Dr. Seuss Birthday - Read Across America & Social Studies Map Skills

It will soon be time for Dr. Seuss birthday (March 2nd) and you know what that means, right?  It is time for Read Across America.  Read Across America is a great way to integrate social studies with language arts.  I would suggest that you take a little time now to begin gathering some books from different states.  You can talk to your librarian for some extra help or my latest FREE packet has a note you can send home to ask parents for help.

Read Across America can be organized different ways.  One way you can do this is to divide your class into the regions of the United States.  Have these groups read books from their region.  The tub signs are included with the packet.

At the end of the week or unit, let the group share about the books they read.  Students will begin to see how the climate and terrain influenced the stories that they read.

Play "3 Clues".

• Have students write 3 clues about the state from the book.  You can either use the form below or use notecards.

• It is helpful if you model how to do this. Example: Read the book - Dancing with Manatees
• Clue #1: The setting for Dancing with Manatees was set in a state along the coast of the United States.
• Clue #2: The Crystal River flowed into the Gulf of Mexico.
• Clue #3:  Manatees live in warm places.
• What state was setting of this book? (Answer: Florida)
• Turn in notecards / papers to you.
• Have each group sit around a map.  You can either use a poster sized one like the one in the picture or click HERE for one you can download. 
• I made game pieces from foam marshmallow shapes with a sticker on top. (Click below)

• I used different colored stars so I could see how the team answered each question. Example:  I would draw a red star next to the first question (notecard/paper) that I asked my class, green star on the second question, purple star on the third question, etc.  
• If you use the downloaded map, students can draw different colored stars.
• After asking all of the question, go around and check their answers on the map.  The group with the most correct answers wins.

Students take ownership by writing the questions and answers.  You can see what they learned when they worked with their region's group.  Working collaboratively to answer the questions will strengthen their team work skills. 

Click HERE to download this FREE packet.

Need a few ideas for books that are set in different states?  Click on the pictures for more information.

An InLinkz Link-up

Looking for more tips?  Check out my Pinterest board that has more links to book lists, map games, and more books set in different states..  Click on the picture below.

Come back next week for Part 2 - 

Tips to celebrate Read Across America.

Fern has a few tips to share with you, too.  Be sure to hop over to her blog!

Each week, Fern and I will share a teacher tip. We love to read teacher blogs and the latest teacher idea books and hope you do, too!  Stop by Fern's blog and my blog each week for our latest tips.  We hope you will share your ideas, too.  

How do you celebrate Read Across America?

Looking for more ideas?  Click on the pictures below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sources to make my blog post graphics can be found HERE. Click HERE to read my blog's disclosure statement.