Literacy Coach Kristy Nadler arranged for four Authors and an Illustrator to visit with students at WOS and CLE on World Read Aloud Day! First and second graders were treated to a read aloud from author Annette Whipple who read from her book, Whooo Knew? The Truth about Owls. She advised our young authors to, “Make sure you read your story out loud and ask for feedback. Ask your teacher, your friends, your friends, and grownups if you can read to them.” Author Sara Leach read her book, Sounds of a Ferry and answered questions from the kindergartners, while offering them advice and encouragement about writing.
At Cottage Lane, author David Kelly read an excerpt from his Ballpark Mystery series to excited third and fourth graders, while illustrator Violet Kim read and shared illustrations with fifth graders. Violet zoomed with the fifth graders from Taiwan and answered questions about her career. Finally, author Shirin Shamsi read from her books The Girl Who Dared and Laila and the Sands of Time. Shamsi shared inspiring words with the fourth and fifth graders and encouraged them to write every day.
The authors visits were aligned with our curriculum in reading and writing. Author Annette Whipple writes non-fiction books and our first and second graders are reading and writing nonfiction. Kindergarten is studying how to write for readers. Leach talked with the students about how to write a clear beginning, middle, and end in their stories. Third grade is reading mystery books to strength foundational reading skills and launching a mystery writing unit. David Kelly was able to give tips to the students on how to write a mystery unit. Fifth grade is studying countries revolting to gain independence around the world. Shirin Shamsi’s book, The Girl Who Dared is set in India when the partition of Pakistan was taking pace in 1947. This book was based on her family’s experience living through that time. Shamsi spoke about the partition and took questions from fourth and fifth graders about her books.
We are so thankful to these authors and illustrators for taking the time to visit with our elementary students on World Read Aloud Day, in some cases, from all the way around the world!
