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      • visualizing
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    • word consciousness
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    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
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    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
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      • new for us foods
    • crafts
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      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
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breakfast time reading: cereal boxes and more

home / reading / environmental print / breakfast time reading: cereal boxes and more
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It all started with Gorilla Munch, and it ended with a ton of reading about adopting gorillas, thanks to a box of cereal and three curious kids.

Sure, we’re doing a lot of book reading this summer–in between swim and dive practices, trips to museums and splash parks, and just hanging out, doing nothing summertime-style.

And even though we’ve just returned home from the library with 45 new books (maybe a record for us!), I still try to utilize environmental print whenever possible. Environmental print, or print found on signs, posters, menus–even cereal boxes!–is a natural text for emerging readers to want to read. It’s everywhere, it sends meaningful messages, and often they notice it when they’re doing something else–riding in the car, sitting in a restaurant, or eating breakfast.

Here’s the skinny on how we rocked out the environmental print at our very own kitchen table while we threw back our breakfast (and why we now want to adopt a gorilla):

  • Breakfast Time Reading — Cereal Boxes and More: Thanks to Cora’s new gluten-free life (or as gluten-free as we can get it!), we have been introduced to a boatload of new foods and products over here.

One of those foods comes from a line of environmentally-conscious, earth-happy, organic and gluten-free products whose cereal boxes are full (and I mean FULL!) of fun reading material for kids–EnviroKidz Organics.

From lemurs to pandas to gorillas, my kids actually argue over the boxes and who will get to read what during breakfast. So we took it a step further today; we read the box a little more closely and checked out the internet site mentioned on the box.

 

Our cereal box reading led us to some non-fiction website reading–who knew?

 

And the really cool thing is that as a result, Maddy, Owen, and Cora did some serious non-fiction reading, some map work, and made some plans to adopt a gorilla. Either the baby gorilla, the mom and baby combo, or the silverback. They still aren’t sure.

On one crazy cereal box, we read about Kureba, the mountain gorilla, what his life was like as a young gorilla, and how he looks out for his little brother. We talked about how gorillas live in a big group and how being in a group keeps them safe–kind of like how we have a bunch of friends who all look out for each other’s kids.

We chatted about Rwanda, in Africa, and where Rwanda is compared to us here in Maryland, in North America. We discussed what it means to be ‘endangered’ and and why the gorillas need help.

We checked out the links on the box, which took us to Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund International–an incredible site rich with resources, amazing photos, and super suggestions for getting children involved in gorilla conservation. We looked at videos of gorillas, played games about gorillas, and read all we could about the gifted scientist, Diane Fossey.

Maddy and Owen were really curious about how far Africa was from the United States, so we mapped it. We looked at google maps and then played with the satellite images, checking out the earth from above and then zooming in to our very own house from above simply by typing in our address in the search box.

And of course we checked on Nanny and Pap’s house, Nana’s house, and all of our aunts and uncles, too.

The kids were amazed. We got lost in our research, and it all started with a box of cereal. I love it.

Talk about some sneaky smart summer learning!

Still rockin’ week 4 of our Smart Summer Challenge, we’re only two weeks away from our HUGE giveaways which I cannot wait to share.ย  Please check out the skinny on our Smart Summer Challenge, the 6 week fun summer learning campaign I’m running with Candace and MaryLea, where we’re challenging all parents to do what they can to throw in a little bit of fun learning every day (or as often as they can!). And seriously–summer reading counts!! So link up your ideas through the whole week and win prizes.ย  That’s how much we love our readers and value summertime learning!

 

AND. . . if there’s more today:

Tell me what your kids are reading this summer for a chance to win a Summer Reading Prize Pack from the Childrenโ€™s Book-of-the-Month Club!

– Grand Prize: Pottery Barn Kidsโ€™ reading chair and a Marc Jacobs Nylon Tote (for mom!)

– 5 First Prizes: Personalized Pottery Barn Kidsโ€™ Beach Tote

EXTRA ENTRY:

– Childrenโ€™s Book-of-the-Month is now featuring the My Summer Reading Series! Kids receive 2 great books at their door each month all summer. $6.99 a book PLUS a free $25 Restaurant.com gift card! Check out the different book series, find a book you love and tell us the book title in the conversation for an extra entry in the contest!

fyi:

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs June 28 – July 22, 2011. A random winner will be announced July 27, 2011. Official Rules

.

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About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

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What better way to get students to engage in civics and contribute to their communities? 

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Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in your community will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions. 

Learn how to bring The National Civics Bee to YOUR community now: https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

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Find it at your favorite bookstore or order here: https://amzn.to/3Pu3tWs

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Quick! Thereโ€™s still time to see if your area is registered to participate in this yearโ€™s National Civics Bee! #ad

Click the link in my bio to learn more and to grab a TON of free resources for families and educators. 

This yearโ€™s registration deadline is approaching, but you still have time! 

What better way to get students to engage in civics and contribute to their communities? 

https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

#CivicsBuzz #strongcommunities #middleschool #civicsbee #teachersofIG
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Open
Have you heard of The National Civics Bee? #ad 

The National Civics Bee is an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. 

Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in your community will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions. 

Learn how to bring The National Civics Bee to YOUR community now: https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

Iโ€™m thrilled to have partnered with @mom_select and @civicsbuzz for this exciting campaign! โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿค๐Ÿ’™

#CivicsBuzz #middleschoolers #teachersofIG #communitypartners
View
Open
Oh HEEEEEYYY, @luvvie โ€” did you see that @littletroublemaker made our hallway bulletin board? ๐Ÿ˜‰โ™ฅ๏ธ

(Itโ€™s what Rusty the ๐ŸฆŠ is currently reading.) 

Find it at your favorite bookstore or order here: https://amzn.to/3Pu3tWs

(This is my affiliate link, so when you use it, I will earn a small percentage of the sale, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for using my link and supporting my small business!)

#readingteacher #raiseareader #kidlit #bestbooks #linkinbio
View
Open
How can people with dyslexia learn to read? ๐Ÿค”

Here are the 3๏ธโƒฃ elements that reading instruction should contain in order to be most effective for students with dyslexiaโ€”

#demystifyingdyslexia #raiseareader #readingteacher #teachreading #dyslexiaawareness
View
Open
Lately when I find four leaf clovers, Iโ€™ve been leaving them. ๐Ÿ€๐Ÿคท๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ

So if youโ€™re in Maryland, and you happen upon a lonely, little 4-leafer with very little grass, weeds, or leaves around it, I donโ€™t know WHO tried to set you up for success.

#yougotthis #keepyoureyesopen #itsthelittlethings #kilpattyluck
View
Open
Okayโ€”how do we know if someone has dyslexia? 

Which professionas are able to make that important determination? 

โ–ถ๏ธ Watch to find out. 

Hit me with the questions you still have about dyslexiaโ€”and know we have a few more posts to go!

#demystifyingdyslexia #raiseareader #teachreading #readingteachersofig
View
Open
What are some of the common signs of dyslexia?

Watch to learn and find out!

#demystifyingdyslexia #readingteacher #raiseareader #teachreading #dyslexia
View
Open
True โœ… or false โŒ?

#demystifyingdyslexia #dyslexiaeducation #readingteacher #raiseareader #teachreading
View
Open
What do you know about dyslexia? 

What questions do you have about dyslexia? 

For the next few weeks leading up to my own start to the school year I am sharing a new series called โ€œDe-Mystifying Dyslexiaโ€ and I would love for you to join me! 

Follow in my stories or on the highlight above!

#dyslexia #teading  #readingteacher #raiseareader #demystifyingdyslexia

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