Graphing with kids!

Colorin Colorado has a wonderful new article on creating bar graphs that is free to reproduce and share with parents.  Head on over to http://www.colorincolorado.org/pdfs/edextras/43814-en.pdf and take a look at this wonderful resource.  It also includes recommended picture books that go along with this topic.  This article is also available in Spanish if needed.  Just drop us an email and we can direct you to that link.  Thanks!

Reading Strategies: Read a Picture

There are many different reading strategies that can be used with students.  An activity that is good to use with pre-emergent readers is called Read a Picture.  

Materials:

You will need a  nonfiction picture book, dry erase board, and dry erase marker. 

Strategies: 

This activity will use prior knowledge to add meaning to text.  It will also have the student look at picture clues to predict story content.

Directions:

1. Write on the dry erase board 2-3 vocabulary words from a nonfiction story.  Select words that connect to illustrations in the book.
2. Show students each page of the book and have them use picture clues to predict information.
3. Ask how and why questions.
4. Read aloud and define the words on the board.
5. Have students use the listed words to describe the book illustrations.
6. Then read the story aloud.
7. Have students compare their predictions to the facts in the story.