“Creating…Connecting…Collaborating…Sharing” is the theme for this year’s International Dot Day. Celebrated the week of September 15th-ish, over 3,786,213 children have signed up since 2014 from 115 countries. They will celebrate in their classrooms and individually.
September 15, will be the 12th anniversary of Peter H. Reynold’s international bestselling book, The Dot, about a girl who doesn’t believe she can draw. The book has been translated and published into 12 different languages and braille. Iowa teacher Terry (T.J.) Shay, who held the very first Dot Day celebration in 2009, has been the motivational force behind this extraordinary annual event.
Each year teachers and students continue to take International Dot Day to a new level, using many ways to connect and partner with teachers and students in all 50 states and 112 countries. This is truly a global event where children are connecting the dots with each other around the world.
If you are a teacher, homeschooler or parent who wants to get involved in this incredibly powerful event, there is still time to enroll your students and children. Visit the International Dot Day site for all the information and resources you will need to get started, inspired and connected. Teachers, make sure you check out the special section Skype in the Classroom and view the sections on Find a Lesson, A Teacher or Mystery Skype. Many teachers have posted requests to partner with other schools.
Teachers may want to check out this cute video to use after they read The Dot. Singer song-writer Emily Dale collaborated with Reynolds to create the lively The Dot Song, which includes a hand motions guide.
You can follow International Dot Day on:
Facebook: Share on Dot Day Facebook page (facebook.com/InternationalDotDay)
Twitter: Connect on Twitter using @DotClubConnect, and #dotday and #makeyourmark
Challenge: I encourage many of my author friends who’ve published books to check out the Celebri-Dots and submit your own special dot. To my KidLit blogging friends who are such outstanding artists and always sharing their artwork, please consider posting a dot on your website September 15th-ish. Many of you are wonderful poets and may find a calling in writing a poem about Dot Day, along with a dot. There are no right or wrong ways, only a lot of creative fun! Visit the Dot Gallery for inspiration. I will post my dot on September 15.
Please check out my friend and blogging colleague Beth Stilborn’s post on International Dot Day. Beth shares many of the dots she’s created each year and tells Vashti’s story in The Dot.
Peter Reynold’s will officially kick-off International Dot Day on Saturday, September 12 from 11-2 p.m. at The Blue Bunny, in Dedham, MA. Reynolds hopes a lot friends will join him to “make their marks.” Everyone is encouraged to wear dots that day.
Children's Books Heal 