Read Across America Day was created by the National Education Association in 1998. This column presents suggestions for classroom activities that can be used to celebrate this day. Suggestions include: (1) Making a Read Across America flag; (2) Taking pictures of staff with their favorite books; and (3) Sending out ballots asking students and…

Shares an effective teaching strategy (developed by a university student in a content reading practicum) that enthusiastically engaged two reluctant, even confrontational, male seventh graders in a study of "Our Northern Neighbor, Canada." (SR)

Describes the author's voluntary reading program in her second-grade classroom. Describes how her basic Drop Everything and Read program needed to be added to and tinkered with to keep students interested and motivated: paired reading and discussion, visual reading records, and praise and occasional rewards. (SR)

The Directed Reading Using Music Strategy (DRUMS) is a type of reading strategy that can lead to the teaching of reflective thinking skills, increased reading comprehension and vocabulary, along with increased motivation for learning. Research indicates that contemporary song lyrics aid reading comprehension and can be used as motivational text. A…

A method of facilitating leisure reading time in the classroom is described here. It encourages leisure reading as a natural, uninterrupted process at school, so students may see how enjoyable reading is and transfer those positive feelings to reading at home. Each Wednesday, junior high school students in Centerville, Indiana, spend an average of…

This article presents ideas for turning elementary-level nonreaders into readers. Activities include teachers'"all-about-me letters" to gain insight into students' interests, and interviewing students to document their use of reading strategies. A reading strategy record sheet for the student interviews is included. (SM)

Discusses poetry and the power it can have in elementary school classes. Considers why poetry is effective and the value of memorizing poems, and recommends multicultural titles for Blacks, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans that can help motivate children to read and write. (LRW)

This document is a compilation of the four issues in the 24th volume of "Classroom Notes Plus." issue of "Classroom Notes Plus" contains descriptions of original, unpublished teaching practices, and of adapted ideas. The August 2006 issue (v24 n1) includes: More Choice Leads to More Reading (Amy Ishee); Book-of-the Month Reports (Patricia Crist);…