Community Literacy

Summer Climb Resources

 

 

 

You are in the right place for helping your child experience Summer Climb and grow their literacy skills!

It only takes 20 minutes a day to change your child’s life. Reading to them or with them 20 minutes a day gives a number of benefits: 

  • Increases vocabulary
  • Helps grow your child’s brain
  • Prepares your child to be successful in school
  • Strengthens the bond between you and your child

Not sure where to start? Check out these Resources and Opportunities:

 Our friends at the Shasta Public Library have several events for you and your family. Check out their calendar to see what is coming up next. They have locations in Redding, Anderson, and Burney. They also have a digital library of books on their website. 

The Schreder Planetarium has wonderful events which are great for your child and your family. You can learn more here. 

Reading Games & Videos for Kids:

  • Reading Buddies: free YouTube Series that helps teach children letters, sounds and word decoding. www.thereadingleague.org/reading-buddies/
  • Brain Builders: an animated video series to help understand what the brain does in order to read. amplify.com/brain-builders/
  • PBS Kids: online games to reinforce reading & vocabulary with students in primary grades. pbskids.org/games/all-topics
  • Storyline Online: videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. storylineonline.net
  • Starfall: reading resources for PreK-2nd grade to help prepare students for school and support them once they are there, www.starfall.com/h/

Community Resources:

 Learn about Reading:

  • Reading Rockets: information & resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help. https://www.readingrockets.org/
  • ¡ColorÍn Colorado!: Reading Rockets’ partner site for educators and families of multilingual students. https://www.colorincolorado.org/
  • “Sold a Story” Podcast: journalist Emily Hanford investigates how teaching children to read went wrong and explores the brain science behind learning to decode written language. Find on your favorite podcast app or at features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/
  • “Science of Reading: Defining Guide” E-Book: covers what the science of reading is and what it is not, as well as its potential to transform reading instruction. thereadingleague.org
  • State of California Literacy Resources: guidance and resources for teachers and families regarding evidence-based literacy instruction for PreK-12th grade. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cl/
  • International Dyslexia Association (IDA): provides resources, training, and advocacy for educators and parents to support students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. https://dyslexiaida.org/
  • California Dyslexia Initiative: educator resources including videos, articles, webinars, and professional development modules to foster a deeper understanding of dyslexia and how to support. https://www.scoe.net/divisions/ed_services/curriculum/cadyslexia/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shasta Reads brings together thousands of kids each year in classrooms, libraries, community centers, and homes across Shasta County. This annual campaign highlights the importance of building early literacy and language skills for every child. The earlier children develop these skills, the more likely they are to succeed in school. 

First 5 Shasta and Reach Higher Shasta work together to coordinate Shasta Reads, providing the book and other resources for over 150 readings at free public story times in classrooms, parks, and child care centers in the community. 

Shasta Reads 2024 Results are in!!

First 5 Shasta and Reach Higher Shasta would like to thank everyone for making Shasta Reads (formerly Read for the Record) a huge success! Children and adults alike enjoyed the Shasta Reads book, Brick by Brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield, on Thursday, October 24th.  
We are pleased to share the outcomes of Shasta Reads 2024:
  • 202 sites (classrooms, preschools, family childcare, story times) – up from 156 in 2023.
  • 3899 children – up from 3001 in 2023.
  • 60 Celebrity Readers – up from 54 in 2023.

We appreciate your support of early literacy in Shasta County. You make a difference! 

 

Little Free Libraries

      “Take a book – Return a book”

Little Free Libraries provide literacy opportunities for families and communities worldwide. Reach Higher Shasta, in partnership with First 5 Shasta, Shasta Public Libraries, and the City of Redding, is proud to present Shasta County’s Little Free Libraries. Books for all ages can be found in our Little Free Libraries throughout Shasta County. Anyone can borrow books, completely free of charge. To see the locations of our Little Free Libraries, visit our Little Free Libraries Map.

Interested in hosting a Little Free Library in your neighborhood?

  • Visit Little Free Libraries for more information.
  • Want to build your own Little Free Library? Download building plans here. 

 

Why does this work matter?

Literacy is an important part of assuring that children have every opportunity as they grow. Research indicates that if a child is not at grade level reading by the 3rd grade, they will have a more difficult time attaining grade level standards later in life. With this in mind, the Community Literacy Committee agreed to develop a county-wide plan with the following objectives:

  • To provide consistency across districts in the expectations for reading and pre-reading skills in grades K, 1, 2 and 3.
  • To provide common assessments for Kindergarten and Grade 1 so that students, parents, teachers and the community understand the level of proficiency students should strive for to be considered “on grade level” at the end of each year (Kindergarten and Grade 1).
  • To build a common language around the skills necessary for Grades 2 and 3 students to be considered “on grade level” in reading at the end of each year (Grade 2 and 3).

California Reading & Literacy Project

Since 2016, Reach Higher Shasta has sponsored the California Reading & Literacy Project (CRLP) in Shasta County. CRLP trains K-3 on the best instructional practices for literacy development and language skills. In the past 7 years, CRLP has trained over 300 teachers. 

Training teachers through CRLP has been shown to improve student literacy outcomes. To see more data on the effectiveness of CRLP, view data here.