I Love to Read Month

February is "I Love to Read Month," a time to celebrate reading and books. In many parts of the United States and Canada, this month means time dedicated to promoting reading and listening to a wide variety of books that help us explore the world we live in. 

Literacy is a critical component of our District Strategic Plan, and teachers and leaders in Cambridge-Isanti Schools are working to ensure that students are developing the skills they need to be good readers.

Teaching children how to read and helping them learn to appreciate and enjoy reading are important to foster literacy. Our schools are engaging students and families in a variety of literacy activities that support student reading and growing a love of books.

This month, many of our students are participating in reading challenges, with a variety of literacy-related activities to choose from. Some of the fun incentives include prize drawings, free books, and even throwing a pie at a teacher!  Classes across the district are having guest readers join classes to read to students and share their love of reading. At Cambridge Primary and Intermediate School, the PTO sponsored a book exchange with many activities for students and families to enjoy.

Our Media Specialists love this month, and our libraries are decorated with displays that invite students to explore new books and find something they love to read. The elementary schools have a Read Around the World theme with different activities and celebrations, such as collecting stickers in a passport for reading and displays that show we can explore and learn about the world by reading.

Special times are planned for extra reading throughout the month, such as “flashlight reading” sessions, in which students have their own flashlights to shine a light on what they’re reading and focus on their books. Elementary schools have dress-up days planned for various days of the month leading up to Read Across America Day, March 2. We hope you will join us in encouraging literacy activities and a love of reading!

 

Here are links to resources that may be helpful as we continue to find new ways to support literacy and a love of reading!

• Reading Partners how to do a “Book Hunt” activity and other activities for reading together.
• Tips written by parents for parents and family members of children shares ten ideas to help develop a love of books.
• Family Literacy Tips: From A to Z provides 26 different ideas to support literacy at home.
• The early childhood nonprofit, Start Early, provides ideas for building literacy starting when children are infants or toddlers.
• Ideas for keeping middle school and older children interested in reading.