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As thousands of students nationwide celebrated Read Across America Day on March 2, students at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary received an extra special lesson celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday.
The kindergarten through fifth-grade students were treated to a skit by H-BC secondary students based on the Dr. Seuss story, “The Zax.”
The skit’s ending was modified to show how to solve conflicts.
“We really wanted them to focus in on how silly the Zax were being by not listening to one another,” said media specialist Lexi Moore, who teamed with district social worker Alison Breuer to guide “The Zax” performance.
Seniors Leif Tollefson and Britton McKenzie represented the North-Going Zax and the South-Going Zax from the Dr. Seuss book.
In the book’s version, neither Zax wanted to go outside their assigned direction and stood stalemated, staring and arguing with one another.
Moore said the Dr. Seuss story was read to the kindergarten through second-grade students prior to the skit.
“We discussed the many ways the Zax could have resolved their problems and what to do when you don’t agree with your friends,” Breuer said.
“We also reinforced these ideas with a worksheet/coloring contest for grades 3-5.”
The worksheet featured speech bubbles and the students were asked to write the dialogue to help the Zax solve their problem.
In the skit version, they leapfrog out of each other’s way, ending the conflict.
Conflict resolution is part of the Patriot Pride program that teaches students positive behavior interventions and supports.
The high school students played an additional role in the Read Across America event.
“Having the high schoolers there modeling both good behavior and showing that they enjoy reading is a giant benefit for the elementary students,” Breuer said.
“I believe they are more likely to remember the lesson and much more likely to go home and share both their experience and the lesson with their families.”
After the skit, the seven high school students read Dr. Seuss books in elementary classrooms and helped with a Dr. Seuss trivia game in fifth-grade classes.
“It was a great day at H-BC,” Moore said.