For the last six years, elementary schools in USD 202 had participated in One School, One Book. This initiative, led by school librarians, was a school-wide program that provided a shared reading experience for students and their families.

Every teacher, student, and family in each elementary school received a copy of the same book and were encouraged to read the book at home. Each school also created activities and projects based on the theme of the book.

That year, there was a change to the program. Rather than choosing separate books, all four elementary schools read the same book, National Geographic Kids: Everything Weather.

That book was read throughout the month of February for Read Across Turner. Community members could see posters and copies of the book at local businesses.

For the first day of Read Across Turner, students were encouraged to dress up as their favorite type of weather—it was neat to see all the creative outfits!

Although they were all reading the same book, each school had its own approach to activities and celebrations based on Everything Weather. This included projects in science classes and presentations from local experts. Additionally, families were encouraged to do a project at home based on the information they learned in the book.

Our librarians and teachers put a lot of effort into creating engaging experiences for our students when it came to reading, and we appreciated them for that!

Ultimately, the purpose of Read Across Turner was to bring awareness to the importance of reading at home and to encourage a community of readers.

Making time, even just to read one children’s book before bed, could make a difference in literacy skills!

The research showed that when families read books together at home, it had numerous benefits for children. Importantly, studies showed that children with strong early literacy skills were more likely to graduate high school and pursue higher education.

And beyond the academic importance, reading together as a family created an opportunity to spend time with one another.

Reading at home was so important, and we were excited that through Read Across Turner, our community would have the opportunity to all read the same book together!

 

Benefits of Reading Together at Home

• Children who are read to frequently hear up to 1.4 million more words before kindergarten compared to those who are not, significantly expanding their vocabulary and language comprehension.
• Reading aloud helps children recognize letters and understand the connection between spoken and written words, laying the groundwork for early reading skills.
• Exposure to books strengthens phonemic awareness, the ability to recognize and understand sounds in words, which is an important predictor of future reading success.
• Children who are read to regularly demonstrate better problem-solving and critical thinking skills, as they learn to predict outcomes, analyze story structures, and understand cause-and-effect relationships.
• Studies show that children with strong early literacy skills are more likely to perform well in school, with higher reading and writing scores in later grades.

Thank you to our school librarians for all they do - not just during the month of February, but throughout the entire school year.

 

Simple Ways to Make Reading a Daily Habit

Reading at home is one of the best gifts you can give a child—it sets them up for success, fuels their imagination, and builds lifelong skills! Below are easy ways to encourage reading at home.

• Read 15-20 minutes a day with your child.

• Let them choose books that interest them.

• Use engaging voices and expressions to make stories more interesting.

• Ask open-ended questions about the story.

• Get a Turner Library card and make frequent visits to the library to checkout new books.