Read alouds are one of my absolute favorite tools to use in the classroom. They are such a fun way to introduce students to new concepts, share meaningful discussions, and expose them to different types of stories. Read alouds can also help you review reading skills and model critical thinking strategies for students. I wanted to put together a list of read aloud books you can read in March to celebrate the fun and silly holidays happening this month.
#1 St. Patrick’s Day – March 17
For St. Patrick’s Day, I recommend Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola. This book is an Irish folktale about a lazy potato farmer who encounters a leprechaun that changes everything. This story teaches the importance of hard work and the consequences of always taking the easy way out. Your students will laugh along with the story and will learn a meaningful lesson, too.
Pair this book with the St. Patrick’s Day Meaningful Decor. This resource is a fiction and nonfiction review activity that doubles as decor, and it can be used with any book. Have students choose a St. Patrick’s Day shape and practice analyzing fiction story elements, summarizing, or sequencing.
#2 First Day of Spring – March 20
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak is probably my favorite book for spring. This story has beautiful illustrations and imagery that walk the reader through the gentle transition from winter into spring. If you haven’t yet introduced imagery to students, this book is a great place to start.
After you read this story, have students use the Spring Time Meaningful Decor activity. Have students apply their knowledge of fiction elements, summarizing, sequencing, and more on the prompted spring-themed shapes. Then, hang up students’ work for a cute piece of classroom decor.
#3 National Potato Chip Day – March 14
What better book for National Potato Chip Day than The Potato Chip Champ by Maria Dismondy? Lead a discussion about kindness with this read aloud book. This story follows Champ, a baseball-playing, potato chip-loving kid as he discovers the importance of being kind to others.
After reading this book, have students share creative ways to show kindness to others and discuss how to incorporate thoughtfulness into everyday activities. This is the perfect way to turn a silly “holiday” into a meaningful discussion with your students!
#4 National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day – March 1
I told you March was filled with some fun holiday read aloud books! Celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day by reading Peanut Butter and Cupcake by Terry Broader. In this story, a lonely piece of bread and peanut butter tries to make a friend. Could his next best friend be cupcake? Hamburger? Hot dog?
When reading this book, you can introduce the concept of personification to students. Then, have students choose an object they love and write a creative story personifying that object. Let students get creative!
#5 International Women’s Day – March 8
There are a lot of notable women to celebrate, but I really love the book Frida Kahlo: A Kid’s Book about Expressing Yourself through Art by Mary Nhin and Yuliia Zolotova. This is one of those read aloud books that makes historical figures approachable and relatable for students. Students will learn about Kahlo’s difficult circumstances and how art changed her life.
After reading, have students write and make connections between themselves and Frida Kahlo. They might connect her interests, hobbies, or even personality traits to themselves.
#6 National Meatball Day – March 9
This is a classic! Celebrate National Meatball Day by reading Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ronald Barrett. Originally published in 1978 and then turned into a movie in 2009, this story stands the test of time. Students will love hearing this wacky tale, and it’s a great book to read to inspire some creativity.
Once you’ve read the story, challenge students to come up with their own crazy story for a normal daily occurrence. You can even take this activity a step further and have students turn their stories into readers’ theaters and act them out.
#7 National Pi Day – March 14
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka is a unique take on a math-centered story. This book is about a student who thinks she is cursed. Her teacher says that you can think of almost anything as a math problem – and now she can’t stop thinking in math problems. This is a perfect read aloud book to help students see how math is connected to everyday life.
When you’ve finished the story, have students create their own math problem that connects to their daily life. Then, students can partner up and solve each other’s math problem.
#8 World Water Day – March 22
What better way to celebrate World Water Day than reading We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. This book is a beautifully illustrated call to action for students to take water conservation seriously. This read aloud is guaranteed to spark some great discussions in your classroom.
When you’ve finished reading, have students write down one way they can help conserve water. You can also give students a water conservation challenge, like turning off the water while they brush their teeth or finishing their water bottles before they throw them out.
#9 World Theatre Day – March 27
Celebrate World Theatre Day by reading Maya and the Stage Fright by Vicky Weber. This story follows Maya, a girl who loves singing but is overcome with a serious case of stage fright. Will she be able to perform her song?
After reading, students can write about a time they were scared and fought through it. This is great for making connections to the text. You can also ask students to make a comparison between how Maya felt and how they felt when scared.
#10 International Waffle Day – March 25
This book isn’t exactly about waffles, but bear with me! For International Waffle day, I recommend reading If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff. This book is a hilarious tale of cause and effect. Students are likely to be familiar with the story, which will make it a fun and comfortable read aloud book.
Then, have students write an opinion piece answering the age-old question: Which is better, pancakes or waffles, and why?
If you’re looking for more ways to extend your March read aloud books, be sure to check out the March Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers. These graphic organizers can be used with any book, and they make it easy to extend student thinking after reading.
With the March Graphic Organizers, and March Reading Banners, students can practice cause and effect, character traits, making connections, paragraph writing, summarizing, and more. The resource comes with 15 March-themed graphic organizers, and there is no prep involved. Just print what you need!
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