10 Free Read-Alouds + Activities That Promote Classroom Community

At the start of every school year, we all want to begin building a positive classroom community that highlights empathy and understanding. Using read-alouds with students of all ages encourages class discussions, builds shared experience among students, develops listening skills, builds comprehension, and so much more. Start your year on the right note with these free read-aloud activities for pre-K through 6th grade over on the Lerner Publishing Group site that can help build your ideal classroom community.

Why are read-alouds useful?

Literacy specialist, curriculum developer, and 19-year education veteran Lindsay Barrett highly recommends the use of read-alouds in every classroom, sharing the following with us: “Read-alouds give kids access to a wider range of books than what they can read on their own. Hearing a proficient reader’s inflection and expression boosts listeners’ comprehension, as does the chance to talk about a book with others. Plus, hearing a great read-aloud can motivate kids to keep reading independently. At their best, classroom read-alouds build equity and community, creating shared experiences and knowledge everyone can draw upon for teaching and learning.”

How can teachers select engaging and diverse read-alouds?

Lindsay noted, “Teachers should aim to offer students a nourishing and balanced read-aloud ‘diet’ over time—across the week, month, curriculum unit, or school year. As you plan your read-alouds, think: How will you give students ‘tastes’ of different genres, characters, topics, and themes? How will you make sure that all your students find hints of familiarity and relevance to their own lives in books you share? How will different texts complement and build on each other? What fun ‘snacks’ will you throw in to energize kids? Shorter read-alouds often leave more time for rich discussion; be open to reading aloud picture books, poetry, and interesting snippets of informational text no matter the age of your students.”

Get free read-aloud activities!

The awesome titles below come with free videos to read the books and ready-to-use lesson plans. It’s the perfect way to kick off your school year, so grab your freebies here!

Big Bear and Little Fish (Pre-K to Grade 2)

A big bear forms an unexpected friendship with a very small fish! Dive into friendship themes by watching the read-aloud video and using activities including discussion questions, a scavenger hunt, and friendship worksheets.

Ella McKeen, Kickball Queen (Grades K-3)

Ella is the kickball queen, but what will she do when a new contender shows up at recess? Learn about what it means to be a good sport and how to express feelings in an appropriate way with a breathing exercise, feelings worksheet, and more.

The Secrets of Cricket Karlsson (Grades 3-6)

This novel follows an 11-year-old navigating a best friend breakup in a coming-of-age story. Grab a writing prompt page based on the book and check out more about the author in an interview.

A Is for Another Rabbit (Pre-K to Grade 2)

A rabbit-obsessed narrator refuses to play by the rules of a conventional alphabet book and makes everything about bunnies! Listen to the video read-aloud and use free activities including coloring, handwriting, and counting.

Hair Story (Grades K-3)

This picture book follows two girls as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Discuss hair bias, race, and multilingualism by working through activities including discussion questions and writing prompts while diving into the wonderful rhythmic, rhyming verse of this book.

Crunch and Crack, Oink and Whack! (Grades 2-5)

This elementary school is celebrating “Onomatopoeia Day.” Follow along as students make their way through their school using these words that imitate sounds. Listen to this fun read-aloud and finish with writing activities, drawing a comic, and exploring onomatopoeias.

My Mindful A to Zen (Pre-K to Grade 2)

This ABC book is accompanied by beautiful haiku while introducing kids to mindfulness concepts. Add to your reading of this relaxing title with art and coloring activities that kids will love.

That’s Not a Hippopotamus! (Pre-K to Grade 1)

A school trip to the zoo turns into a chaotic hunt for the missing hippopotamus in this irresistible read-aloud. Find teaching notes and a big list of 15 activity ideas to guide your reading.

Song of the River (Grades K-2)

Cam explores the world of the river, following it from the top of the mountain snow, through the farm, and all the way to the sea. Grab ideas to extend your learning by investigating water flow, involving the senses, writing, and more.

Clem and Crab (Pre-K to Grade 3)

Clem is a protector of the seas and stumbles across Crab stuck in a plastic bag on her beloved beach. Follow this tale, exploring the importance of keeping beaches clean, with a coloring and counting page, writing worksheet, and more.