30 Jan Read Aloud
By Kris Carter, MLCA 1st Grade Teacher
One of my favorite times during our instructional day in First Grade is in the late afternoon, just before dismissal, when the kids have a chance to relax a little, eat their snack, and enjoy some time with me reading aloud to them. We normally have the chance to read eight- or nine-chapter books throughout the school year, during this time. I like to read a variety of different genres to them, anywhere from fictional stories to stories based on real events.
Every year the kids’ favorite stories fall into the last genre of books based on real events. In this category, I read the story, “The Boy in the Alamo” by Margert Cousins and “Letters from Oma,” by Marj Gurasich. I include these stories because they compliment our Texas History studies. The first book “The Boy in the Alamo,” is a wonderful book that outlines the significant characters and timeline of this important battle in our state’s history. The way the author depicts these people allows the children to enjoy and relate to the historical figures in the book.
The books also open up the opportunity for discussion of difficult subject material and what events led to this battle. The second book, “Letters from Oma,” is filled with wonderful references of what life was like for a young German girl who immigrated to Texas in the 1800’s. This book is filled with the joys and hardships of the early pioneers trying to make a life in Texas.
By reading aloud to my students, I am able to introduce them to a wider variety of literature in their early reading years and challenge them to compare their current lifestyles to that of the characters outlined in the books. While reading out loud to my students, I like to stop and ask them to think about what their life would be like if they were a pioneer child. Often there is a great deal of shock and dismay when they consider their lives without any fast-food options or electricity.
Once we have read a section in our literature books, I like to have my students draw a picture and journal what they remember about what we read the previous day. At first this process is cumbersome, but with a little practice I find that they are eager to share what they learned and remember from the reading. They also develop skills of listening for details that they think I might ask about.
Beyond the academic benefits, reading aloud to my students gives them a chance to learn and evaluate how important their faith is for their daily lives.
By listening to these stories, they come away with an understanding about trials in people’s daily lives and the opportunity to go to God in prayer and assurance that HE is always there. All the while, it gives me the opportunity to reveal these treasures to them through these important studies of literature.
