World Read Aloud Day Connections Project
The World Read Aloud Day Connection Project is an easy, free project designed by Education for a Better World Podcast hosts Michael Soskil and Dyane Smokorowski to help students build literacy skill and cultural understanding while connecting classrooms all around the world in the month of February. Through this experience, classrooms around the globe will connect to read and share their favorite books with each other. Whether your students are in kindergarten or are seniors in high school, this project will help them celebrate World Read Aloud Day by sharing the joy of reading with others. To make this project accessible to even more classrooms this year, we have created two ways for you and your class to participate.
STEP 1- REGISTER BY CLICKING ON THE BUTTON
***Note - Registration for Level 2 (Skype Connections) closes on Sunday, January 27th to ensure there is time to partner classes. Anyone registering after that date will either have to find their own Skype connection using the Twitter hashtag #WRADConnections, or participate at Level 1
STEP 1- REGISTER BY CLICKING ON THE BUTTON
***Note - Registration for Level 2 (Skype Connections) closes on Sunday, January 27th to ensure there is time to partner classes. Anyone registering after that date will either have to find their own Skype connection using the Twitter hashtag #WRADConnections, or participate at Level 1
REGISTRATION OPENS ON JANUARY 15, 2019
STEP 2: Determine Your Level of Participation
STEP 2: Determine Your Level of Participation
STEP 3 (Level 2 Classes Only): Receive your partner class connection
For classes wanting to find partner classrooms to Skype, we will be using the registration information to connect you with another class. You will get an email from the organizers on or before Thursday, January 31st, 2019. Please understand that the project organizers do not have any additional information other than what is listed on the registration form. In the unlikely event that you register and your partner class does not respond, you will need to find a new partner class on Twitter using the hashtag #WRADConnections.
STEP 4 (Level 2 Classes Only): Connect with a Partner Classroom
Once you receive the contact information for your partner class, contact them immediately to introduce yourself. Schedule a time to connect your classes via Skype to read to each other in February. If time zones make it impossible to connect live, consider exchanging video messages instead. You may want to schedule a test call without students to ensure your video connection is set up properly.
STEP 5: Prepare, Practice, and Record
Have your students pick the picture book that they want to share. You can have each student read a page, assign different parts of the book to different students, have students each play the role of a different character, or come up with another creative way to read your book. Have students practice so that they are ready to share. If you are participating in Level 1, you can record a video of your students reading a portion of their book as soon as they are ready. Share your video on Twitter any time after February 1st using the hashtag #WRADConnections. Level 2 classes may do this also if they wish.
STEP 6 (Level 2 Classes Only): Time to Skype!
Now it's time to meet your new WRAD Connections friends. Read your books to each other. Be sure to leave some time to let students ask questions about one another's communities and to learn from each other. If you need more time, you can always schedule follow-up calls.
STEP 7: Share with the World!
Now it's time to share all of your amazing pictures, videos, and/or links with us on Twitter in our Facebook Private Group. Don't forget to use our #WRADConnections and to tag @SkypeClassroom so everyone can follow along.
STEP 8 (Level 2 Classes Only): Celebrate with a Cyber High-5
Hooray! You've completed the WRAD Connections Project. Now it's time to say thank you to your partner classroom connecting.