Reading Resources

• The Brainy Benefits of Bedtime Stories

  Bedtime stories have long been known to foster parent-child bonds and prepare children for sleep. But lately researchers have attached other powers to this nighttime routine. They say that while you and your little one are sailing with Max to the land of the Wild Things or sampling green eggs with Sam, you're actually boosting your child's brain development.

• Reading Rockets

  Reading Rockets is a national multimedia literacy initiative offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.

  We bring the best research-based strategies to teachers, parents, administrators, librarians, childcare providers, and anyone else involved in helping a young child become a strong, confident reader. Our goal is to bring the reading research to life — to spread the word about reading instruction and to present "what works" in a way that parents and educators can understand and use.

• Scholastic's Books and Reading Parents' Page

  A website brought to you by Scholastic and the Publishers of Parenting magazine to help parents find reading advice, engaging activities, book suggestions and more!

• The links below will either allow you to search for the Guided Reading level of a book, or find lists of books at a certain level.

• Scholastic Book Wizard

  Level your book or find books at just the right level for students with Book Wizard, the book finder from Scholastic with Guided Reading levels.

• BookSource

  At Booksource, they have a passion for literacy education. Their title experts know the books kids want to read, and they can help you put the right books in your students’ hands.

• The Best Children"s Books

  See this website for lists of the best children's books, organized by Guided Reading Levels (Fountas & Pinnell). "We've scoured the bookstore shelves, talked to teachers, read a lot of online reviews, even surveyed children...and in the end we've come up with what we think is the best children's books for each of the Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Levels. We sincerely hope these lists will be a helpful resource for teachers in need of guided reading books or for parents looking for books for their own children to read."

• A to Z Teacher Stuff Leveled Book Database

  Search thousands of books leveled for guided reading,
  Reading Recovery, and Accelerated Reader

• International Literacy Association:Children's Choice List

  What Is the Children’s Choices List? Each year, 12,500 school children from different regions of the United States read newly published children’s and young adults’ trade books and vote for the ones they like best. These Children’s Choices, selected from more than 800 titles, can be counted on as books children really enjoy reading. This list, a project cosponsored by the International Literacy Association (ILA) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC), is designed for use not only by teachers, librarians, administrators, and booksellers but also by parents, grandparents, caregivers, and everyone who wishes to encourage young people to read for pleasure.

• What Should I Read Next?

  Enter a book you like and the site will analyse our huge database of real readers' favorite books to provide book recommendations and suggestions for what to read next.

Reading comprehension is enhanced by our experiences. Readers rely on their background knowledge to understand and make connections to what they are reading. Below is a collection of websites to local museums and experiences that will enrich your family's weekends.  Many of them are related to our units of study and others are just great opportunities to learn.

• http://www.amnh.org/
• https://tickets.wcs.org/mainstore.asp?vid=5#cat1053   A Sleepover at the Zoo!!!!

Ever thought about catching some zzz’s in the company of zebras? How about snoozing with the snow leopards? Well, dreams come true on the Bronx Zoo’s Family Overnight Safari. After another sold-out series last year, our overnights are back!

As always, you and your family (children 5 and older) will be treated to fun-filled activities, such as Late Night at the Bronx Zoo, in which you meet a variety of amazing animal guests. Along with some new surprises and a late-night snack to keep the energy going, this extraordinary event is sure to create memories your family will treasure. Sign up soon – space is limited.

• http://www.licm.org 
   
• http://www.nyscience.org/exhibitions/explore_exhibitions 
  The New York Hall of Science is a great place to explore and have fun.  The many exhibits and hands-on experiences will make for a great day of learning and fun!
• http://amnh.org/kids/sleepovers/?src=h_h A sleepover at the Museum of Natural History...
  how cool is that?!  Follow this link to find out how to have your own "night at the museum" with your family!
• http://www.nassaumuseum.com  
  The Miniart Museum is a kid friendly spot to view artistic exhibitions.  Check the website for the current exhibit's details.
• http://www.johnwengemantheater.com/ 
  The TD Bank Educational Theater offers quality Educational Theater to school age children across Long Island.  Upcoming shows include Frosty the Snowman.

Summertime brings a lot of free time for reading. Choosing books can be a daunting task. Luckily, there are thousands of great titles for readers of all ages and abilities to choose from. Here are some links to “Best Of…” lists for every type of reader:

• http://www.booksourcebanter.com/2015/04/21/top-ten-summer-reading-lists-grades-k-8/
• http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/books/
• http://www.scholastic.com/readingcampaign/downloads/src-book-list-all-ages.pdf
• http://www.readingrockets.org/books/summer
• https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/reading-lists/childrens-choices/childrens-choices-reading-list-2018.pdf