Reading Conference Rocks

I am proud to be part of an organization that brings the community together in a big way each spring.  The Reading Association sponsors the Catch the Reading Bug Community Reading Conference every year.  It has been so successful that we had to move to a bigger location this year.  Even with the bigger location, we were still packed.

Big Bang Boom, Dolly Dozier, Chad Cameron, Pete the Cat, Little Critter, Clifford, and the Teacher from the Black Lagoon helped us celebrate a day of literacy activities.

This year, our school decided to connect science with reading.  Participants followed directions to make Oobleck.  We wanted to address the Common Core Standard of reading informational text, by having children read a recipe.  With so many food allergies, we didn't want to have food.  The art teacher suggested making slime.  Our "Book Hook" was Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Our table was so popular that we ran out of glue.  We had to reduce our ingredients, but we gave the recipe to the participants so they can try it at home. We also gave them a list of children's books that inspire science activities.

The student volunteers were great. It was wonderful having so many helpers who didn't mind getting messy.  We all had green fingers by the end of the day.

Catch the Reading Bug!

Our Reading Association is awesome!  For the past several years, we have presented a county-wide, community reading conference.  It's a day when families can participate in make-and-take literacy activities, take pictures with book characters, enjoy author/illustrator presentations, and buy books from the Book Fair.

In the past, the Reading Association members have set up activity tables. In the last 3 or 4 years, schools have set up tables.  Since I'm the building representative and book club chair, I thought it would be great to get the student, book club members involved with the conference.  Last year our theme was Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  We used scrapbook paper, recycled cereal boxes and such, and recycled printing paper to make diaries/journals.

This year, our theme was The World of Eric Carle.  The book club members' first experience with Eric Carle artwork was with making door prizes for our Valentine Dance.  They were reluctant about tackling the job.  As members started finishing their masterpieces, they became more confident.  For the conference, we helped children make bookmarks from the left-over recycled materials from last year's activity.  I painted the paper in advance.  The guest illustrator was impressed with the artwork too.  How cool is that?

Door Prizes for Valentine Dance

Satisfied Participant (actually a book club member's brother)

This year, the band, Big Bang Boom was the entertainment.  I didn't get to take pictures of the band, because most of the helpers disappeared around the time they performed. LOL!  I don't blame them. Other guests were Geronimo Stilton, Pig (If You Give a Pig a Pancake), Clifford, and Wild Thing.  There were also activity tables for the characters.  Other activity tables featured Fancy Nancy, Olivia, and Skippy John Jones. There were so many tables that I can't remember them all.

If You Give a Pig a Hug?....

Businesses, school PTA's/PTO's, and individuals donated money to make the conference possible. The conference gets better and better each year.  It is so good to see so many families at this free event.