My concept for Interactive read alouds really started to develop three years ago, when I introduced the book of the month to my school. Each month every grade level (K-5) gets a copy of the same picture book to use with his or her class for an interactive read aloud. Along with the book, I give the teachers text-specific questions to ask during the read aloud based on the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy Cognitive Dimensions.
The book of the month serves many purposes:
It promotes class discussion at a high level.
Every grade level reads the book so families can discuss the book at home with siblings in different grades.
For specialists (like myself) that work with several grades, it serves as a mentor text that I can refer to that I know all the students have read.
Most importantly I hope the book of the month cultivates a community of readers that love discussing books.
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. Thoughtful planning of an interactive read aloud is critical for its success. Teachers need to select a text that is both meaningful and engaging, and it is important to consider how the text will support lessons, units or themes the class is working on. Thought-provoking questions are essential to every interactive read aloud. Using the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy Cognitive Dimensions is one way to ensure students will take part in a variety of discussions from understanding the plot of the story to analyzing the author's message.
To kick off my interactive read aloud series, I’ve chosen to share my download for The Memory String by Eve Bunting. The Memory String is one of my favorite Eve Bunting books. The message is an important one for readers of all ages, especially if you have ever lost a loved one, you can remember the past, yet still embrace the future. This touching story will leave readers filled with emotion.
Every button on Laura’s memory string represents a part of her family’s history. The buttons most important to Laura are the ones that belonged to her mother: a button from her mother’s prom dress, a white button from her mother’s wedding dress, and a single small button from the nightgown her mom was wearing on the day she died. When the string breaks, Laura’s stepmother, Jane, tries to comfort Laura and helps her search for a missing button. Laura realizes that a memory string is not just for remembering the past, but it’s also for adding new memories.
Download my Critical Thinking Interactive Read Aloud of The Memory String now.