Incorporating engaging activities with read-alouds can bring stories to life and deepen students’ understanding of important themes. Below are fun and meaningful reading activities for elementary students paired with books that celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., winter themes, new beginnings, and kindness.
Reading Activities About Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport
- Activity: Invite students to create a “Big Words Collage.” Ask them to illustrate or write powerful words that inspire kindness and change, just like Dr. King’s. Display the collages in the classroom to remind students of the impact of positive language.
- Discussion: Guide a discussion about how students can use their “big words” to foster kindness and positively impact their community. Encourage them to share examples.
I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr.
- Activity: Encourage students to write or draw their dreams for a better world and compile their contributions into a classroom “Dream Book.”
- Lesson Tie-In: Discuss the Civil Rights Movement and highlight how small actions can lead to significant changes. Emphasize the importance of standing up for what is right.
Books About Winter and Reading Activities
- Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
- Activity: Ask students to write or draw their own imaginative story about what snowmen might do at night.
- Extension: Incorporate an art project by having students craft snowmen using construction paper or cotton balls to accompany their stories.
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- Activity: Bring the story to life by acting it out with animal puppets or masks. Students can practice sequencing by recalling the order in which animals enter the mitten.
- Lesson Tie-In: Teach about winter animals and their habitats, connecting the story to science lessons about adaptation and survival.
- Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
- Activity: Guide students in creating a “Winter Habitats Diorama” to showcase animals that live beneath the snow.
- Extension: Pair the book with nonfiction texts about hibernation and migration to extend your learning about animal behaviors during winter.
Books About New Beginnings and Reading Activities
- Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by Pat Miller
- Activity: Have students write their own resolutions and share how they plan to achieve them. Create a “Resolution Tree” where students hang their goals as leaves or ornaments.
- Extension: Revisit the resolutions in spring to reflect on their progress and celebrate achievements.
- What Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi Yamada
- Activity: Role-play scenarios where students can take chances, such as trying a new activity or making a new friend.
- Lesson Tie-In: discuss the growth midset and emphasize how taking risks, even when uncertain, can lead to personal growth and new opportunities.
Books About Kindness and Community and Reading Activities
- Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
- Activity: Create a “Kindness Chain” by having each student write down an act of kindness they can do. Link the strips together and display them in the classroom as a visual reminder of collective kindness.
- Discussion: Talk about the difference between needs and wants, and brainstorm ways to help others who may be in need.
- Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
- Activity: Set up a “Bucket Filling Station” where students can write notes of encouragement or gratitude for classmates.
- Extension: Incorporate this as a daily or weekly routine to build a strong sense of community and foster a positive classroom environment.
- Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
- Activity: Demonstrate the ripple effect of kindness by dropping a stone into water. Have students share examples of small acts of kindness that can grow and spread.
- Discussion: Reflect on the importance of treating others with kindness, even when it might seem small or unnoticed.
Conclusion
By integrating these reading activities for elementary students into your classroom, you can create enriching experiences that reinforce literacy and nurture empathy, creativity, and a sense of community among your students.
For more information on Reading Language Arts (RLA), visit our website or blog for related articles. Check out Book Talk, our monthly series where we share a book list for all grade levels. We’d love to hear your feedback, comments, or suggestions!
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Gabrielle Sweetland-Garza
Gabrielle is an Elementary Reading Language Arts Specialist at ESC Region 13.
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