In celebration of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss's birthday, Scheck Hillel's Early Childhood Education department explored the magic of reading through the National Education Association’s Read Across America. This is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading. A video of the week was produced by PKT’s Morah Lili Moryoussef.
The week kicked off with Cat in the Hat welcoming children in carpool and administrators reading Dr. Seuss books in the classrooms - many dressed as Dr. Seuss characters. ECE incorporated all areas of learning. For example…
Math was taught through a Yertle the Turtle sizing activity sorting Montessori cubes smallest to largest, through another activity where students created their own size books and also through a One Fish Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish number matching game with different colored fish. Reading The Foot Book , students measured their own footprints with unifix cubes. Literacy was covered with a What Pet Should I Get? letter recognition fishing game, and all grades emphasized rhyming and expansion of vocabulary. Physical development was the focus of PE class and a Hop on Pop exercise hopping on rhyming letters. Social/Emotional lessons were shared when a couple classes brought in a fish and a lizard to teach care and responsibility, and they were reinforced through a beautiful celebration of community in a campus-wide Shabbat Dr. Seuss parade that showcased each classroom and their choice of Dr. Seuss book, cheered on by Grades 1-2. Music was infused throughout the classrooms and enriched the week.
Reading is important at school AND at home. As Morah Orly Dromi wrote to ECE parents earlier this week, young children experience multiple benefits when their family members read to them regularly. These include boosts in literacy development, social-emotional gains and increased likelihood of overall school success. Research indicates that children who are read to during infancy and preschool years develop better language skills. The magic of parental storytelling not only improves listening, but also broadens children’s interests and opens new worlds of discovery. Read at home, and we’ll keep reading here at school!
