What places will he go? Dr. Seuss ‘visits’ for Read Across America

During Read Across America Week, superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler read a Dr. Seuss book to students in Adrian Wells’ second-grade class at Heritage Elementary School. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – ‘Tween’ heartthrobs, sports icons and movie stars took a backseat this week for children in Madison City Schools.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, assumes celebrity status during Read Across America Week. An annual tradition, this initiative celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday and emphasizes the importance of reading.

At West Madison Elementary School, the library sponsors a community service project during Read Across America Week. This year’s project was nicknamed “Cat in the Hat Gives Back.”

“The library collected new Dr. Seuss books,” media specialist Emily Wolfe said. “The books will be given to Madison Hospital to be placed in patient and visitor waiting areas.”

Each donated book will have a label reading “Gift from WMES.”

Weeklong activities include “Seuss Trivia” questions during morning announcements. In addition, students and teachers observed a different theme each day.

On March 3, they kicked off the week with “Happy Birthday to You! D.E.A.R. Dr. Seuss.” D.E.A.R. abbreviated “Drop Everything and Read” when the entire school population stopped and read from 7:45 to 8 a.m.

Kindergartners and first-graders enjoyed ‘ordering’ books from menus in the Dr. Seuss Cafe on March 4. For “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” students wore patriotic colors.

On Wacky Wednesday, West Madison teachers hid Dr. Seuss book covers throughout the building. Students received fun prizes for the Seuss scavenger hunt.

On “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” Day, students wore shirts “from someplace you have been. Or, they dressed as the career of their choice,” Wolfe said.

Students participated in a drawing contest on “If I Ran the Zoo” Day.” “They used their imagination to create a new zoo creature. They named the animal and described it — where it lives, what it eats and how it behaves,” Wolfe said.

Heritage Elementary School had similar activities with “Hat Day,” “Crazy Sock Day,” “Fox in Socks,” and “Crazy Clothes Day.” They saluted the Lorax on “Mustache Day” and also dressed like a book character of their choice.