Do you ever find it a challenge to get students motivated so they actually WANT to read? Every year I feel like I need to pull new ideas out of my "bag of tricks!" One way I grasp reluctant students into becoming real readers is by using superheroes and comics!
To begin this lesson, I really wanted to "grab" my students' attention. I put all the superhero materials into a box and opened it with my students to build excitement. Students were very eager to know when they would get a chance to use the new superhero materials!
I explained that they were not just going to be any type of readers today, but they would be SUPERHERO READERS who could overcome any obstacle that may occur during reading. We quickly discussed what types of obstacles they may encounter and how they could solve it.
Students created Kids' Superhero Glasses Craft Kit. I love these kits because they come with instructions and every item students need in a separate bag. There is no counting or need to find any other materials. This is a great way for students to practice reading instructions too!
Then it was time to practice being a SUPERHERO READER using our superhero glasses and new books! Students were very eager to get their hands on our Capstone The Amazing Adventures of Superman and DC Super Pet Booklets.
The coloring and images of each page is amazing and really grasps the reader's eyes. Who wouldn't want to read such a fun, exciting book?!
After students were superhero readers, it was time to become superhero writers! One thing I've learned over the years is that students love to write comics and their imagination will go wild. Using a Superhero Journal, Superhero Stencils, Superhero Super Stickers, and Superhero Pencils students created their own story. This was an absolute favorite of all my students!
The Superhero Journals provide a great way to scaffold writing in the classroom. The student above was focusing on sound words and quotations, while the student below was working on sequencing a story. My students loved using the Superhero Stencils and Superhero Super Stickers to illustrate their pictures.
Students will love to become superhero readers and writers in the classroom with these fun tools!
