• Tell your class/children that read-aloud time for the next eight weeks is going to be extra special because you’ll be going on reading adventures every day.
• Introduce Snowmen at Night, our 2011 Fall R.E.D. Zone reading partner, and show the mitten and hat cutouts. Explain that every time you read aloud to them you’ll write the name of the book – or the amount of time read – on a cutout and then tape or glue it to the wall or bulletin board display (samples coming soon).  You can add different cutouts to the poster throughout the eight-week period.  Or you can add the mitten cutout one month and the hat cutout the next month, whichever you choose!  Making the display “come to life” will give children – and their parents – a fun activity that will increase their involvement and interest in read-aloud time.

• Tell the children that the more you read, the more cutouts they will be able to add to the display.  The cutouts may even spill out over the sides of the display and this is a fun way to keep track of how much you’ve read together.
• Let the children know that you’ll also be giving cutouts to their parents so that when they read together at home, they can bring the cutouts to class to add to the display.*  If time permits, ask the children to help you cut out, color, and/or decorate a supply of the cutouts (optional).
• Hang up the R.E.D. Zone Reading calendar.  Every day that you read together, you can color in a Hat and fill in the amount of time read for the day.  At the end of the week, add up the number of minutes you’ve read and write it on the calendar.  Track your reading time during the entire eight weeks of the challenge.  At the end of eight weeks, classes/children who read at least 800 minutes are eligible for R.E.D. Zone Rewards!

*Copy and send home a Parent Letter and a supply of Snowmen at Night cutouts with each child.  Encourage parents to participate at home by reading to their child on a regular basis and returning the cutouts filled in with titles read.  Let parents know that the research indicates that reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for building reading success.