March 3, 2008
In California, Read Across America was observed on Monday, March 3, instead of March 2 (Dr. Seuss' birthday), because the day fell on a Sunday. We hope you remembered this special day of reading for students, family and friends.
Why Celebrate Reading?
Learning to read is one of the most important things a child will ever learn to do. Celebrating reading through different events is a fun way to introduce children to the world of books, words and reading. Mastering basic reading skills helps motivate children to learn. The more children read, the better they read. And the more they read outside of school, the better they do in school. Continued exposure to reading and vocabulary encourages learning and the expansion of new ideas.
How to Celebrate Reading
Parents can pick up a book and read with their children. Older children can read to younger children. Local, city and county librarians can arrange special story hours. You can invite a local news anchor, police or firefighters to read at a Read Across America event or invite a local bookstore to host a children's read-in. The list is endless. Start planning now and next year will be an even bigger and better celebration!
Quite a Celebration
The theme for Read Across America 2008 was "Go Books, Go." Joining us to help celebrate the importance of reading and literacy was a colorful cast of characters from the books of Rafael Lopez.
We hope you got in the groove and were a part of this year's fun celebration! Some activites this year included guest readers, reading challenges, breakfast read-ins and book drives. These are examples of fun things you can do next year to share the joy of reading.
Let the nation know what you did for RAA
The National Education Association is hosting a section on the NEA website where teachers pledged their RAA activities online. Visit NEA's pledge page and let the nation know what you did to promote Read Across America.
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