Literacy Development & Little Free Library

One of our favorite activities is a trip to the library.  I know I've blogged about this before but the changes I've been seeing in my 26 month old son recently is crazy!  And I give much credit to the amount of books read daily.

Some of the changes I've seen are that:

• He is making real life connections to the stories he reads.
• He recalls the stories as the real life connections are happening.  (See previous post for one example of a specific topic!)
• He memorizes the book so quickly.  I didn't even know he had done this, but after reading a specific book literally 3 times in a row, I decided to turn it around on him and started pausing at certain words...low and behold he filled in the blank!!  That is called Shared Reading!
• He is recognizing over half of the alphabet (capital letters) by a word associated with the letter or their sound.

The baskets around our home that used to be filled with burp clothes, next diapers and wipes are now filled with books.  Book baskets in every bathroom, both bedrooms, living room, game room, kitchen...and usually a few tossed about in the car.  So a library visit helps to freshen up those baskets!

I recently have been working with a Calgary non-profit called Calgary Reads.  It's a fabulous organization which helps promote literacy in several ways, like providing almost 600 tutors to struggling readers, educating parents and educators on literacy development and a massive community book sale.  I'm going to be working on a new project!!  Eeek...but it's a secret for now.  I'll let you know when it launches!!

Through Calgary Reads, I then learned of another organization Little Free Library.  And this has to be one of the coolest ideas I've heard of in a long time!

These little libraries are either ordered through Little Free Library or you can DIY!  

The idea is you take a book, leave a book and leave a note.  As a community you share your books.  After all, books are like diamonds, they never get old!  And also like diamonds, they are a bit expensive.  So why not share?  (Books, that is, not your diamonds!)

I really want to start something like this for my street.  We have so many kiddos on the block.  

Maybe even a monthly book swap?

What do you think?

Does your neighborhood have a Little Free Library?  Or any type of collaborative (simple) book swap?

I'm just getting fired up but would love your suggestions or input with with experience!

P.S. I'm a nerd.  I know it.

Environmental Print IS reading!

Did you know that my boys can read?!!

They are 2.

It's impressive.

Kidding, kind of. 

Environmental print is everywhere, and it is the first stages of pre reading.  The symbols, signs, and pictures tell your children a message. For each child it may be slightly different.

If this sounds like a foreign language to all our non teacher readers, please check out Pre-K Pages, she does an awesome job breaking it down.  And even has great ideas for pre-k teachers, or moms!

• Check out her homework assignment! Each child was asked to bring in the cover of their favorite cereal box. (The only thing I would have done different is put black dots under each word for my kids to practice touching as they read.)  And then you have an awesome repetition book! (Meaning each page says ________ eats _________.)

photo from www.pre-kpages.com

Other environmental print examples:

My boys see this:

And say Apples.

We drive through and get apple slices (they are $1.00 and the skins are peeled.)  

They have yet to realize how amazing the french fries are.

They see this:

And they say lemonade.

I am SO SO sorry if you don't have one in your state. 

Truly, you are missing out on the best company geared for family fun.

Not everything revolves around food!

Luke see's this sign and shouts "hair cut" every single time.

Which is daily.

He has been there twice.

It really is amazing.

So, I decided to make an environmental print poster. But it would be just as fun to make a book, or collage, or put it in those fun picture cubes.

Environmental Print Poster:

Large sheet of Construction Paper

ClipArt, magazine pictures, food labels, real pictures, etc

Glue

My poster:

If I really wanted to do my poster right, I would have taken pictures of the signage where we actually go, like HEB, The Mall, parks, stop signs, school, school busses, etc.
Maybe that could be my next outing with the kids. and I could turn it into a book! Ohhh... and call it The Places We Go... 

I feel the need to add more posters to the wall. And SOON.

And before you throw out your trash next week, PLEASE, I beg you.... Take 30 seconds and just read this quick page from Dr. Jean's Trashable to Teachable!  It really is reading plus so much more!