Characters will come to life during Akin Road Elementary Read Aloud event
Storybook characters will come to life, so to speak, next week at Akin Road Elementary School. All of Farmington’s elementary schools have Read Aloud events — nights where families can come to their respective schools and hear area volunteers read stories out loud — but ARES is doing something a little different this year.By: Michelle Leonard, The Farmington Independent
- Photo: ARES Read Aloud
Storybook characters will come to life, so to speak, next week at Akin Road Elementary School.
All of Farmington’s elementary schools have Read Aloud events — nights where families can come to their respective schools and hear area volunteers read stories out loud — but ARES is doing something a little different this year.
ARES staff and other guests will still read stories. That part won’t change. What will be different, though, is the addition of Reader’s Theater.
ARES reading specialist Adriana Henderson came up with the idea for Reader’s Theater. Basically, several stories presented during the Read Aloud will be acted out by ARES students and staff.
Henderson is promoting the event under the theme, Books Come Alive. The name is no accident, either.
“Students perform a part like a play, but we call it that because they are reading their play parts. They’re not memorizing them like you would ordinarily see in a play,” Henderson said. “We feel that if we include our students, we’re better promoting literacy and family involvement. It’s a way for students to showcase their literacy skills.”
Henderson will make her appearance as the children’s book character Amelia Bedelia. Other popular characters making appearances at the event include Fancy Nancy and Miss Viola Swamp.
The event will also include the traditional Read Aloud setup, where someone reads a story before a gathered group in the classroom. In the past, readers have been volunteers from the community, but this year, Henderson is trying to keep the focus on the many good things — and good people — at Akin Road Elementary. Many of the readers will be students and staff from the building.
“We’re really trying to encourage the students to be the participants because we really think if the students are reading, more parents will come. And the students really like doing this. They’re really excited about it,” Henderson said.
There isn’t a whole lot of rehearsing going on for the event. Nothing more, that is, than what the students are learning on a day-to-day basis at ARES. And that’s kind of the point.
“They’re already doing the work here. It’s already part of their day. It’s just that now, they’ll be showcasing it for their families,” Henderson said.
The Akin Road Elementary School Read Aloud night is open to the public, and is free of charge. A book fair is planned that night, and families can register for Farmington library summer programs during the event.
Tags: elementary schools, school district 192, education, farmington
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