Family Literacy

 

Interactive Read-Aloud Videos

Hello! We're so excited you've come to read with us!

Interactive reading is a wonderful way to help your children develop their reading skills. By reading out loud and asking your children questions before, during, and after reading, you can help boost the important pillars of reading development. Watch our interactive read aloud videos with your children and then try it out on your own!

  • Description:

    "Who's in charge here?"

    When Grace learns about the three branches of the United States government, she and the rest of the student council put the lesson into practice as they debate how to spend the money from a school fund-raiser. The arguments continue as they travel to Washington, DC, for a field trip. Grace feels closer than ever to her dream of becoming president someday, but she and her classmates have a lot to learn about what it means to serve the needs of the people, especially when the people want such different things!

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    • Diagram - a simple drawing that shows how something works
    • Council - a group of people chosen to manage something
    • Monument - a statue, building, or other structure built to remember a person or event
    • Lobbied - to persuade someone to do something
    • Gavel - a small wooden tool that is hit on a hard surface by a judge or someone in charge to get the attention of a group

    Resiliency Skill/Theme
    • Flexible - bendable; not hard in your ideas
    • Adaptable - able to change to fit the time or situation

    In the book, Grace Goes to Washington, Grace showed that she was flexible by setting aside her own plan for how to spend the cookie sale money to fight for someone else's idea.

    Have you had to change your mind or your actions to make a friend or try something new? Write about it in your journal.

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:

    Mo Romero is a zombie who loves nothing more than growing, cooking, and eating vegetables. Tomatoes? Tantalizing. Peppers? Pure perfection! The problem? Mo's parents insist that their niño eat only zombie cuisine, like arm-panadas and finger foods. They tell Mo over and over that zombies don't eat veggies. But Mo can't imagine a lifetime of just eating zombie food and giving up his veggies. As he questions his own zombie identity, Mo tries his best to convince his parents to give peas a chance.

    Super duo Megan and Jorge Lacera make their picture-book debut with this sweet story about family, self-discovery, and the power of acceptance. It's a delectable tale that zombie and nonzombie fans alike will devour.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Craving - to have a strong want for something
    • Devour(ed) - to eat hungrily or quickly
    • Cuisine - food cooked in a certain way
    • Fruitless - to get nothing in return
    • Savor - to taste good food or drink and enjoy it completely

    Resiliency Skill/Theme
    Self-aware - knowing what you are like in your interests, feelings, and actions
    • Adaptable - to defend or protect your own needs or interests

    Take some time to write in your journal about the things you like and don't like. Then, write about a time when you had to "stand up for yourself".

    Mo was a zombie who loved vegetables, so he was self-aware or his differences. He had to advocate for himself to his parents, who only ate meat.

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    • Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    • Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:
    Once
    In a big city called New York
    In a bustling neighborhood
    There was an empty lot.
    Nevaeh called it the haunted garden.

    Harlem Grown tells the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood. After seeing how restless they were and their lack of healthy food options, Tony Hillery invited students from an underfunded school to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. By getting their hands dirty, these kids turned an abandoned space into something beautiful and useful while learning about healthy, sustainable eating and collaboration.

    Five years later, the kids and their parents, with the support of the Harlem Grown staff, grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables a year. All of it is given to the kids and their families. The incredible story is vividly brought to life with Jessie Hartland’s “charmingly busy art” (Booklist) that readers will pore over in search of new details as they revisit this poignant and uplifting tale over and over again.

    Harlem Grown is an independent, not-for-profit organization. The author’s share of the proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to Harlem Grown.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Haunted - something scary or not safe
    • Litter - trash that is left in public spaces
    • Canvas - a fabric or open space to create something on
    • Seedlings - a new or young plant
    • Wilted - something that has become weak or loose

    Resiliency Skill/Theme:
    • Collaborate - to work on a project with other people
    • Is there a project you would like to work on with other people? What is it? Write about it in your journal.
    • In Harlem Grown, students learned how to collaborate when they worked with Mr. Tony to create a community garden in the empty lot, across from their school.

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:
    It is Grandparents Day at Zura's elementary school, and the students are excited to introduce their grandparents and share what makes them special. Aleja's grandfather is a fisherman. Bisou's grandmother is a dentist. But Zura's Nana, who is her favorite person in the world, looks a little different from other grandmas. Nana Akua was raised in Ghana, and, following an old West African tradition, has tribal markings on her face. Worried that her classmates will be scared of Nana--or worse, make fun of her--Zura is hesitant to bring her to school. Nana Akua knows what to do, though. With a quilt of traditional African symbols and a bit of face paint, Nana Akua is able to explain what makes her special, and to make all of Zura's classmates feel special, too.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Nana - another name for grandmother
    • Tribal - a group of people with similar traditions and ways of living
    • Regal - something that is royal and proud
    • Expert - someone who has a lot of knowledge and skills in a certain subject
    • Veterinarian - a doctor for animals
    • Resiliency Skill/Theme

    Have you ever felt afraid of something you thought would happen. but it didn't happen? What did you learn from that?

    Zura was not excited to bring her Nana Akua to school, because she was afraid that the other children would make fun of her tribal markings. Zura learned that she didn't need to be afraid, because the children and parents enjoyed meeting her Nana.

    Videos:
     Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:
    Old Rock has been sitting in the same spot in the pine forest for as long as anyone can remember. Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise.

    Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock's life prove it has been anything but boring.

    Great storytellers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and Old Rock's stories are sure to inspire questions that lead to wonderful conversations about the past and the natural world.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Clearing - an open space in a forest
    • Erupted - a volcano explosion
    • Lumbered - to move in a slow, heavy, awkward way
    • Flutter - to fly, move, or hover unsteadily by flapping quickly and lightly
    • Sprouted - something that has grown

    Resiliency Skill/Theme:
    • Optimistic - to be hopeful or believe things will work out well. Positive
    • What is one thing you like about learning at home? What is one thing you like about going back to a school building?
    • Old Rock was optimistic about his life, sitting in one place for so long, because he got to watch the world change right in front of him, over time.

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    • Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:
    In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read. From Rita Lorraine Hubbard and rising star Oge More comes the inspirational story of Mary Walker, a woman whose long life spanned from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, and who--with perseverance and dedication--proved that you're never too old to learn.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Garments - clothes
    • Abandoned - to be left behind or forgotten about
    • Civil rights - for all people to be treated equally
    • Billboards - large outdoor boards with information on them
    • Cockpit - to space inside of a plane or helicopter for the pilot and crew

    Resiliency Skill/Theme:
    Perseverance - to keep going and not give up when something is difficult or takes a long time
    • What have you learned that took you a long time to learn? Why did you keep trying to learn this thing? Write about it in your journal.
    • In the book, The Oldest Student, Mary Walker began learning how to read when she was 116 years old. It took her five years to learn, which showed that she had perseverance.

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    • Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:
    "Who's in charge here?"

    When Grace learns about the three branches of the United States government, she and the rest of the student council put the lesson into practice as they debate how to spend the money from a school fund-raiser. The arguments continue as they travel to Washington, DC, for a field trip. Grace feels closer than ever to her dream of becoming president someday, but she and her classmates have a lot to learn about what it means to serve the needs of the people, especially when the people want such different things!

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    • Proper - the right or correct way to do something
    • Stiff - something that does not move
    • Crimson - a dark red color
    • Ancient - something that is old or from the past
    • Abstract - art made up of shapes and colors

    Resiliency Skill/Theme:
    • Flexible - the ability to make something new or something that is one-of-a-kind
    • What do you like to make or create? Write about it in your journal.
    • In The Noisy Paintbox, young Vasily heard music in his head, as he mixed colors to paint in his own creative way.

    Videos:
     Monday, Day One
    • Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

    Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

  • Description:
    Because Little Red only speaks in verse, it's tough for her to make friends. The schoolyard bully, Big Brad Wolf, is always picking on her. One day, her grandma shows her a flyer for a poetry contest, and Little Red thinks it could be her big chance to make a friend. But on the day of the contest, Big Brad Wolf sneaks up on Little Red and scares the rhyme right out of her and into him! How will they rhyme their way out of this dilemma?

    Targeted Vocabulary:
     Rhyme - words that sound the same
    • Cozy - feeling comfortable, warm, and relaxed
    • Concentrate - to give something your full attention
    • Bind - to be stuck in a difficult situation
    • Grim - something that is scary or terrible

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    • Thursday, Day Four

  • Description:
    As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too—the Civil War.

    Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata. So famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House! Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa’s music bring comfort to those who needed it most?

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Stubborn - difficult to move or change
    • Homesick - to miss home
    • Lively - full of life and energy
    • Elegant - to look graceful and stylish
    • Soothe - to gently calm or to stop pain

    Videos:
     Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

  • Description:
    Pluto got the shock of his life when he was kicked out of the famous nine. His planet status was stripped away, leaving him lost and confused. Poor Pluto! On his quest to find a place where he belongs, he talks to comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. He doesn't fit it anywhere! But when Pluto is about to give up, he runs into a dwarf planet and finally finds his place in the solar system. This feel-good picture book combines a popular science topic with character education themes of self discovery, acceptance, and friendship.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Rejected - something or someone that is not wanted
    • Comet - a dusty snowball that looks fiery when it orbits the Sun
    • Identity - what a person or thing is
    • Pardon - to forgive or excuse
    • Core - the deepest part of something

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    • Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    • Thursday, Day Four

  • Description:
    Inspiration struck when Momofuku Ando spotted the long lines for a simple bowl of ramen following World War II. Magic Ramen tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world's most popular foods. Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab--a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed. Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting. With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    • Outrageous - something that is bad or wild in a shocking way
    • Nutritious - food that is good and healthy for the body
    • Brittle - something that is hard but can be broken easily
    • Tender - easy to chew
    • Instant - to happen quickly

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

    Additional Activities:
     Magic Ramen Picture Search
    Magic Ramen Picture Search & Coloring Page
    How to Make a Fortune Teller Activity Sheet

  • Description:
    The newest picture book from the creators of Iggy Peck, Architect; Rosie Revere, Engineer; and Ada Twist, Scientist stars Sofia Valdez, a community leader who stands up for what she believes in!

    Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day, when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia (aka Sofi) misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
     Elderly - a person of old age
    • Landfill - a large piece of land to put trash
    • Dawn - the first sight of light in the sky before sunrise
    • Department - a section of a large organization
    • Taxes - money that people must pay to the government

    Videos:
     Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    • Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

  • Description:
    Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do?

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Grump/Grumpy - to act in a low or angry way
    • Beehive - a home for bees
    • Local - belonging to a close community, neighborhood, or city
    • Gosling - a young goose
    • Migration - seasonal movement of animals from one region to another

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

  • Description:
    A favorite fairy tale set in a bustling contemporary Chinatown.

    It's Chinese New Year, and Goldy Luck’s mother wants her to take a plate of turnip cakes to the neighbors. The Chans aren’t home, but that doesn’t stop Goldy from trying out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds—with disastrous results.

    In this funny and festive retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong introduce a plucky heroine who takes responsibility for her actions and makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!), just in time for Chinese New Year.

    Targeted Vocabulary:
    Luck - to have good things happen to you
    • Habit - something you always do
    • Sampled - to have a small part of something
    • Demand - to tell or ask in a rough way
    • Fluster - confused or nervous

    Videos:
    Monday, Day One
    Tuesday, Day Two
    Wednesday, Day Three
    Thursday, Day Four

Reading Guides & Activities

  • Follow the links below for helpful tips & guides on how to read with your elementary aged student:

    • BookTrust: Reading with Your Child (0-12 months)
    • BookTrust: Reading with Your Child (3-4 years)
    • Reading Rockets: Reading Tips (Toddlers)
    • BookTrust: Reading with Your Child (4-6 years)
    • Reading Rockets: Reading Tips (PreK)
    • Reading Rockets: Reading Tips (K)
    • Reading Rockets: Reading Tips (1st Grade)
    • Reading Rockets: Reading Tips (2nd Grade)
    • Reading Rockets: Reading Tips (3rd Grade)
    • Reading is Fundamental: How to Connect Home Literacy Practices to School Literacy Practices

  • Follow the links below for interactive literacy activities:

    • Scholastic Learn at Home
    • BookTrust: Online Storybooks & Games
    • Toronto Public Library: Dial-a-Story (call 416-395-5400)
    • Reading Rockets: Literacy Apps (K-4th Grades)
    • First Book: At Home Activities/Actividades Para Pasar Tiempo en Casa (PreK)
    • First Book: At Home Activities/Actividades Para Pasar Tiempo en Casa (K-2nd Grades)
    • First Book: At Home Activities/Actividades Para Pasar Tiempo en Casa (3rd-5th Grades)
    • First Book: At Home Activities/Actividades Para Pasar Tiempo en Casa (6th-8th Grades)
    • BrainPop: English LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems! (daily art class)
    • Read Along with PBS Kids (and Michelle Obama)

Memphians and Celebrities

Check out our videos of Memphians reading a book from our LMS Libib Lending Library.

You will also find links to a lesson plan & activities families can use to follow along with the story. Lesson plans include targeted vocabulary words & guided questions families can use to enrich their student's literacy time.

  • Description:
    It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy! In this funny yet endearing story one little boy learns an effective recipe for turning a best enemy into a best friend. Enemy Pie serves up a sweet lesson in the difficulties and ultimate rewards of making new friends.

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
    LMS Lesson Plan
    • LMS Choice Board
    LMS Dirt Cup Recipe
    LMS Humpty Dumpty Sequencing
    LMS Equivalent Fractions
    LMS Visualization Activity

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

  • Description:
    A hilarious, irreverent book about doing your own thing. Meet Iggy Peck—creative, independent, and not afraid to express himself! In the spirit of David Shannon’s No, David and Rosemary Wells’s Noisy Nora, Iggy Peck will delight readers looking for irreverent, inspired fun. Iggy has one passion: building. His parents are proud of his fabulous creations, though they’re sometimes surprised by his materials—who could forget the tower he built of dirty diapers? When his second-grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a challenge. He loves building too much to give it up! With Andrea Beaty’s irresistible rhyming text and David Roberts’s puckish illustrations, this book will charm creative kids everywhere, and amuse their sometimes bewildered parents.

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
    LMS Lesson Plan
    LMS Word Search
    • LMS Word Search Answers

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

  • Description:
    While on vacation, Mrs. LaRue receives letters from her dog, Ike, who has been falsely accused of harming the neighbor's cats and is trying to clear his name. You'll howl with laughter as Ike tries to prove he didn't kidnap the cats! From the co-creator of How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? This story is told through letters from Ike to his owner.

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
    LMS Lesson Plan
    LMS Letter Writing Activity Template

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

  • Description:
    Kameeka is confident that today is the day she will finally beat her rival, Jamara, and become the Hula Hoopin' Queen of 139th Street. But then Mama reminds her that today is also their neighbor Miz Adeline's birthday, and Kameeka has a ton of chores to do to get ready for the party they are hosting. Kameeka's disappointed to be stuck at home and can only think about hoopin' competition. Distracted, she accidentally ruins the birthday cake and has to confess to Miz Adeline there won't be a cake for her special day. But Miz Adeline confesses something too: she's also got the itch--the hula-hoopin' itch! Her fingers start snappin'. Her hips start swingin'. Soon everyone's hips are swinging as the party spills out onto the street. Now the whole neighborhood's got the itch--the hula-hoopin' itch! With vibrant illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, The Hula-Hoopin' Queen is a charming celebration of family and community ties. Set in Harlem, this intergenerational story shows the importance of staying young at heart.

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
    LMS Lesson Plan
    LMS Word Search
    LMS Word Search Answer Key

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

  • Description:
    Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them. Why? Because the other kids in her school don't like them. Camilla Cream is very worried about what other people think about her, but at the very moment she most wants to fit in, she becomes completely covered in colorful stripes! Worse yet, she seems to change colors to match whatever is happening around her. When the class says the Pledge of Allegiance, she turns red, white, and blue! Instead of blending in, she's standing out. Specialists are called but the situation goes from bad to worse. Isn't there anyone who can help Camilla remember what it means to be herself?

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
     LMS Lesson Plan

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

  • Description:
    Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them. Why? Because the other kids in her school don't Imani is a young Maasi girl with a loving mother and a desire to do something great. When she decides she wants to touch the moon, she works hard to reach her goal, even in the face of teasing from the naysayers around her

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
    LMS Lesson Plan

  • Description:
    One rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results. How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his own donkey self makes a story that is beautifully tender and perfectly joyful.

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
     LMS Lesson Plan

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

  • Description:
    A long time ago in China there was a boy named Ping who loved flowers. Anything he planted burst into bloom.The Emperor loved flowers too. When it was time to choose an heir, he gave a flower seed to each child in the kingdom. "Whoever can show me their best in a year's time," he proclaimed, "shall succeed me to the throne!" Ping plants his seed and tends it every day. But month after month passes, and nothing grows. When spring comes, Ping must go to the Emperor with nothing but an empty pot. Demi's exquisite art and beautifully simple text show how Ping's embarrassing failure is turned triumphant in this satisfying tale of honesty rewarded.

    Lesson Plan & Activities:
    LMS Lesson Plan

    Watch the Read-Aloud Video!

Lit Families

The Early Literacy Consortium is excited to present the Lit Families webinar series. The series will provide families with helpful tips and resources to support successful literacy skills. Check back here for the announcement of future sessions.

2021/22 Lit Families webinar sessions:

  1. Back to School (Spanish subtitles)

  2. Heading to the Holidays (Spanish subtitles)

  3. Spring into Action
    Coming soon: Spring into Action (Spanish subtitles)

Check out literacy resources here: