Reading themed-books and classroom-created books in the Reading Center

Dr. Suess books have been available on the theme shelf.  

Children develop concepts of print by engaging in text.  Classroom-created books are typically based on highly familiar texts that follow a pattern or cadence.  Here, a book based on "Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?" is used by a student.  Friends' names are the first word on each page, and that child's picture supports acquisition of letter/sound relationship.  

Here, a student uses her "linger finger" to move her finger from left to right over the text.  Children engage in reading-like behaviors well before they are reading.