Brown Bear Book Club

Family Literacy Night

The Brown Bear Book Club nights are designed to give parents and children a positive literacy experience. Meetings are one hour, one evening a month. While parents are encouraged to focus on their Kindergarten child, siblings are welcome to the meetings. Each night includes time for parents to read with their child, a whole group story time, a fun literacy activity, a make-and-take activity, and a snack. Topics for the Brown Bear Book Club include:

Homework Book Bags

Print concepts

Environmental Print

Effective Read-Aloud

Developmental Writing

Getting Ready for First Grade Basic Schedule for the Brown Bear Book Club 6:00-6:10 Family Read Together Time (we have this ready for the "early birds") 6:10-6:30 Call children to the carpet, music/ movement greeting song, read big book 6:30-6:40 Discuss important concepts (based on theme) with families 6:40-7:00 Make and Take activity (Journal, environmental print book, pointer), Snack, Draw for door prize (book)

Kendall-Whittier's Pre-Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Warner, and I co-created the Brown Bear Book Club. (We based it on the family nights that my son's teacher, Kathy Griffin, was doing in her class.) We had our first meeting was in January 2002. The first year, we did the nights as a team. Beginning January 2003, I ventured out to do the Brown Bear Book Club nights on my own. This has been a positive experience for me and my students. I have really enjoyed focusing on learning in Kindergarten. I would encourage every teacher to try a family night at least once a year!