Extended Activity Plans
Please use these plans to implement research-based literacy activities for children in grades K-3 who are striving to learn to read. The key to learning to read is wanting to read! You will find each of these eight activities aspire to ignite the flame of reading and engage children in joyful interactions with their peers and with text. To have the greatest impact, activities should engage children for 45-90 minutes. However, we know you may have varying needs. Therefore, each plan includes variations to extend or shorten the activity. In addition, you may want to create your own research-based literacy activities for children. Please read how to use Fostering Readers activity plans for more details.
These activities are designed for monolingual or multilingual English-speaking library staff and afterschool providers to welcome children who speak languages other than English in their programs. Specific support for Spanish-speaking children and families is provided in these activities and handouts and more. Learn more by reading supporting participants who speak languages other than English and the research review. The extended activity plans linked to below are the original activity plans that were used during the pilot project and evaluation. Read Fostering Readers evaluation report to learn the impact of these activities on children who participated in the pilot project. The hyperlinks in these documents will not be updated. However, we have provided enough information about the sources so that you should be able to find them if the hyperlink is broken. |
Overwhelmed? That's okay! Try one of these first: |
Building Ideas with Books: Books Inspire and Help Us Build Our Ideas
Have you ever tried to learn or do something new and it was hard at first? Did you keep trying and trying? Come be inspired by stories of people who never gave up and learned to do and make incredible things. Then, turn that inspiration into action as you design and build your own air powered car!
Have you ever tried to learn or do something new and it was hard at first? Did you keep trying and trying? Come be inspired by stories of people who never gave up and learned to do and make incredible things. Then, turn that inspiration into action as you design and build your own air powered car!
"Holy Reading, Batman!" Make Your Own Comics and Read Some Too
Let's explore all things comic! Come explore all kinds of comics and graphic novels. Then, try your hand at writing and illustrating your own comic story!
Let's explore all things comic! Come explore all kinds of comics and graphic novels. Then, try your hand at writing and illustrating your own comic story!
It's Raining, It's Pouring: Exploring Non-fiction About Rain and the Water Cycle
Have you ever wondered what causes a rainstorm? During this adventure we will explore books that describe the water cycle, learn some cool facts about how water becomes rain, and experiment with making our own rainstorm in a cup!
Have you ever wondered what causes a rainstorm? During this adventure we will explore books that describe the water cycle, learn some cool facts about how water becomes rain, and experiment with making our own rainstorm in a cup!
Let's Tell the Story: Literary Recount of a Read-Aloud
Come enjoy a fun read-aloud story! Help retell a part of the story with the group and create your own illustrations!
Come enjoy a fun read-aloud story! Help retell a part of the story with the group and create your own illustrations!
Let's Write with Ants: Language Experience Approach
Join us on an adventure outside to check out some ants up close! Then, we will write and draw about our experience. What kind of story will you create after observing ants with friends? Come find out!
Join us on an adventure outside to check out some ants up close! Then, we will write and draw about our experience. What kind of story will you create after observing ants with friends? Come find out!
Mmmm... It's a Text Tasting: Learning About Ourselves as Readers
Don't worry, no books will be harmed during this activity! There are so many different "flavors" of books in the world, come find out which types of books "taste" good to you!
Don't worry, no books will be harmed during this activity! There are so many different "flavors" of books in the world, come find out which types of books "taste" good to you!
A Recipe for Fun: Reading, Exploring, and Writing Recipes
Cookies! Flan! Macaroni and cheese! A really fun day! What do all of these things have in common? They can all be written down and shared as recipes! In this adventure we will explore all kinds of recipes and create a cookbook filled with our own recipes for a fun day! What ingredients will yours include?
Cookies! Flan! Macaroni and cheese! A really fun day! What do all of these things have in common? They can all be written down and shared as recipes! In this adventure we will explore all kinds of recipes and create a cookbook filled with our own recipes for a fun day! What ingredients will yours include?
Stories Without Words: Reading and Creating Wordless Picture Books
Did you know that you can read a book out loud--even if it has no words at all? Join us on a storytelling adventure as we read and create wordless picture books together!
Did you know that you can read a book out loud--even if it has no words at all? Join us on a storytelling adventure as we read and create wordless picture books together!
Template to Create Your Own Activity Plans
Do have an idea for a different reading adventure? Have you tried all of our activities and want to do more? Use this template, the research, and the resources on this website to create your own research-based literacy activities of K-3rd grade children. Want to share the Fostering Readers activities you plan and implement? Contact us!
Do have an idea for a different reading adventure? Have you tried all of our activities and want to do more? Use this template, the research, and the resources on this website to create your own research-based literacy activities of K-3rd grade children. Want to share the Fostering Readers activities you plan and implement? Contact us!
Fostering Readers is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.