does this door look?

My fifth graders and I always read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by the phenomenal J.K. Rowling.  This year we created platform 9 3/4 complete with the Hogwart's Express.  I took pictures of the kids and they used their face to create the first year students that are boarding the train.  This is a little more than a door decoration as I am known for going down the hall with my Red Across America Day decor. 

The Hogwarts Express pulling out of the station. 

Hurry! The train is leaving without us.

On Read Across America Day our first and fifth grade class AKA The Reading Buddies spend the entire day together in my room participating in Dr. Seuss activities.  After a round of Sneetches Bingo we send the kids on a Green Eggs and READ egg hunt.  Each egg is filled with a Dr. Seuss title.  The kids go with their buddy to Kelly's room to find the egg and the corresponding book and then head back to my room to lay on their blanks and READ!

Next, we play Dr. Seuss Bingo.  This is a power point template that I found and created using the works of Dr. Seuss.  We read Horton Hatches an Egg, The Cat and the Hat, The Cat and the Hat Comes Back, and Yertle the Turtle throughout the week before Read Across America Day.  Kelly and I share the books between our classrooms taking a few minutes to make sure we read and discuss each book with our prospective classes.  The final category is all about the man himself, DR. SEUSS.  

Our Jeopardy board projected on the SMARTboard, though a screen works just fine.  

Kelly quickly created this display as a visual reminder for her class.

We had some extra time this year so Kelly (Ms. Always Prepared) had this coloring game where the kids rolled dice and colored in the corresponding number of The Cat in the Hat hats.  So simple, but the kids loved it!

One of our parents (on that Kelly had in first grade who has now worked her way up to me in 5th) made these wonderful cookies!

The day ends with a movie on the ceiling, that's right, on the ceiling! The kids lay back, relax, and enjoy The Sneetches and Green Eggs and Ham.  At this point Kelly and I are so exhausted that this is the best way to end the day. 

Another GREAT day for the Reading Buddies!
-Dam and Kel