Over 100 years ago, Dr. Suess was born and has since given the world countless fun books and activities to ignite a love a reading in our students. March 2nd marks the start of our literacy week, which is full of fun reading and writing activities, games, and, of course, Dr. Seuss read-alouds. Here are 5 free literacy week writing activities + bulletin board ideas to try out this year.
When is Read Across America Week?
Read Across America Week (sometimes known as Literacy Week) takes place each year on (or near) Dr. Seuss’s birthday of March 2nd. It’s a nationwide celebration held to promote the joy of reading and highlight the importance of literacy for children of all ages.
The celebration encourages schools, families, and communities to come together through themed days, read-alouds, and engaging literacy activities that make reading fun and accessible.
Free Literacy Week Writing Activities to use THIS year!
The following writing activities are the perfect addition to add some fun to your literacy week! Plus, most of them even double as bulletin board ideas!
Psst! I’ve linked all the freebies within the post and at the end for easy downloading!
1. Dr. Suess’ Birthday Cupcakes
If you are looking for the perfect bulletin board to kick off the week, this writing craft is adorable and fits the theme perfectly! Students love any sort of birthday celebration, so they will be motivated to show off their writing skills!
In this activity, students write a birthday wish for Dr. Seuss and create a fun cupcake to match. Look how cute the bulletin board turns out to be!
Click here to grab the template I used (for free!)
2. Invisible Pictures
Although Read Across America week falls near Dr. Suess’s birthday, it’s really a time to foster a love a reading with the use of a variety of books and activities. This invisible picture craft works in combination with the story, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (a personal favorite of mine).
Check out this complete Alexander reading unit with lesson plans, teaching slides, reading centers, cause and effect lessons, and writing activities that go with the book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
This story is not only a great social-emotional read (as it’s great for teaching about the sizes of problems and the circle of control), but it’s also a fun read for students. After reading, we create our own invisible pictures using white crayons and tempera paint. Then, students write a response to what they drew!
3. Biography Spots
Every year, my students love reading biographies. They are also intrigued to dive into history and learn about an influential person’s life. They enjoy the freedom to choose and the opportunity to become an expert.
These biography dots are great to discuss non-fiction texts during Read Across America Week! Have students read or listen to (I love Getepic.com for this) texts and then transfer what they learned to their spot. The freebie includes the template and the text for an easy literacy week bulletin board! Grab it here!
4. I Know A Lot About That… (Writing Craft)
Writing can sometimes be tough for students, but it’s always easier when they are able to write about something they enjoy. This I Know A lot About That writing craft capitalizing on just that. Inside the freebie, you’ll find pre-writing activity suggestions, background information about Dr. Seuss, the writing template, and fun extras for your bulletin board.
Grab this craft here!
5. Word Work Hats
We can’t forget to include a word work activity! This Create-A-Word Cat Hat activity is perfect for reviewing base words, suffixes, and prefixes. After practicing, students will be able to pick a word to add to their hat. Then they will choose one prefix and one suffix and explain how it changes the word.
Download this Literacy Week freebie here!
Get a week of no prep prefix and suffix lesson plans, worksheets and teaching slides here.
Free Read Across America Writing Activities Recap!
I hope you found these activities and bulletin board ideas to be helpful in planning an engaging week of fun literacy activities. To make your life easier, here are all the free literacy week writing activities and their links in one place. Happy reading!
- Dr. Suess Birthday Cupcakes
- Invisible Pictures
- Biography Spots
- I Know A Lot About…
- Word Work Cat Hat
Do you have any other fun literacy week writing activities that you use every year? I’d love to hear them. Leave me a comment below to share your expertise!
You may also be interested in: Fun March Writing Activities for even more ideas!
Do you dress up as a book character during Read Across America Literacy Week? Check out my Literacy Week Ideas Pinterest Board!
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