“Read Across America” Day and Literacy Day celebrated at Tate Elementary

As “Read Across America” Day is celebrated county-wide in Pickens schools, Tate Elementary has taken time to combine Dr. Seuss’s birthday with their professional development in a day-long program for their kids.The idea to combine the projects with the Professional Association of Georgia Educators came from the minds of Fourth Grade Teacher Eric Norris, Special Education Teacher Mallory Childers and First Grade Teacher Brittany Gaddis.

“We wanted to let them experience reading in a new and different way,”

Childers explained.

As a part of their Teacher Leadership Institute series the three got the entire school involved so that all students would have the opportunity to rotate through all the classrooms in their levels: kindergarten through second and third through fifth grades will take turns in various classes participating in a variety of literacy-themed activities. There are guest readers (such as Mother Goose, portrayed by Kaye Chastain), an i-Pad lab, smart boards and Apple TV. With interactive features, the children were able to actively join in reading.

The day has been a fun one for students and teachers alike.

“It’s been very exciting,”

reported Gaddis.

In addition, the kids have varying activities and games with Dr. Seuss motifs. One class was given material to create their own Lorax mustaches while another created paintings.

Although Dr. Seuss’s birthday and the official “Read Across America” Day fell yesterday, it’s being celebrated today in Pickens County.

Learn more about Read Across America here:
Read Across America

All pictures provided by Tate Elementary School.