A Kid’s Book for Every Day in September

Big Universe has added a broad range of new books to its online library recently – thanks to publishing partners attuned to children’s vast interests and the wish lists of teachers. I have marveled at this website’s diverse inventory and decided to put it to the test.

“I wonder if I can find a book to coincide with each day in September?” I mused. “…Something to coincide with the holidays, historical anniversaries and other special observations from Sept. 1-30?”

Here’s what I found!

Sept. 1 – This day is set aside to remember the iconic verses of “Mary’s Lamb” – now referred to as “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” According to Rita Smith, the curator of the University of Florida’s Baldwin Collection of Children’s Literature, the poem was written by Sarah Josepha Hale and published in the September 1830 issue of a periodical titled “The Juvenile Miscellany.” Try these wooly tales to celebrate the anniversary: “Sheep,” “The Ultimate Mother Goose Collection,” (Twin Sisters) “Lambs” (Bellwether) or “Bad Day at Arnold’s Sheep Ranch” (Remedia).

Sept. 2 – The Great Fire of London started on this day in 1666. Prior to modern day safety practices, many other cities around the world experienced similar fires. Read “The Fire Department” or “Surviving the Great Chicago Fire” (Rourke) – depending on the age and maturity of the reader.

Sept. 3 – It’s the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Society, an international network of top scientists, engineers and medical professionals who “exist to expand knowledge (and) support science.” Read “The Nervous System,” (Bellwether) “In Arctic Waters” (Sylvan Dell) or anything else in Big Universe’s math or science sections.

Sept. 4 – On this day in 1893, English author Beatrix Potter first told “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” as a “picture letter” to the son of her former governess. Almost 120 years later, the classic is read all over the world in many languages. Big Universe has the book among its audible “Read Alouds.” This version is recited in Mandarin Chinese! Potter’s “The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin,” however, is recited in English. (MightyBook)

Sept. 5 – The Salmon Festival is being held in historic Eastport, Maine. Read “The Life Cycle of a Salmon.” (Bellwether)

Sept. 6 – Today is Labor Day, a federal holiday. Read “Workers” (Teacher Created Materials) or other books about people in the work force, such as “Test Pilot” or “Forest Firefighter.” (Weekly Reader)

Sept. 7 – Today is the third annual National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more about eco-friendly power and caring for the earth, read “Going Green.” (Rourke)

Sept. 8 – International Literacy Day is celebrated worldwide on Sept. 8. Founded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this observance was initiated to highlight the necessity of improving literacy on a global basis. Read “ABC Safari” (Sylvan Dell) or any other book on Big Universe.

Sept. 9 – This date marks singing legend Elvis Presley’s first appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in 1956. Read the graphic-style book “Elvis Presley Graphic Biography” to learn more about this music celebrity. (Saddleback)

Sept. 10 – Charlotte, N.C., is holding its annual Literary Festival this weekend. Join the observation by reading “The War of the Worlds (Illustrated Classic),” “Macbeth,” “Hamlet (Illustrated Classic),” or “Julius Caesar.” (Saddleback)

Sept. 11 – It’s Raptor Weekend at the Environmental Education Center in Bristol, R.I., featuring live flight presentations and other educational activities. To learn more about birds of prey, read “Eaglets” (Bellwether), “Eagles,” “Hawks,” “Kites” or “Owls.” (Rourke)

Sept. 12 – Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. “How Far to Heaven” (Illumination Arts) is a beautiful love story between a grandmother and her grandchild, and the illustrations and words in “Grandma’s Feather Bed” (Dawn Publications) will make you smile.

Sept. 13 – Chiang Kai-Shek became the president of China on this day in 1943. To read more about this large, fascinating and complex country, read “China” (Bellwether) and another book also titled “China” published by Teacher Created Materials.

Sept. 14 – On this day in 1984, Joseph Kittinger set off on a record-making trip from Caribou, Maine, in the cabin of a helium balloon. Four days later he landed in Italy, becoming the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic in a balloon. To learn more about hot air balloons, read “Hot Air Ballooning.” (Rourke)

Sept. 15 – The United Nations has designated Sept. 15 at the International Day of Democracy. Read “Why are Elections Important?” (Weekly Reader)

Sept. 16 – To observe Collect Rocks Day, consider reading “Julie the Rockhound” (Sylvan Dell) or “Rocks, Minerals and Soil.” (Rourke)

Sept. 17 – It’s Constitution Day. Read “What is a Constitution?” (Weekly Reader)

Sept. 18 – This year, Oktoberfest begins on Sept. 18 in Germany, and festivities will continue until Oct. 3. Learn more about Germany in Bellwether’s book “Germany.”

Sept. 19 – Aye, mate! It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Read the funny story “Lucky the Pirate” (Remedia), or go to the Big Universe blog titled “Ahoy! Pirate Books for Boys (and Girls).”

Sept. 20 – It’s been 37 years since Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King, 25, defeated 55-year-old Bobby Riggs – also a Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion – in an exhibition tennis match in Houston, Texas, demonstrating women’s ability to play high-caliber tennis – even against a man (and win). Young fans of this sport may like to read “Tennis.” (Bellwether)

Sept. 21 – What better way to celebrate International Peace Day than reading books about children, homes and places around the globe. Try “We Share One World” (Illumination Arts), “Kids Around the World,” “Homes Around the World” and “Places Around the World.” (Teacher Created Materials)

Sept. 22 – Today is Elephant Appreciation Day. Read “Critters Up Close – Elephants” (Zoobooks) or “The First Elephant,” an animated story by author and Big Universe member Rick Walton.

Sept. 23– German astronomer Johann Golle discovered Neptune in 1846. Read about this planet in the book “Neptune” (Bellwether) or “Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun.” (Dawn Publications)

Sept. 24 – Native American Day is a celebration to honor the first Americans. Read the treasure of information in “Rourke’s Native American History and Culture Encyclopedia, Volume 1-10,” including Native American legends in the back of each book. They are an outstanding resource for reports.

Sept. 25 – The Library of Congress is sponsoring today’s National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., a celebration of “the joy of reading.” Read “ABC Letters in the Library” (Lobster Press) or any other book you please!

Sept. 26: The fourth Saturday in September is International Rabbit Day. Read “Rabbits,” “Bunnies,”  “Caring for Your Rabbit,” (Bellwether) or “My Little Rabbit.” (Mathew Price)

Sept. 27 – On Sept. 27, 1862, in Greytown, South Africa, a little boy named Louis Botha was born. He grew up to become the first prime minister of South Africa, 1910-1919. While Big Universe does not have a specific book about Botha or South Africa, its non-fictions “Mansa Musa, Leader of Mali” and “Sub-Saharan Africa” (Teacher Created Materials) paint some historical background for those exploring the great continent of Africa.

Sept. 28 – It’s National Good Neighbor Day. Whether your neighbor is across a fence or sitting at the desk next to you, thoughtfulness and being kind are important facets of social interaction. Read “One Smile” (Illumination Arts) by author Cindy McKinley and illustrator Mary Gregg Byrne. This book has been read more than 3,500 times on BigUniverse.com and rates 5 out of 5 stars!

Sept. 29 – It’s Confucius Day, and you can read about this Chinese philosopher in a book titled “Confucius, Chinese Philosopher” by Wendy Conklin, M.A., and Gisela Lee, M.A. (Teacher Created Materials)

Sept. 30 – National Mudpack Day is an obscure observance with little traceable history. So, pardon my artistic license when I suggest you read a few books about pigs instead of packing on the facial goo! “Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch” (Charlesbridge) is a new addition to Big Universe’s shelves. Or read “When Pigs Fly” (Lobster Press) or “Piglets” by Colleen Sexton. (Bellwether)

That wraps it up. Have a wonderful month sharing the joy of reading. There’s something for everyone.

World Cup: Big Universe Has Soccer Books for Kids

I was on a crowded train in Spain when I was introduced to the World Cup. I was backpacking across Europe with a friend after college graduation and had just commented on how tightly we were packed in the train.

“I wonder if it’s always this crowded?” I mused. A British guy sitting on the floor near me said it was because of the World Cup.

“World Cup?” I asked, naively.

After the guy and his buddy picked their chins up off the floor, the cheekier of the two said, “Foo-ball! You know, A-mer-i-can sack-ur,” he said, giving a poor imitation of a cross between J.R. Ewing and a Boston fireman. “You gaw eh be kitten me,” he added, shaking his head. Or, at least that’s what I thought he said.

After thoroughly roasting us, the two English “blokes” invited us two American “birds” to see a game with them in Seville, Spain. (They were rabid soccer fans and were following the Copa del Mundo de Fútbol – España 82 competition until their money ran out.) We agreed.

I’m not sure how they swung the tickets, since the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium was wall-to-wall people. Don’t ask; don’t tell.

Once inside, the adrenaline rush was overwhelming, or that might have been my fear of being crushed by 68,000 exuberant fans or impaled by one of their waving flags. Once I secured a safe perch up on a wall, I found out that the actual soccer game was exciting too. Brazil beat the Soviet Union 2 to 1, and afterward the fans hit the streets of Seville, parading into the middle of the night.

A chance encounter in Spain? Nah! The four of us all kept in touch, and six years later my friend married her soul mate – one of guys on the train. They are raising a brood of soccer players now here in the States. He coaches and refs, and I’m sure she has done her share of soccer mom duties. Eventually, my husband and I got involved in the sport too and coached Under 8 Girls soccer in the local recreation league for six or seven seasons.

The sport that no one believed would ever catch on in the United States, has in fact ignited a generation! Here are a few soccer books for kids offered at Big Universe to fuel the flame…both for soccer and reading.

• “Soccer”  or “Fútbol” by Holly Karapetkova. English or Spanish. Beginners. (Rourke Publishing)
• “Soccer” by Anne Wendorff. Blastoff! Readers: Level 4. (Bellwether Publishing)
• “Soccer Sabotage: A Graphic Guide Adventure” by author Liam O’Donnell and illustrator Michael Deas. (Orca Book Publishers)
• “The Funny Soccer Game” authored by Big Universe member Wcs2er.
• “The Soccer Rivals” authored by Big Universe student member Westbrj.

The ABCs of Car Games: Part Three

“This is June, the month of grass and leaves . . . and a new summer is offered me.”

 – Henry David Thoreau

There’s something magical about summertime: new adventures, freedom and beauty that one can almost sip from a straw.

Summer clips the tethers that hold us tight the rest of the year. We stay outside longer, we stop for impromptu ice cream cones, and we get up early on Saturday morning and consider it fun because we are headed to the farmers’ market.

And then, there are the vacations! Off we go to the beach, the lake, the amusement park or to the mountains to camp.

Unfortunately there’s usually some significant travel time involved on vacations, and that can be tricky with little ones in tow. But, that’s part of life, so early on I decided to embrace the inevitable car rides, seeing them as opportunities – rather than something one step above rubbing sunscreen in my eyes.

So, I came up with a kid-friendly strategy that made trips both fun and educational. In my two previous blogs I detailed tips to make long trips easier, including a packing list and some car game suggestions to make the time go faster and to exercise brain cells.

Here are a few more car games to boost your children’s language skills and minimize irritability and whining.

Who Am I?

One child says, “Who am I?” The second child asks, “Are you a person, place or thing?” The first child answers, and then the question-answer volley proceeds until the mystery item or person is guessed. (Are you smaller than a car? Do you make noise? Can you be eaten? Are you scary? Are you soft? This models conversation patterns, teaches critical thinking skills and sharpens listening aptitude.

License Plate Game

If you have a long road trip planned, print copies listing the 50 states. As your child spies license plates from different states, have him check the state off his list. Or, give him some crayons and a black and white map of the United States and let him color in each state that he sees. Reading, geography and small motor skills wrapped into one.

Rhyme Time

Language is made of sounds, and making rhymes is an early literacy milestone. This game involves parent-child interaction, which builds communication bridges as well as a wide vocabulary base. Some of the rhymes will be silly or nonsensical, but that’s OK. Language has its serious side, but words can be a delight, too.

Give a noun in a phrase, pausing so your child can fill in the blank. Start by example:

   The dog and a  ___. (hog, log, frog)

   A star with a  ___. (car, jar, or a nonsense word like “dar”)

   Jack Sprat and his ___. (cat, rat, mat, bat)

Fortunately, Unfortunately

Older kids will love this word play game. It encourages the imagination and a sense of humor. One person starts a scenario by say, “Fortunately…” The second person responds by saying, “Unfortunately…” You alternate between fortunate and unfortunate things. It’ll get the laughter going. For example:

   “Fortunately, we are stopping for lunch soon.”

   “Unfortunately, Mom left your sandwich at home.”

   “Fortunately, I have a bag of peanuts in my pocket.”

   “Unfortunately, the park we are going to is infested with aggressive squirrels.”

   “Fortunately, I speak ‘squirrel’ fluently and will be able to talk my way out of trouble.”

   “Unfortunately, the park is a wildlife refuge and kids aren’t allowed to speak out loud there.”

   “Fortunately…”

And so on.

Would You Rather?

This game is as simple as they come. Start by example, then let the kids have a turn.

   “Would you rather go to the pool or go to the zoo?

   “Would you rather eat lima beans or eat spinach?”

   “Would you rather pet a bear or pet a lion?

   “Would you rather have 12 toes or 12 fingers?”

These are just a few of the many games that can be played in the car. I shared “Horse on Wheels” in my first blog in this series and three other car games in my second posting: “The Great Race from A to Z,” “Sack on My Back” and “Name Game.” They foster communication, build literacy skills and boost family bonding. Check them out.

I’d love to hear about some of the word games your family plays in the car to pass the time. Feel free to post a comment.

Have a great summer.

*** If you are taking a laptop with you on your road trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.

The ABCs of Car Games: Part Two

In my last blog, I talked about summer vacation, traveling in a car and how important it is to prepare carefully when carrying young passengers. If you are going to confine small people in small spaces for hours on end, it’s best to have a plan. “Prepare or perish” were my exact words.

Car games are a good way to pass the time on a long trip, along with a pile of books, a new toy and some snacks. Car games are literacy builders, too – whether players look for letters on billboards, build an expanding story based on the ABCs and memory skills, or sing silly songs with changing sounds.

I shared a new but simple game called “Horse on Wheels” in my previous blog. Here are three more games to foster communication, build literacy skills and boost family bonding while putting some mileage on your car.

The Great Race from A to Z

Have your children look for each letter in the alphabet, using billboards and signs on businesses. See how many times they can get through the alphabet before getting to Aunt Carolyn’s house. Or, use a stopwatch to time the race from A to Z. It can be a group effort or kids can compete, depending on the squabble factor. Add a notebook and pencil to the equation if your children need practice with penmanship.

Sack on My Back

This is a memory game and tongue twister all packed into one! Each player takes a turn reciting the game prompt: “In a sack on my back, I think I’ll pack…” He or she adds a noun each time, starting with A, then B, and so on. Each player will need to listen closely, so he doesn’t leave anything off the list. “In a sack on my back, I think I’ll pack an apple, a basketball, a camera and my dachshund.”

Name Game

This rhyming car game takes some practice, but the kids love it. I never quite mastered it, but children have a special knack to pick up on the playful sound switcheroos, especially when names are involved. You can play it with other words, too. Learn one line; then add another. Here are several examples:

Darby, Darby, Bo-barby

Banana, Fanna, Fo-farby

Fee, Fie, Mo-marby

Daaar-by!

—-

Tom, Tom, Bo-bom

Banana, Fanna, Fo-fom

Fee, Fie, Mo-mom

Tooo-ooom!

—-

Maddie, Maddie, Bo-baddie

Banana, Fanna, Fo-faddie

Fee, Fie, Mo-maddie

Maaad-die!

—-

Dave, Dave, Bo-bave

Banana, Fanna, Fo-fave

Fee, Fie, Mo-mave

Daaa-ve!

(Clue: Note the rhyming pattern. Pick a name. Say it twice, then drop the first letter of the name and substitute the silly consonants and sounds.)

SEE MORE CAR GAME IDEAS IN MY NEXT BLOG (3^rd in a series)!

*** If you are taking a laptop with you on your trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.

The ABCs of Car Games: Part One

Oprah Winfrey said, “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”

I’ve always been an optimist, so I appreciate her sentiment. I try to look at the bright side of things and make the best of less than ideal situations – even imprisonment in a smallish vehicle with three other people.

 …That’s 70 cubic feet of space, divided by four – not counting the luggage, the snacks and the pillows. But, I suppose if Oprah and her best friend, Gayle King, can go cross country for 11 days in a little Chevy Impala, I can survive for five in an SUV. 

 Road trips. They can be viewed as either adventures or a stress-packed short cut to Purgatory – especially if children are involved. If vacations involve a lot of driving, parents MUST be prepared. Prepare or perish, I say!

A captive audience

Some of my girls’ fondest memories are of the vacations we took when they were little. It wasn’t necessarily the destination that thrilled them either. I worked hard to make the drive time fun…and educational…to make the most of a potentially difficult situation. I figured I had a captive audience and took advantage of the opportunity.

If you set your children up for a successful road trip, 99 percent of the time, that’s what you’ll get. Plan well, prepare your children, have a positive attitude…and pray like crazy. That was my formula. I desired happy children…but, I also wanted to avoid a nasty case of vehicular momicide.

 We listened to books on tape, and we played word games. (See car game at end of this article…and more in the next blog!) We sang and we TALKED about what we saw out the windows.

Building Blocks for Literacy

A language-rich environment like this helps children develop their vocabulary and their ability to communicate. They learn how to express their observations and opinions, to ask questions, and to listen – all building blocks for literacy. And, if parents engage fully, they can get to know the hearts of their children.

 One for You, and One for Me

Of course, what’s a car trip without snacks? I packed healthful treats in Ziplocs, but crossing state borders was something to really celebrate! One Gummi Worm for North Carolina. Two for Virginia. Three for West Virginia, and, well, when you hit Pennsylvania, you hit the Mother Lode!

What’s in the Bag?

There were always a few brown bags marked “Top Secret,” too. When we reached certain landmarks and IF the children behaved properly, they each got a bag with her name on it. Sometimes it contained a coloring book or puzzle booklet. Other times it had a 50-cent bracelet, a miniature dolly, a little book or a couple of plastic animals. (Note: Don’t forget something for the return voyage!)

NEVER, No Never Ever…

And, of course, we NEVER embarked on a long excursion without a fresh supply of books from the library. We wedged a laundry basket between the girls’ booster seats, which gave them easy access to a heap of books. We left a list of the library books taped to the refrigerator at home with their due dates to make their return easier and to minimize late fees. Our library was good about printing a list for us. 

Now with mobile 3G Internet cards becoming more common, network access on the road is possible. That means websites like BigUniverse.com and all its beautiful children’s picture books can go on vacation with you. Can’t get much better than that!

To help get all you road warriors ready for this summer’s trips, I have compiled a checklist to make your preparations kid-friendly.

How to Survive a Road Trip with Kids

1. Pack comfort items. Pillows, teddy and a favorite blanket.
2. Buy or borrow books on tape/CD. Great for when it gets dark.
3. Bring drinks in spill-proof containers. Pack individual snacks. Dry nibbles are best. There will be crumbs, so choose things that can be vacuumed up.
4. Don’t forget hand wipes to clean sticky faces and grimy hands.
5. Buy or borrow a fresh collection of age-appropriate books to fight boredom and make the trip go faster. Have older siblings read to their younger brothers and sisters. You’ll get twice the mileage from each book.
6. Pick out a few movies for the laptop or DVD player, but use sparingly. I suggest saving them for the return trip or for when it gets dark. Don’t forget headsets – unless you want to be humming kiddie songs for the next week.
7. Tuck Dramamine, ear patches or pressure-point bracelets in the glove compartment.
8. Pack a jump rope, Skip-It or football in the trunk to facilitate some quick exercise at rest stops. Antsy kids don’t make good passengers. Stop often.
9. Give each child their own flashlight. Just take my word on it. It’s a godsend, while en route and once you get to your destination. (Don’t forget a plug-in nightlight, too.)
10. . Place a few surprises in opaque gift bags: mini books, Matchbox cars, stickers, word search puzzles, sugarless gum, Polly Pocket dolls, tiny spiral notebooks and washable markers, mazes, string and string games booklet, etc.
11. . Prepare a list of car games and pack any necessary props. Many of them are good literacy builders, since they involve word and symbol recognition, playful rhymes, spelling, counting and writing.
12. . Add your own ideas to this list.

A Car Game for You

“Horse on Wheels” is a good car game for beginning readers. It involves observation, counting, spelling, writing and stickers. It can be competitive in nature or not. It’s a little like bingo and a little like the driveway basketball game “Horse” – only there is no hoop or basketball…or driveway for that matter! You do spell “h-o-r-s-e” though!

 It’s easy to play and only requires three simple components.

1. One sheet of stiff card stock, matte finish (no shine)
2. One child-safe washable marker or a pencil
3. One sheet of yard sale dot stickers (office supply aisle)

How to assemble: Take card stock and write the word “horse” in big bold letters across the top. Draw vertical lines from top to bottom between the letters. Draw horizontal lines to create squares big enough to fit a dot sticker in the middle. Add a few more horizontal lines to create rows of empty boxes big enough for a child to write the corresponding letter. (See graphic above.)

How to play: The child looks out the window until he or she spots a horse. For every horse, the child gets to add a sticker dot to the chart, placing it first under the letter “H,” then in the “O” column, and so on. After the sticker is in place, the child should write the letter below the sticker. The first child to write “horse” three times wins.

Note: We were driving through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, so it was easy to count horses. Not so easy if you are sticking to urban byways. If this is the case, mark the top of your sheet with a different word or phrase: dog, police car, taxi, bridge and so on.

–  SEE MORE CAR GAME IDEAS IN MY NEXT BLOG!

*** If you are taking a laptop with you on your trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.

Fight Summer Setback with Free Books

Summer is a mixed bag. There’s a little yin, a little yang and a whole lot of gray in between. There’s barbecue, baseball and beaches on the one hand and mosquito bites, sun burn and educational backsliding on the other.

Citronella candles, Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus – SPF 30, and hats with brims will minimize two of the season’s pitfalls. A couple reading incentive programs by three national retailers will help minimize the third issue. 

• In a week, the Barnes & Noble Passport to Summer Reading program kicks off. Participating children, grades 1-6, use the bookstore’s summer reading passport to list each book he or she has read, including the title, author and locations mentioned in the story. Once the child has read eight books and recorded his efforts, he turns in the form for approval at the nearest Barnes & Noble store. Then the child is rewarded with a FREE book from a list of preselected titles. He also gets a chance to win a set of signed “The 39 Clues” books. The literacy initiative runs May 25 through Sept. 7.

•  If a child – 12 or younger – reads 10 books and fills out Borders’ Double Dog Dare Summer Reading Program form and turns it in, he gets a FREE book from the store’s summer reading titles. The program is under way and will continue until Aug. 26 or until books are gone. Forms may be turned at Borders, Waldenbooks or Borders Express.

• Kids up to the age of 14 can take part in Half Price Books’ Feed Your Brain Reading Program from June 1 until July 31. Participants are required to read for 15 minutes or more for five days each week to earn a FREE $3 gift card redeemable at Half Price Books Store. Kids simply need to print and fill out the Feed Your Brain log. They may use any reading material and can earn up to $15 in vouchers.

Local school, library or community group initiatives are a great resource to prevent reading skill loss over the summer too; however, parent facilitation is key. A child can’t drive to the local bookstore and may need help printing out the online forms and completing them.

A handmade chart will help keep track of daily reading goals, and parents can bump up the motivation factor for reluctant readers by adding bonuses when a goal is met: sticks of sugarless gum, 10 minutes of extra computer time, a visit to a new pool, stickers, a quarter in a jar toward the purchase of a new toy, or yard time with a soccer ball and dad. It doesn’t matter what method you use as long as books get read. Just a little effort yields so much!

“While the statistics on summer reading loss seem discouraging, there are answers,” say University of Florida education professors Anne McGill-Franzen and Richard Allington in an article titled “Bridging the Summer Reading Gap” on Scholastic.com. “Studies suggest that children who read as few as six books over the summer maintain the level of reading skills they achieved during the preceding school year. Reading more books leads to even greater success,” they note. “When children are provided with 10 to 20 self-selected children’s books at the end of the regular school year, as many as 50 percent not only maintain their skills, but actually make reading gains.”

While B&N, Borders and Half-Price Books offer their reading initiative in the summer months, BigUniverse.com promotes literacy year round. This award-winning educational website offers thousands of colorful books with page-flip animation. Whether parent, teacher or homeschooler, this virtual library is the perfect antidote to “summer setback.”

No bug spray or suntan lotion required.

* If you are a frugal soul, check out “Tips for Getting More Books in 2010.”  In this blog, I list economic ways to add to your child’s home library.

Early Literacy Skills: Do You See What I See?

High atop a hotel overlooking Atlanta’s cityscape, my toddler and I peered out the picture window in our room. We were staying overnight, so we could pick up my nephew/her cousin, Ryan, from the airport early the next morning.

“Wow. We’re up high, aren’t we?” I said.

“Yes, way up!” little Darby replied. 

“Do you see what I see?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said, tapping the glass with her chubby little finger.

I watched as yet another impressive jet took off into the skies over the busy international airport.

“What do you see?” I prompted again.

“I see an ‘M.” ‘M’ is for McDonald’s,” she crowed with delight.

While that was not the answer I was looking for, I soon located that all-too-familiar yellow beacon of enlightenment. Airplanes were not on the radar for my little redheaded 2½-year-old, but those golden arches certainly were. They signified French fries and catsup, friends and indoor playgrounds – where the slides were never too hot and fire ants were banned. (Outdoor playgrounds harbor some cruel foes in the South in the heat of summer.)

While Darby had not been impressed by the modern marvel of aeronautics, I was happy to realize she associated the letter “M” to something beyond the shape on her wooden puzzle at home. It was a sign that her reading readiness skills were moving along. Soon she recognized the letter “D.”  “D is for Darby,” “W is for window” and “B is for ball.”

We had labeled items in our house with big brightly lettered words on card stock for our 4-year-old, who was fascinated with words and reading. While our household décor was not the traditional picture of loveliness portrayed in “Southern Living” magazine, witnessing the blossoming of intellect, curiosity and love for language in my two daughters was truly beautiful.

Developing Early Literacy Skills

Name that Object. Developing a child’s vocabulary will assist him when he starts to learn to read. Talk to your children from the time they are newborns. “Look at the balloon.” “Here is your bottle.” “The dog is barking.” “See my buttons?” “Where is Mommy’s nose?”  Later, introduce the concepts of big and little, happy and sad and other vocabulary and concept-builders.

Ask and Do Tell. Talk to your children. Ask them questions. Ask them to describe what they have seen. Model conversation, using animated narrative words. And, please, please embrace the question “Why?” Kids may get fixated on this word, but it’s a natural tool to explore their exciting world. So, while it may wear on your last nerve when you are exhausted, see it for what it is. An opportunity! A teaching moment handed to you on a golden platter!

Joyful Reading. Reading time should be a highlight of the day. Make sure your child’s mood is right, the topic is appealing and the time spent with reading material is tailored to your child’s attention span. If Johnny is full of the dickens, it’s yard time, not book time. If Sally is interested in the computer, use online children’s picture books or games to pique her interest.

Make bedtime stories a positive culmination of a structured bedtime routine. We made books a happy part of the morning routine, too. In our house, a cloth or board book would “appear” in the middle of the night at the end of their crib or bed. Soon happy babbling could be heard from the baby monitor each morning when they found their prizes. I remember hearing my 3-year-old reading to “Mother Teddy,” her prized comfort item, with my husband’s voice inflections. Priceless!

A is for Apple. Play alphabet games in the car. Use magnetic letters on the refrigerator. Put together an alphabet puzzle. Let them feel cloth letters and Velcro them to a felt board. Sing songs emphasizing the sounds letters make. (Silly rhymes are usually a big hit.) Use finger paint or chalk to form giant letters. Read ABC books; there are a million out there. This will help with letter knowledge, an important pre-reading skill.

Monkey See, Monkey Do. Model literacy in your home. Reading parents beget reading offspring. Go to the library. Incorporate adult and kid reading time in your day. Keep kid-friendly books accessible in a basket or on a child-level shelf. Switch them out often to keep things fresh. Use other media including educational videos, board games and educational computer software. Show your little ones how to hold books, turn the pages and follow along with their fingers.

Print Awareness. Read the stop sign on your street’s corner every time you drive by. Read the “Beware of Dog” sign when you walk past the barking dog in the neighbor’s yard. Point out a sport team’s name and logo. Read the “Exit” sign over the door at church. Tap familiar high-frequency words when reading favorite books together. And, yes, point out the “M” when you are at McDonald’s.

Bio Poems are Presidential!

Rourke's Encyclopedia, Volume 13

Got Non-Fiction? Big Universe does! Rourke Publishing LLC is a new addition to the Big Universe library! This publisher has a plethora of non-fiction books aligned with national curricular standards. Read books about Outer Space, Going Green, Food Webs, Drag Racing and more! Best of all, they offer a full set of encyclopedias: Rourke’s Complete History of Our Presidents Encyclopedia. This 14-volume encyclopedia is available in its entirety, from George Washington through President Barack Obama.

Lesson Idea: Presidential Bio Poem

Spruce up your next biography unit. Students research a president and create a Bio Poem using the following prompts:

Name of president
Three traits
Related to:
Who cares deeply about
Who feels:
Who needs:
Who gives:
Who fears:
Who would like to see:
Resident of:

Sample Bio Poem about Bart Simpson

Bartholomew “Bart” JoJo Simpson
Rebellious, mischievous, prankster
Related to Homer
Who cares deeply about being 10
Who feels bored in class
Who needs attention from his peers
Who gives his teacher’s the blues
Who fears Nelson’s bullying
Who would like to see Radioactive Man
Resident of Springfield

For more presidential poetry ideas, check out  the American Presidents website.

10 Ways to Use Current Events in the Classroom

Current events provide a rich resource for building language skills and promote active learning. Vocabulary enrichment, reading comprehension, writing opportunities and improved critical thinking are just a few of the benefits of using a newspaper, magazine or other news source in the classroom. Social awareness and improved listening aptitude and verbal skills are added bonuses.

Here is a list of ideas to get you started.

10 Ways to Use Current Events in the Classroom

1. Take advantage of “Today in History” columns in newspapers and on news websites. Let children take turns reading the history snippets. They’ll love being “news anchor of the day.” Try the Associated Press history page or the BBC’s “On This Day” link.

2. Use news stories to develop reader comprehension. Remember the 5 W’s and the “H” question. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? These six questions give children a simple way to start processing what they have read, heard or seen. Read an article together and have students answer the questions orally. Then give them article handouts and let them circle this core information with colored pencils.

3. Have students watch a TV weather story. They can draw a sun or clouds or a snowman and list the day’s highs and lows or write a paragraph about a weather event such as the recent tornadoes that hit the South.

 Pair this exercise with engaging children’s picture books about weather such as “Tornadoes,” “Sunny or Cloudy,” “Droughts,” “Weather,” “Hurricanes,” “Blizzards,” “Countdown to Fall,” “Ice Storms,” “Christmas Eve Blizzard,” “Snow” and “Ocean Seasons” – all available online at Big Universe and perfect for Smart Board application.

4. Ask students to clip a magazine or newspaper article or print a current event from a kid-friendly online news feed like DOGO News. Have them read their articles’ headlines to the class. Then let the class play 20 Questions about a particularly intriguing headline to encourage interaction and investigation into the news story.

5. Talk about big news events and discuss how they affect people locally and around the world. For example, Iceland’s volcanic eruption had widespread impact. Planes couldn’t fly because of the ash cloud over Europe. Tourists couldn’t get home. Delivery of supplies for manufacturing was delayed, so many companies had to shut down production temporarily.

6. Display a “Where in the World?” map on a bulletin board. Discuss a current event and then tack a miniature flag (office supply aisle), identifying the location of the story. Soon you will have a visual reminder of all the places your class “visited,” expanding your students’ global awareness.

7. Find colorful adjectives in news stories. Distribute news clippings and have students highlight the descriptive words. Then have them rewrite a few sentences, substituting their own adjectives and adverbs for each highlighted word.

8. Write a “BigWigs” book. Watch, listen to or read a news story. Identify the names of local or national leaders. Who is your mayor? Who is your governor? Who is the president? Who are the leaders of other countries? Use this to lead into lessons about elections, voting and government. Have your students write a “BigWigs” book using Big Universe’s kid-friendly Author Tool. Don’t forget to explain the term “bigwigs” (aka “the big enchilada” or “the big cheese.”)

9. Let kids create their class spelling list for the week. Split students into groups of five and have them read a news article. They should select five new or interesting words from the story. Have them rewrite their five words and then alphabetize them or use them in a new sentence. Finally, compile a master list. Being involved in the list construction will spark interest and help students take ownership of the learning process.

10. Teach children how to have civil debate. Read an age appropriate news story or editorial. Divide kids into separate groups and let them role play different sides of an issue. Supply hats or other fun physical props to help them identify with people in the news. Act out what happened. The teacher or an outgoing child can portray a news reporter to stimulate conversation and deeper thinking. Switch roles and do it again.

Remember socially aware children armed with a well-rounded education are the peacemakers of tomorrow!

Who Can Resist a Puffin? A Poem, Book ‘n Website

Babies, chocolate and puppies are hard to resist. So are puffins – that rotund black and white seabird with expressive eyes and mango-colored feet and bill. In fact, my girls’ favorite poem while growing up featured a muffin-shaped puffin.

“There Once Was a Puffin” by Florence Page Jaques is best recited with a lilting  voice, a staccato cadence and lots of enthusiasm. We even incorporated some exaggerated breathing.

But, no matter how you choose to interpret it, “There Once Was a Puffin”  is a great poem to memorize and recite in unison. We still quote snippets of it when having tea, eating pancakes or even when we’re feeling blue.

There Once Was a Puffin

Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.

But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn’t play nothin’,
For he hadn’t anybody
To play with at all.

So he sat on his island,
And he cried for awhile, and
He felt very lonely,
And he felt very small.

Then along came the fishes,
And they said, “If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of for tea!”

So they now play together,
In all sorts of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Like you and like me.

If you want to learn more about this colorful “clown of the sea,” read “Puffins” by author Colleen Sexton on the Big Universe picture book website. Published by Bellwether Media, “Puffins” is among the Level 2 Blastoff! Readers series book selections for beginners. Level 2 offers early readers simple sentences, but with more text and less repetition of high-frequency words than the series’ Level 1 books.

Puffinpalooza.com also provides vivid pictures  of this cartoonish creature, as well as lots of facts and teacher resources, including lesson ideas, coloring sheets, vocabulary lists and a crossword puzzle. You will find two additional puffin poems on the website’s poem page.

* Photo credit: Tom Curtis/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.