Load Up on Literacy Freebies!

If there’s one thing every teacher can agree on, it’s this: you can never have too many literacy resources. With that in mind, today I’m sharing some great grants, websites, and freebies related to all things literacy. Here you go!

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Read a book and do a good deed! At We Give Books, when your students read a free book online, they can also choose a literacy-related charity to receive a free book. Created by the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation, the site features books such as The Little Engine That Could, Animal Families, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The site has been live for just a few weeks, and already more than 3,000 books have been donated. Click here to check it out!

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Speaking of free books, your students have the chance to get a free book through the Barnes & Noble summer reading program. Students download a reading passport and read any eight books this summer. Then they turn in their passports and choose a free paperback from a list. Visit www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading to get the details!

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Have you heard of Read to Feed? The program from Heifer International pairs reading with raising funds to help families around the world living in hunger or poverty become self-reliant. For example, students who raise $20 can purchase a flock of chicks to be sent to a family; other gifts include honeybees, pigs, sheep, and cows. To learn more, visit www.heifereducation.org/readtofeed to request the free Read to Feed Student Kit.

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If your media center is facing a financial challenge, it’s time to investigate the Dollar General Back to School Literacy Grants. Valued at up to $5,000, these grants can be used to implement or expand current literacy programs, purchase new technology or equipment, or purchase books and other materials. The deadline to apply is May 21, 2010. Click here!

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Here’s something fun: Penguin Young Readers Group has released the first chapter in the new children’s series by bestselling author John Grisham. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer will be published on May 25, but you can get a free sneak peek by visiting www.theodoreboone.com. The book is for ages 8–12.

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With all these freebies, it only seems fitting for Learning magazine to get in on the act. Submit a comment in response to this post by midnight on Monday, May 10, and you’ll be entered into a random drawing to win the new Children’s Illustrated Encyclopedia from DK. This huge book isn’t even in stores yet, but I’ll send you my copy. It’s packed with pictures, facts, and links to kid-friendly sites. You’ll use this book again and again in your classroom!

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Happy Friday and happy reading!

Karen

15 thoughts on “Load Up on Literacy Freebies!

  1. Love,love,love the idea of having easily accessible
    information/links for the classroom.Students want and
    need to find answers quickly to pertinent questions.
    Every resource is valued and valuable! Thanks for
    offering this to us!
    Sincerely,
    Linda M.Erickson

  2. Thank you so much for posting these awesome literacy-related resources! I love the We Give Books website and concept…and I’ve already found several books I’d like to purchase for my classroom library 🙂 Keep up the wonderful work ya’ll do to help make teachers’ lives just a little bit easier!

  3. The new Children’s Illustrated Encyclopedia looks great from DK. I love all the resources and sharing of ideas on this website. Thanks!

  4. I never know blogs are like this. It is fill with so much needed information and resources for teachers. I enjoy reading and reponding to everyone. The Children’s Illustrated Encylopedia surely can be use in our Preschool’s classroom, I hope we win. Thanks

  5. This is a great blog!!! I love the idea of reading books online and donating to literacy organinzations! We are going to do this in my class!!!!!

  6. I am excited about finding fun ways to keep my students reading over the summer. I love some of these programs and thank you for sharing them with all of us!

  7. What a great place to browse for goodies…..I just checked out the Read to Feed site…OMG! I found some exciting activities as well as lesson plans to use with my ESOL students…..I am looking forward to sharing all of this with my fellow teachers….Again thanks for posting all this great stuff…..

  8. 42. Valuable info. Lucky me I found your web site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.

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