Something that is often overlooked in classrooms after kindergarten and first grade is the read aloud. I have found that the read aloud is an important, vital part of the day. It serves so many purposes. As I am reading aloud, I'm modeling how to read fluently with expression. Modeling how I interact with the text help students learn how to do it themselves. Since I'm the one reading, I can stop at any point and invite the children to interact with the text. Sometimes I use picture books and sometimes we delve into a good chapter book. When reading, pause and ask students to predict what they believe is going to happen. Ask a lot of why questions. You will find your students involved in some enlightening discussions.
Your choice of books depends on your students, your reading purpose, and you. I would never read a book to my students that I don't like. They will pick up on that. Sometimes I read a book dealing with a subject we are studying. Other times I read good old fun books. A favorite every year with my third graders has been Sideways Stories from Wayside School. It contains 30 short (4 or 5 pages) chapters and is an easy read. The characters are funny and it gives me a chance to laugh with my students at some of the silly things that happen.
I also read Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner when we do an Iditarod unit. My only problem with reading it is that I have a great deal of difficulty not crying at the end, no matter how many times I read it and how much I prepare for it. Another teacher in my school used this book as a read aloud last month. Because she can't finish the story tear-free either, she read the first nine chapters as a read aloud and asked her students to read the last chapter on their own. One little girl came up and hugged us with tears streaming down her cheeks. That's a definite clue that the students become involved with the story.
Try reading aloud to your class daily if you don't already do so. With all the benefits, it's a great way to get the most "bang for your buck."
