8 Activities to Help You Celebrate Reading this March

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” - Dr. Seuss

March is designated as National Reading Month after Dr. Seuss’s March-2nd birthday. The well-known author and illustrator has more than 60 books published, and honoring the writer encourages Americans of all ages to read every day during March. Though our classrooms incorporate reading and writing all year long, our educators at Mobile Ed Productions, Inc. have a few activities we like to do when March comes around to mix up our regular reading routines.

Reading is essential to our students’ academic and personal growth, so why not make it fun? According to Merrimack College, there are many benefits to reading at a young age including: 

• Enhanced memory skills
• Advanced vocabulary 
• Improved critical thinking ability
• Better concentration
• Increased independence and self-esteem

Here is a list of our educators’ favorite activities to do in March to celebrate reading and help get students excited for stories:

• • • • Host a Bookpass. Sometimes finding the right books is the hardest part of reading. A book pass creates a fun and exciting way for students to find new books they might be interested in. Pick out books (enough for every student) to “pass” around or have students bring in their favorites. Each student gets two minutes to read the blurb and the first few pages and then decide if it’s of interest to them. The students will then “pass” the book to the next student. By the end of this activity, your students will have a list of books that they’re excited to read! This activity is great for all ages. 

• • • • Book-to-Movie Adaptation. Having a book-to-movie adaptation “marathon” is always a favorite in our homes and in our classrooms. Hosting a book-to-movie adaptation marathon can allow students to better understand storytelling, plot, characters, conflict, as well as the differences between what readers take away from a book versus a movie. Some of our favorites include the BFG, Willy Wonka, and the Chocolate Factory, Mary Poppins, and Where the Wild Things Are. 

• • • • Guest Reader. You and your students are most likely reading all the time in your classroom. You may even read out loud to them. Bring in a guest reader (parent, principal, local author, librarian) to change things up from your usual reading routine. Perhaps even have students choose a few books they’d like the guest reader to read this month. 

• • • • Creating Bookmarks. Spend some time in your classroom creating personalized bookmarks. Have each student make their own or swap them with other students, but creating something personal to them could get students excited to crack open a book. 

• • • • Reading Assembly. Similar to a guest reader, bringing in a reading program during the month of March (or any time of the year) is guaranteed to make the act of reading more exciting. Mobile Ed Productions offers several different programs that encourage reading and writing in your students. Our Young Author’s Day program encourages creative writing skills in students K-9. 

• • • • Try an Audiobook. Reading is a key part of modern educational curriculum, but try mixing up your usual reading time with an audiobook. Access free audiobooks for your library or find some here. 

• • • • Draw Book Covers. Give students time to reflect on and share their favorite stories with classmates by recreating or redesigning their favorite books’ covers. Use markers on paper to make your covers or try an online site such as Kleki. 

• • • • Reading in a New Location. Our own students have had plenty of time to read in our physical and virtual classrooms, but we suggest challenging students to take their reading somewhere else this month. Get outside, spread out in the school’s gym, or visit your school library. If leaving your classroom isn’t an option for you, have students spread out across the classroom to a “new” location (on the floor, on a comfy chair, laying down) and get them excited to read! Students can even bring in a blanket to use to get comfortable. 

Mobile Ed Productions, Inc. provides over 40 different learning programs for schools and educational facilities, but one of our personal favorites is our Young Author’s Day program. In our Young Author’s Day program, one of our classically-trained mime performers will visit your school for a unique presentation using the “art of silence”. Students learn what it means to write a story and will have the opportunity to write one themselves in this interactive assembly. The program will end with your students' stories that they wrote earlier that day performed for everyone! This program is also available virtually. Click here to view specific details about our Young Author’s Day assembly. 

In the Young Author’s Day program, students will learn: 

• Components and structure of a story
• Differences between writing for the stage and writing for the page
• How to write their own stories (with assistance from the performer)

Here’s what River Springs Charter School in Riverside, CA, had to say about their experience with our Young Author’s Day program: 

"We really enjoyed it. One of our staff told me it made the process of story writing click with her students. They were teaching the same thing, but she brought it to life."

-River Springs Charter School 

We look forward to making education entertaining for you! Contact Mobile Ed Productions at info@mobileedproductions.com for the availability of our Young Author’s Day program or visit our website to find more information.