Beagles, bees and turtles, oh my! Boothbay Region Elementary School (BRES) took a walk on the wild side this week with the “Wild About Reading” event for pre-K – fourth grade students.
Volunteers from animal-based professions across the state stopped into classrooms to read aloud and share what they do with students, accompanied by their furry and not so furry friends.
BRES Literacy Specialist Lisa Sharp said kids are naturally interested in animals, so that topic was the perfect jumping-off point for an activity-based literacy event. Pairing a book with a visual aspect—whether it was honeycombs and animal bones, or Tide the Turtle and Archie the Puppy—can help build positive connections and foster curiosity in students. Sharp also found the kids were eager to ask the speakers about their career paths.