World Read Aloud Day
February 1st was World Read Aloud Day. Students at Fern Hill Elementary School participated in a Buddy Class Guest Reader activity which featured the book Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de le Pena.
The book is about a little boy named CJ who ride a bus with his grandmother every week. On one particular ride, he asks his grandmother - Why don't they have a car like his friend? Why doesn't he have an iPod like other boys on the bus? Why they disembark in the "dirty" part of town? His grandmother responds with encouraging answers that helps CJ see the beauty in the world around him.
Students in kindergarten were paired with their 3rd-grade buddies;1st-graders were joined by their 4th-grade buddies;2nd- graders listened to the story with their 5th-grade buddies. Guest readers filled the classrooms and worked alongside with teachers to help the students understand the lesson that beauty is everywhere if you learn to recognize it. The lesson ended with students preparing self-portraits that will be added to a giant school bus created by art teacher Mrs. Russell.
The school-wide Buddy Class Guest Reader activity coincides with Fern Hill's canned soup drive which runs through February 15. Students are encouraged to bring in food donations which will benefit the West Chester Food Cupboard.
