Reading – it is the gateway to learning. At EJR, Principal Elizabeth Halsey Sproul and her building level team have launched Reading Together, a partnership between teachers and families to share reading aloud with their students.

Here’s how it works: the team chose The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies as its first shared book. Each family in the school – from pre-K through fifth grade – received a copy of the book. All teachers will read one chapter to their students on Mobile Monday. Then, parents and guardians are invited to read aloud two more chapters of the book during the week to their children.

In case parents and guardians aren’t able to do the readings, students can find videos of various EJR teachers reading each chapter of the book. That information is posted in Google Classroom.

“Reading aloud to our students is so important,” said Principal Halsey Sproul. “It engages kids, strengthens their vocabulary and comprehension, and increases their attention span. Plus, kids just love to hear stories and to be read to at any age.”

Principal Halsey Sproul said The Lemonade War was chosen because kids of all ages can relate to it. It’s the story of siblings Evan and Jessie who get along very well most of the time. Things change quite a bit when they find out Jessie will be skipping a grade and will be in her big brother’s class. They have a contest to see who can sell the most lemonade during the last week before school begins. The story is filled with real-life problems, including getting along with siblings and friends, dealing with pride, and determining right from wrong.

Of course snow got in the way of this week’s Mobile Monday reading so teachers read the first chapter of The Lemonade War to students on Wednesday and Thursday. Parents can pick up the second and third chapter or have their students tune in to the online videos. All 14 chapters of the book will be read on video for the students.

“We are promoting the Reading Together program throughout the building,” said Principal Halsey Sproul. “We are going to be surveying the students during the reading of the book to see what they think might happen next and who will ultimately win the Lemonade War.  We want them to be engaged and enthusiastic about the book and reading in general.”

There is also a little incentive for everyone to read the book – when everyone has read the book, Mrs. Halsey Sproul will kiss a pig! You heard that right – she will kiss a pig named Violet Mae.

So get reading everyone – enjoy it as a family!

Click here to view the videos of EJR staff reading The Lemonade War.