Looking for fun Read Across America ideas for your 4th & 5th grade upper elementary students? Let’s explore some activities that will engage students in reading, writing, and critical thinking while celebrating the joy of literature during Read Across America Week!
1. Buddy Reading
One activity students truly enjoy and get a lot out of is buddy reading. Another positive about this activity is that it takes very little effort to set up.
How it works:
- Find a younger grade to pair up with.
- Assign each of your students to a student in that class.
- Have them find a picture book they would like to share with the other student.
- Provide them with about 20 minutes to share and talk.
2. Book Character Dress Up
Dressing up as a book character is an oldie but goodie. It is a fun way for students to express one of their favorite characters. This activity also matches up well with and combines well with many other activities such as responding to reading.
How it works:
- Ask students to think about some of their favorite book characters.
- Have students come to school dressed up as their favorite character.
3. Genre Book Tasting
Read Across America Week is a great opportunity to expose students to different genres through a fun book tasting opportunity. Create reading stations with a variety of books featuring different genres. Then, allow students to rotate through these stations.
How it works:
- Identify 5-6 genres you want to showcase.
- Gather 6-7 books for each genre.
- Set up designated areas throughout your classroom for each reading station.
- Divide students into groups and assign them to a station to begin with.
- Give them about 5-7 minutes at each station to read a little from a book they chose.
- Finally, have them rotate until they have had a chance to rotate through each station.
4. Create a Book Jacket
This activity is a higher order thinking reading response activity and works well to get students thinking critically about a book.
How it works:
- Have students choose a book.
- Give students the opportunity to learn about what information is included on a book jacket.
- Distribute large construction paper or paper bags to turn into a book jacket.
- Allow students time to work on the different parts of the book jacket.
- Display the book jackets around the classroom.
5. Drop Everything and Read
Drop Everything and Read is also an oldie but goodie. It can be as simple or as complex as you’d like to make it. Here are a few ideas you can use to diversify D.E.A.R. time.
Examples:
- Just give time to read in class.
- Close blinds, turn off lights, provide flashlights for reading.
- Have students bring blankets or towels and take it outside for “a picnic with a book.”
6. Book Trailers
Book trailers are usually just a few minutes long, and just like a movie trailer, they add suspense and intrigue which motivate students to possibly want to read the book. Here I am highlighting some of the official book trailers I found online that you may want to share with your students.
Official Book Trailer Examples:
- Crenshaw by K. A. Applegate YouTube Link
- The School for Good and Evil by Woman Chainani YouTube Link
- Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty YouTube Link
- The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson YouTube Link
- Refugee by Alan Gratz YouTube Link
- The One and Only Ivan by K. A. Applegate YouTube Link
- Chomp by Carl Hiassen YouTube Link
- Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier YouTube Link
- WishTree by Katherine Applegate YouTube Link
- Guts by Raina Telgemeier YouTube Link
Hopefully you have found an idea or two to make this Reading Across America week enjoyable for your 4th & 5th grade students this year. If you liked the ideas in this post, you may also like:
Kindness Picture Books for Older Kids
Picture Books about Testing for Upper Elementary
St. Patrick’s Day Picture Books for Upper Elementary
Earth Day Books for Older Kids
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