Chapter Books for Second Semester

The first half of the year is all about learning letters and sounds.  I build a love of learning how to read with piles of books.  I used seasonal books, holiday books, theme books, old books, and new books.  We would gather around the reading chair and enjoy multiple books each day.  We learned about authors and illustrators.  We learned how to care for books.  We talked about what we thought the book would be about by looking at the cover.  We talked about all the pictures.  We asked questions.  We learned how to be good listeners.  We used our imaginations to figure out what else could happen in the stories. 

And then...in January...after we read countless books about snow, winter, animals, and hibernation...it was time to break out the special books!  We found special spots to lay or sit in the classroom to listen and let our brains make the pictures.  I would introduce them to Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle who loved children.  "Oh, just like you do?!"  Awwww...yes!  And then I would read with all the expression I could muster and listen to them giggle our way through the chapter.  I think Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was a Kindergarten teacher who got tired and decided to stay home!

Read the chapter books!  Let your students hear you yell, sob, sing your way through the characters you introduce them too.   Be silly!  Enjoy reading...so your students will enjoy reading!