Ten Things to Love About the Global Read Aloud

The Global Read Aloud Is Coming Back!

The Global Read Aloud is scheduled to come back in 2021. It is my favorite project every year. Keep on reading to find out ten things I love about the Global Read Aloud.

1. You can spread the joy of reading.

The Global Read Aloud is an exciting and engaging read aloud experience. Students listen to a story and connect with other children who heard the same book. This special event connects classrooms across the country and around the world and creates excitement that engages even the most reluctant readers.

2. You can choose which Global Read Aloud book pick is right for your students.

Pernille Ripp, the founder and organizer of this project, selects the books each year. You can choose to join the picture book author study or read one of the novels that were selected for the different grade levels.

Click the links to read Pernille's blog and to see the book picks for the 2021 Global Read Aloud.

• Picture Book Author Study: Duncan Tonatiuh
• Early Reader Novel: Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott
• Middle Grade Novel: The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
• Middle School Novel: The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson
• Young Adult Novel: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

3. The project is flexible.

The books were meant to be read aloud to the class, but what you do with the books afterward is up to you. You can chose to focus on particular standards, have students keep reading journals, engage in cross-curricular activities, create art projects, and more!

4. You can connect with classes around the world.

Making direct connections with other classes is also optional, but highly encouraged. That's the Global part of Global Read Aloud! Pernille has created a unique opportunity for connecting with other classes by getting more than a million kids to read the same book at the same time. 

Join the Facebook groups to join the conversation and look for partners. Or follow the hashtags on Twitter for a more informal experience.

The Global Read Aloud Main Facebook Group

GRA Picture Book Author Study Facebook Group #GRADuncan

GRA Early Reader Facebook Group #GRADragons

GRA Middle Grade Facebook Group #GRAJumbies

GRA Middle School Facebook Group #GRABarren

GRA Young Adult Facebook Group #GRAElatsoe

5. Students have an authentic audience for their work.

When your students post their reactions to the read aloud books and share their projects they have an authentic, global audience for their work. This gives students a purpose. We're no longer completing work just because it's an assignment. Now we are writing, speaking, and creating to communicate with others. That's authentic.

6. There are ready-to-go FREE resources and ideas for you to choose from.

Individuals and groups of teachers step up to gather and create resources for participants to use each year. I am currently working on lesson plans for the picture book author study and I will post them on Teachers Pay Teachers for a free download. I have also created a reader's response menu using emojis that works for any novel.

Others share hyperdocs, STEM challenges, break out rooms, and other web-based resources.

In the past Pernille has had a spreadsheet to make it easy to find and organize these resources. Be on the lookout for that and for shared resources to start popping up in the Facebook groups.

7. Project dates are outlined for you, but flexible.

2021's project kicks off on October 4 and runs for six weeks. I find it's best to make sure you complete what you've committed to because your partner classes are relying on having your posts to view. However, if you stay in communication with your partners it's not that big of a deal to fall behind. Just let them know so they can adjust their weekly plans.

Also, if you find that committing to doing everything every week doesn't fit with your schedule just commit to less. Don't feel like your students have to do projects or posts for every book/chapter. If you need to sit out a week then do so. Look through your schedule to anticipate which weeks your students have more/less time. For example, Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day and Halloween are two holidays participants in the United States have to navigate around each year.

Here's the suggested timing for each grade level:

Picture Book Author Study: Duncan Tonatiuh

October 4–8 Dear Primo

October 11–15 The Princess and the Warrior

October 18–22 Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns

October 25–29 Separate Is Never Equal

November 1–5 Diego Rivera

November 8–12 Your choice (or catch up)

Early Reader: Dragons In a Bag

October 4–8 : Chapters 1–3

October 11–15: Chapters 4–6

October 18–22: Chapters 7–8

October 25–29: Chapters 9–10

November 1–5: Chapters 11–12

November 8– 12: Chapters 13–end

Middle Grades: The Jumbies

October 4–8 : Chapters 1–7

October 11–15: Chapters 8–14

October 18–22: Chapters 15–21

October 25–29: Chapters 22–26

November 1–5: Chapters 27– 39

November 8–12: Chapters 40–end

Middle School: The Barren Grounds

October 4–8 : Chapters 1–5

October 11–15: Chapters 6–10

October 18–22: Chapters 11–14

October 25–29: Chapters 15–18

November 1–5: Chapters 19–22

November 8–12: Chapters 23–end

Young Adult: Elatsoe

October 4–8 : Chapters 1–6

October 11–15: Chapters 7–12

October 18–22: Chapters 13–18

October 25–29: Chapters 19–24

November 1–5: Chapters 25–30

November 8–12: Chapters 31–end

8. Authors often get involved.

The authors must see a big boom in sales come Global Read Aloud time. They show their appreciation by getting involved in the project. Some authors share videos and do live events. Others interact with students on Twitter. Look out for information on author involvement on the Facebook groups and Pernille's blog.

9. You'll likely read the books for years to come.

If you are like me you will fall in love with the books selected for the Global Read Aloud. Many teachers choose to reread the books and use the resources from past years with their new class of kids. Use the Facebook groups to find other classes that read the past books and you can potentially make the Global Read Aloud last all year.

10. You'll learn new technology!

If you are new to teaching with technology you will learn how to harness the Internet for sharing educational content and connecting with other classes. If you are a seasoned tech teacher like I am, you will get new ideas by viewing work from other classes. I have learned new tools and new ways of using familiar tools all thanks to this project.