| December is Read a New Book month. This is a | | | | about basic story structure and that every story has |
| great opportunity to expose your children to new | | | | a beginning, middle and end. Come up with a list of |
| books. Spend some time focusing on early literacy | | | | themes used in books for children. List the themes on |
| skills during this month. Your children will enjoy learning | | | | a chalk board or chart paper. Have the children vote |
| and build literacy skills with these fun preschool Read | | | | on which theme they want to use for their class |
| a New Book month activities. | | | | story. The class will then create a story based on |
| Reading Tree | | | | that theme. You may want to provide the first |
| Focus on how many new books the kids can read | | | | sentence or two before allowing the children to |
| each month with this fun activity. Before starting, talk | | | | contribute ideas. |
| about the month and try to set a goal for new | | | | Write the story down on chart paper. Once the |
| books to read. These will be new books that the | | | | story is written, the kids can create a book. Assign |
| class has never read before. The library is a good | | | | each student a page from the story to illustrate. You |
| source of books. Consider taking a field trip to the | | | | add the text. Laminate the book so it lasts all year |
| library. The kids will enjoy finding fun books and they | | | | long. The children can take turns taking the book |
| may be able to get their own library cards. Ask about | | | | home to share with their families. When they have all |
| this in advance. Some will send home forms for the | | | | had a chance, put it in your classroom library. |
| parents to fill out, allowing the children to get their | | | | Reading Wall |
| own cards. | | | | Create a reading wall with words the kids can read. |
| Create a reading tree on your class bulletin board. Cut | | | | Have the parents send in labels from snack foods, |
| out a tree shape with brown construction paper. | | | | cereal boxes or soup cans that their children can |
| Attach this to the bulletin board. Cut out several large | | | | read. This is called environmental print and is often |
| leaf shapes with green paper. Each time the group | | | | the earliest words kids learn to read. Cut the words |
| reads a new book, write the title on a leaf and staple | | | | from the packaging and staple to your word wall. A |
| it to the tree. For a holiday variation, cut out a pine | | | | bulletin board or section of wall can be used. |
| tree shape. Write the titles on colorful construction | | | | Add to the wall throughout the year. The children's |
| paper Christmas ball shapes. Staple these to the pine | | | | names can be put up with a picture of each child |
| tree. | | | | next to his name. Add other words as they are |
| Write A Class Story | | | | learned. This is a great literacy building activity that |
| Talk about themes found in stories for children. Talk | | | | will last for the entire school year. |