Events devoted to animals dovetail nicely with Right to Read Week. Students can jointly read books about animals, which are available for various reading levels. Encourage a visit by a zoo representative who can bring some small or baby animals and pair the presentation with books devoted to taking care of animals.
Additional ideas include having a stuffed pet parade, hosting a bring your pet to school day and having students write a short story about their favorite animals that can be read aloud to the class.
Sports is a weeklong theme with multiple possibilities. Have children read books about sports, sports figures and sporting events. In fact, you can target daily book selections based on sporting events planned for that day. For example, you could have children read books about track and field along with biographies of Olympic athletes who have won gold medals in track and field events. The books could be followed by age-appropriate track and field events.
Alternatively, you could invite local athletes to come and talk to students or plan a field trip to a local sporting event.
Books about food, food preparation and famous chefs can be the inspiration for a Right to Read Week based on nutrition. Additional activities include an ice cream social for all children in a group setting, cooking competitions among children of the same age group, chef demonstrations by local cooks and culinary experts, and a session or two on proper nutrition.
You can extend the theme by having common areas decorated with food pictures and art classes centered around painting pictures of food items. Get the cafeteria involved by adding some new items to the menu for the week.
A Right to Read Week, even if held during the coldest of winter months, can have a beach, ocean and seaside theme. Books about sea life, seashells, the ocean, conservation issues, and vacations and travel can be used as reading choices to get kids interested.
Ideas for other activities include having a beach day, when everyone comes dressed in beach attire; a sandcastle-building contest, using sand brought in especially for the event; lectures by marine biologists about sea life; and such beach games as volleyball, kite flying and horseshoes.