March is the perfect time to celebrate reading and writing in a meaningful way—without relying on the traditional Read Across America activities. Instead, I use this month to build a love for books through hands-on, engaging literacy experiences that naturally weave reading and writing together.
Here are some of my favorite March literacy activities that keep my students excited about books all month long.
1. Reading Banner: Showcasing the Love for Books
At the beginning of March, we create a classroom Reading Banner where students share what they love about reading. They write their favorite book titles, a special place to read, and more. This stays up all month, serving as both motivation and a reminder that reading is something to be celebrated.
How I Sneak in Writing: Students write short reflections about a book they love or a memorable reading experience. Here are the five writing prompts included on the Reading Banners:
- My favorite book is…
- This is a picture of my favorite place to read.
- Reading makes me feel …
- If I could be any book character, I would be ___ because ____
- If books could talk, my favorite book would say…
2. Jory John Author Study: Reading and Writing Go Hand in Hand
I also start my deep dive into the Jory John book collection in March. His relatable characters and engaging storylines make for a great springboard into both reading comprehension and writing activities.
- Week 1: The Good Egg – A perfect choice for revisiting classroom behaviors, especially as spring fever sets in. Read more about the activities here.
- Week 2: The Bad Seed – We analyze character change and perspective. You can read more in this blog post.
- Week 3: The Cool Bean – Encourages discussions on kindness and social-emotional learning. Yes, here’s another link to a blog post on The Cool Bean.
- Week 4: The Great Eggscape – Teaches teamwork and cooperation.
Each book is paired with reading comprehension activities and writing prompts. The book companions integrate both subjects seamlessly—because you can’t have reading without writing!
3. Changing the Reading Environment for a Fresh Perspective
As the season shifts, I introduce new reading environments to make reading time feel extra special.
Here are 20 different reading experiences we try throughout the month:
- Read under a tree outside
- With a stuffed animal and pillows
- Flashlight reading with the lights dimmed
- Partner reading with a friend
- Reading with an upper-grade book buddy
- Sitting on yoga mats or exercise balls
- Reading on the playground equipment
- Silent reading with nature sounds playing
- Choice seating (beanbags, rugs, or even under their desks!)
- Read and draw (illustrating scenes from the book)
- Reading picnic (bring a snack and read outside)
- Author spotlight day—read books from one author only
- Read to a younger class
- Wear silly glasses or hats while reading
- Musical reading—move to a new reading spot when the music stops
- Dress like a character from the book you’re reading
- Read with socks off (they love the cozy feel!)
- Whisper reading to a partner
- Partner echo reading (taking turns reading aloud)
- Mystery book day—wrap a book and reveal it before reading
How I Sneak in Writing: After each reading experience, students write a quick reflection on how the new setting changed their focus or feelings about reading.
4. Variety of Reading Materials for March Literacy Activities
To keep your March literacy engagement high, I mix up reading materials throughout the month:
- School library books
- Classroom picture books
- Fluency Passages for March (St. Patrick’s Day Version)
- Reading textbooks
- Scholastic Book Fair purchases
- Upper-grade book buddy reads
How I Sneak in Writing: Students write book reviews, persuasive letters recommending books to peers, or creative alternate endings to their favorite stories.
5. Other March Literacy Ideas to Hook Students on Reading (and Writing!)
If you’re looking for even more ways to celebrate literacy this month, here are some additional ideas:
- March Madness Book Bracket: Let students vote on their favorite books in a friendly competition.
- Book Cover Redesign: After finishing a book, students illustrate and write a summary for a new cover.
- Character Letters: Students write letters to or from a character’s perspective.
- Reading Logs with a Twist: Instead of a traditional log, students write creative responses, such as diary entries from the main character’s point of view.
- Poetry Week: March is also a great time to introduce poetry and have students write their own.
By the end of the month, students not only develop a stronger love for reading, but they also build their confidence as writers.
March literacy activities should be engaging and fun AND should seamlessly incorporate writing—it’s the best way to keep learning fresh all month long!
Melissa | The Teaching Q
