Stories with a Twist! :: Barb Lawson

April Activities
National Poetry Month April is National Poetry Month. Check out this great website for some wonderful ideas to get kids excited about writing poems! Have a poetry day when kids can share their writings with other students, teachers, and parents.
ASPCA Month Celebrate ASPCA (American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Month. Contact: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Have your class “adopt” an animal shelter in your area. Ask children to write letters to the editor of your local paper asking that supplies and money be donated. See if your class can take a field trip to the shelter to interview the people who work with the animals each and every day. Students could create a pamphlet or write a book about the shelter to share with the community.
April 1 April Fools’ Day Hey, there’s a bug on your shoulder! APRIL FOOLS! Okay, kindergartens love that one! Have your children think of silly ways to have fun with literacy on this day. Sing silly songs, write funny stories, or put on an April Fool’s Day play. The kids will not have ANY fun with this activity! APRIL FOOLS!	April 7 No Homework Day What kid wouldn’t want to celebrate such a special day? Here’s a big hint: Don’t give any homework that evening! When your children return the next day, ask them to them write about what they did with their time instead.
April 11 - April 17 National Library Week Visit the American Library Association web site for more information. Have a special celebration for your school’s librarian. Interview him/her, write special stories, make posters, and create songs all about your wondrous librarian!	April 12 National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day The National Education Association; National PTA; the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association; Reading Rockets and Harper Collins Childrens’ Books are calling for families to drop everything and read together for 30 minutes. Get resources and find out more at: dropeverythingandread.com. Ask all your school families to join in on this national event.
April 22 Earth Day Celebrate Earth Day with songs and stories about lizards, trees, birds, flowers, and a bunch of other animals and plants. Discuss why they are so important to us all — even skunks! Take a school-wide survey of favorite animals, plants and places around the world. Talk about how your class could help make the world a better place.