Interactive read alouds are an important component of a balanced literacy classroom. Research proves the value of reading aloud to students of all ages, and that students benefit from being read aloud to several times throughout a week.
Teachers need to select a text that is both meaningful and engaging to students, while considering how the text will support lessons, units, or themes the class works on during the year. I also like to let current events, holidays, and student opinions influence the books I choose to use for read alouds. And always remember that thought-provoking questions are essential to every interactive read aloud. I personally use the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy Cognitive Dimensions to ensure students take part in a variety of discussions from understanding the plot of the story to analyzing the author’s message.
My printable interactive read aloud template of Sweet Tooth can be modified to use with grades K–5. Text-dependent questions are provided based on the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy Cognitive Dimensions to promote higher levels of text discussion.
Many kids have a sweet tooth. But not like Stewart’s. Stewart has a very loud and demanding sweet tooth. His sweet tooth screams for cake at weddings, for candy during class, and torments him at the movies! Stewart soon realizes his aggressive sweet tooth isn’t so sweet! Determined to stand up to his sweet tooth, Stewart decides to attack the problem with the best weapon he can think of – a raw carrot.
This is a great book to read during a health unit or around the holidays when kids are eating lots of sweets.