WOS, CLE Host Annual K-5 Family Literacy Night

The Annual K-5 Family Literacy Night is in the books! Last evening's event connected SOCSD students with faculty members from William O. Schaefer and Cottage Lane elementaries, strengthening the home-school connection and ensuring that the learning can continue long after dismissal. "Family Literacy Night shows how joyful, hands-on play turns reading practice into family time," said K-5 Instructional Literacy Coach Kristy Nadler. Couldn't attend or need a refresher? See a list of stations that were featured and how you can recreate them together below!

1. Activity: Journal Decoration and Stickers
   Instructions: five-minute nightly entries — draw and label “rose," "thorn," "bud” or three-word captions; use stickers as quick prompts.
    
2. Activity: Memory/Go Fish 
   Instructions: play with word cards; reread one decodable for fluency.
    
3. Activity: Fidget Making and OT Tips 
   Instructions: two minutes of finger warm-ups before writing; tripod grip practice.
    
4. Activity: Rock Painting of Words
   Instructions: pull two or three stones to spark a mini oral story; put them in sequence; write one “next scene” sentence.
    
5. Activity: Hand Puppets with Paper Bags
   Instructions: puppet retells after read-alouds — practice dialogue (quotation marks); 30-second “show” with a beginning, middle and end.
    
6. Activity: Suitcase Sounds 
   Instructions: “pack” the suitcase with words that share a target sound (/sh/, /st/); tap each sound; slide to blend; write one.
    
7. Activity: Reading Under the Stars 
   Instructions: read for 10 minutes with a flashlight; pause to predict; ask to retell; ask questions after reading. 
    
8. Activity: Comic Book 
   Instructions: create a four-panel comic from a family moment; focus on sequence words and punctuation in bubbles.
    
9. Activity: Friendship Bracelets 
   Instructions: bead words by pattern or book theme.