Grandparents read with – and to – their grandchildren

By Karolyn White  Jewish Voice and Herald Friday, 17 August 2012 17:02
Eliora Woods, left, reads with her grandmother, Reggie Hankin, during JCDS’ May 2011 Grandparents Day. /Alisa Grace PhotographyPROVIDENCE ­–

Grandparents’ Day is a beloved tradition at the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island (JCDS). The kids can’t wait to show their grandparents their classrooms and do planned projects with them. Inevitably, throughout the building, we will find grandparents reading to their grandkids or grandkids reading to their grandparents.

Not only is reading together an enjoyable experience but it teaches children to read well and promotes their success in school and in life. Grandparents are experienced teachers, who can help their grandkids develop reading skills and a love for reading.

Here are some reading tips:
• Create Reading Collections: Research children’s reading lists, and then contribute meaningful print and digital reading material to your grandkids’ home libraries. Books are still valuable for home libraries. Contributions should include Jewish-themed books, with a variety of genres: Include classics as well as the latest bestsellers. Add a book that you loved as a child or one that you frequently read to your own children. If you are giving a book as a gift, make it a memorable treasure by inscribing the book with your name, date, comments and a drawing.
• Jewish Reading Materials: Give your grandkids an exceptional gift by enrolling them in The PJ Library, which sends them high-quality Jewish children’s literature and music each month. Visit the Kar-Ben Publishing website (karben.com) for more terrific Jewish books. Follow Tami Lehman-Wilzig’s blog, “Zvuvi’s Israel,” for fascinating stories about Israel.
• Read Aloud: Studies indicate that the best way to help children build the knowledge needed for success in reading is to read aloud to them every day. Try to preread the books you plan to read and note what pages you will emphasize, stop and discuss or note an illustration. “Act it up” and read with plenty of expression. Let the children interrupt the story to ask questions, talk about something or act out a character. Make the story come alive.

• Model the joys of reading: Read in the presence of your grandkids. Whether you are reading directions, online articles, recipes or a novel, share and discuss what you are reading. Consider reading books simultaneously and have your own Grandparents-Grandkids Book Club.
• L’dor va-dor, from generation to generation: Share your family history: Grandparents are the keepers of the family history. Share family stories by storytelling or when reading a book aloud. At a holiday gathering, describe the way your family celebrated the holiday when you were young. If available, show old holiday photos to your grandchildren; you will be surprised at what they will notice.
Besides the story, a book’s illustrations may prompt memories of a family story. For example, an illustration may include a three-family house that reminds you of the three-story home your grandparents lived in many years ago. Stop reading and recount your family’s story. These family stories become part of your grandchildren’s memories that they will pass on to their children.
Reading with your grandkids is an enriching and magical experience. The sound of your loving voice reading a story fosters a powerful bond and creates a lifelong memory.



KAROLYN WHITE is librarian and communication manager at JCDS. Visit her Library Blog at the community page of jcdsri.org for more information about reading. Contact her at 751-2470, ext. 82 or kwhite@jcdsri.org

Booklists for Grandparents-As Noted in the August Jewish Voice and Herald

PJ Library Program-A Great Gift and Resource
Book for Jewish Grandparents Click
Suggested Books for Grandparents to Read: Click  and More Click
Books to Help Children Relate with Grandparents and Seniors Click
Books about Grandparenting Click  and another Great List Click

Summer Reading 2012

Remember to Read , Read, Read this summer! The JCDSRI Summer Reading Lists are posted on the school website. http://www.jcdsri.org/ downloads

on the Community page. Contact K. White librarian for more information at  kwhite@jcdsri.org
I can't wait to hear about the books you have read! Hats off to Reese, who has already read 5 books and listed them on his summer reading record!

NOTE THERE ARE MANY BOOKLISTS IN THE RIGHT COLUMN
Get a Free Book and have a great time with Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program-Click Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program CLICK

Prizes and more at the Scholastic Summer Reading Program CLICK

FACULTY SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT-Log onto school website  www.jcdsri.org and go to Faculty and Staff Downloads

For Grade 5-On-line Resources for Chasing Vermeer by Balliet

Art Information

JOHANNES (Jan) VERMEER INFORMATION
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761553291/Vermeer.html

PAINTINGS
Sideshow of Vermeer’s paintings with Classical Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwRsYGL6LEg
Slideshow of Vermeer’s Paintings with Contemporary Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtCuQ6g1Cg
Dramatic Viewing of Girl with a Pearl Earring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTgmtWoy3-4
Compares the Actual Paintings to Reproductions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ood78JOiJE4

Young Woman with a Water Picher
You are able to zoom in and check out the beautiful details.
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/european_paintings/young_woman_with_a_water_pitcher/objectView.aspx?&OID=110002334&collID=11&vw=0

A TREAT! Go to the National Gallery of Art’s Kids Page http://www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm
1. Find Vermeer’s painting. Zoom in to find out what piece of jewelry in on the desk
2. Have fun creating on-line art!

TECHNIQUE
Camera Obscura-thought to be used by Vermeer
Camera = Latin for “room” Obscura = Latin for “dark”
Go into a very dark room on a bright day. Make a small hole in a window cover and look at the opposite wall. What do you see? Magic! There in full color and movement will be the world outside the window — upside down! This magic is explained by a simple law of the physical world. Light travels in a straight line and when some of the rays reflected from a bright subject pass through a small hole in thin material they do not scatter but cross and reform as an upside down image on a flat surface held parallel to the hole. This law of optics was known in ancient times.
http://brightbytes.com/cosite/what.html
BOOK INFORMATION and MORE!
http://www.scholastic.com/blueballiett/
AUTHOR
Blue Balliett, Author Information and Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiuYiRNiC1o
Author
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHUFuHt4goQ
A STUDENT BOOK REVIEW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bFdJHDKBjk

Summer Reading 2012

Remember to Read , Read, Read this summer! The JCDSRI Summer Reading Lists are posted on the school website. http://www.jcdsri.org/ downloads on the Community page. Contact K. White librarian for more information at kwhite@jcdsri.org

I can't wait to hear about the books you have read! Hats off to Reese, who has already read 5 books and listed them on his summer reading record!

NOTE THERE ARE MANY BOOKLISTS IN THE RIGHT COLUMN

Get a Free Book and have a great time with Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program-Click Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

Prizes and more at the Scholastic Summer Reading Program
http://www.scholastic.com/summer/

FACULTY SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT-Log onto school website and go to Faculty and Staff Downloads

March 2011 Celebrating Dr. Seuss!

At JCDS we joined the national reading celebration-Read Across America that honors the birthday of Dr. Seuss!

Read about this wonderful program http://www.nea.org/grants/13003.htm

Can you believe the Cat in the Hat visited JCDS!! Wow, was that exciting!