Question: What is Read Across America and what does it have to do with Dr. Seuss?
Answer: Read Across America, an annual project of the National Education Association (NEA), began in 1997. Its purpose is to motivate kids to read and to spotlight the importance of reading. Read Across America Day, the annual celebration of reading, takes place on or around Dr. Seuss's birthday, which is March 2nd. According to the NEA, "Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school." (NEA Web site)
Schools across the United States celebrate reading and Dr. Seuss's birthday with activities that include:
- making and wearing hats like the one Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat wears
- enjoying birthday cake
- inviting guest readers in to read to the students
- reading to one another
- sharing books.
