It’s time for read alouds for May! For many schools, May is considered to be the home stretch. You can almost see the finish line, although the kids are acting as if we have passed the finish line and school is done! No worries, you can keep them engaged by keeping them in the routines of learning. Keep reading for what our read alouds in May look like!
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1. In the Ocean
For some reason, the month of May has always been the time of year when we do our unit on the ocean. I don’t know why, but I don’t question it! Maybe it’s because as it gets hotter, we start to think about pools, beaches, and the ocean! Taking a peek through In the Ocean, we are introduced to tons of creatures that make their home in the ocean. This unit can last more than a week, especially if we choose to learn more about one specific creature. The pictures are breathtaking and my kiddos love using the new vocabulary they learn throughout this unit!
2. How to Catch a Dinosaur
This series of books on how to catch a…… never fail to get the attention of my students! After diving into the ocean, we need something fun in the last weeks of school! In comes How to Catch a Dinosaur! This book is also great to pair with a non-fiction unit on dinosaurs, just for a fun add-in! In this story, students will follow a little boy as he tries his best to capture a dinosaur for the science fair! I use this story to review the characteristics of a fictional story and to model questioning. We also discuss the problem and solution of the story.
3. Farm Animals
Farm animals are another unit that was always done in the fall at my school, but in recent years I’ve moved it to the springtime. It just seems like it fits there! I have a ton of fiction and non-fiction books to read during this unit, but my favorite non-fiction book is Farm Animals. Students learn all about what a farm is, what a day on the farm looks like, and it’s a great introduction to family-run farms as well.
4. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is a book that wasn’t known to me until I became a teacher! Once I read it, I knew that I had to include it in my classroom! I love that it tells the well-known story from the perspective of the wolf! As he tells the reader, all he wanted was to borrow a cup of sugar and everything went downhill from there! I often pair this book with the original version, and we take the time to compare and contrast both of the stories.
These read alouds for May are the perfect note to end the year on! The students get to add a little more research to their plate while having fun along the way. The Literacy Diner is all about helping to create engaged learners through book companions! Head on over to check them out! You can find the books here, and the read alouds for May right here!
