Reading aloud to children is the foundation for literacy and oral language development. It provides many benefits including print awareness, vocabulary development, a model for fluency, and fosters an interest in reading books for learners of all ages. In this class for 1-4 learners, students will be drawn into the story though engaging activities including interaction with Tommy the puppet and "think-aloud" questioning that will increase their comprehension, teach them how to make predictions, and make the content relevant to their own lives. Students will be provided with the opportunity to learn the parts of a book, answer comprehension questions, and practice phonics skills that are content related. This class is taught in a fast-paced, structured learning environment that is visually appealing and free from distractions. Instruction will include topic related learning activities with scaffolding, modeling, and the use of teaching props and realia, which allows students of varying ability levels to learn together.