Fifth Graders Take Part in Read Across America

The following was submitted by Foxborough Assistant Superintendent of Schools Amy Berdos as part of the Foxborough School Committee's Teaching and Learning Highlight Series.

A celebration of reading kicked during the Teaching and Learning Highlight Series kicked off the last School Committee meeting. Read Across America is celebrated around the country in the month of March to honor the birthday of esteemed children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote children's books under the pen name Dr. Seuss. Ms. Julie Abreau, fifth grade teacher at Ahern Middle School, along with some of her fifth grade students (Camryn Collins, Zach Guyette, Deziree Holland-Hagan, Trent Langworthy, Rosie Maider, Makala Eldredge, Edosa Omuemu, Tony Sulham and Jack Sullivan) shared their love of reading and the many activities that took place to celebrate Read Across America. Specifically they did this by inviting in guest readers from the community and connecting all learning to Dr. Seuss in one way or another. Ms. Abreau explained that the full day’s activities devoted to celebrating Dr. Seuss melded well with their curriculum and the Reader and Writing Workshop model used. “The goal is to build a reading life,” she said.

On Friday, March 10, fifth grade students gathered together to listen to Dr. Seuss’s Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Following the reading of this classic tale, students engaged in a Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) activity where they had the opportunity to create their own Oobleck and learn about the states of matter. This was followed with a myriad of other activities including guest readers from across the district and community. Special thanks was given to all guest readers for sharing their time and love of reading with us!

The students shared the impression that the day had on them. Camryn discussed how guest readers read to small groups of fifth graders and her reader was none other than the Ms. Spinelli, the Superintendent of Schools. Rosie highlighted the tri-fold poster projects created by students which displayed the literary elements of books they had read and shared with their peers. Deziree added that teachers voted for the top projects with the top ten winners receiving books. Other activities during the day included analyzing famous quotes by Dr. Seuss in order to identify the deeper meanings behind them. On behalf of all his fifth grade peers Jack summarized that it was a really fun day and one where we learned about books that we may not have chosen on our own!

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