Themed literacy bags are book bags or heavy duty zipper lock plastic bags that can be taken home by students on the weekends. The purpose of the bag is to encourage family involvement by reading the books and doing each activity in the bag together as a family. Each bag has a specific theme and included in the bag are one fiction book and one non-fiction book related to the theme, and two or three activities or projects based on the book. Themes for the bag can include animals, foods, hobbies, toys, history or space, among others. The bags provide learning activities for families to do all weekend long and should be returned to school on Mondays.
Scheduling family reading nights gives families the opportunity to read together. Teachers can encourage parents to get involved in the reading curriculum early on by presenting parents with ideas and themes for reading nights at home. Setting up stations in school and at home to go along with the reading nights, such as themed games and craft activities will provide hands-on learning experiences . Selecting a particular book and planning a night of fun activities around that book will keep children involved and encourage children to read independently. For example, choose the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Joffe Numeroff and spend the evening reading the story, making cookies and playing games to go along with the book.
Encourage written communication between family members by starting a letter chain. Write notes frequently to each member of the family and leave them in lunch boxes, attached to mirrors or in book bags. This encourages the recipients to write back, continuing with the letter writing activity. Set up monitored e-mail accounts for each family member. Send daily or weekly e-mails to family members who may live farther away. Family members can help smaller children with the typing and editing of the letters.
Visit the library regularly with family members. Research your family background or join a book club and discuss certain books with other people who enjoy reading the same type of books. Attend family story time and participate with your children as they listen to a story and do activities associated with a specific topic. Starting these activities at a young age will develop a routine of reading and being actively involved in the library and the resources it has to offer.