Dog Ears Bookstore will be offering free after school youth programming during October, November and December. Three different cohorts of programming will be offered by grade group. Tuesdays will feature programming for youth in grades K-2, Wednesdays will be targeted towards youth in 3rd-5th grades, and 6th-8th graders will have the opportunity to attend programming on Thursdays.
All sessions will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and are limited to 15 students per cohort. At this time, parents are only able to sign their children up for one cohort of programming (October, November or December) so that as many children as possible can attend and participate.
All sessions will be taught by literacy specialists and New York State-certified English Language Arts teachers. Tuesday sessions for K-2 will be themed around the different fall holidays and will feature story time, read alouds, and activities that will focus on introducing youth to the love of reading. Wednesday sessions for 3rd-5th graders will feature a guided book club where youth will learn tips and strategies on how to become better readers in a fun and interactive way. On Thursdays, 6th-8th graders will take part in Reader & Writer Workshops where they will read different short stories and learn strategies on how to become a short story author themselves. Special presentations will also be scheduled. All class materials will be provided along with a small snack.
Workshops will be held on the following dates:
• Grades K-2: Tuesdays (Cohort 1 – 10/12, 10/19, 10/26; Cohort 2 – 11/9, 11/16, 11/23; Cohort 3 – 11/30, 12/7, 12/14)
• Grades 3-5: Wednesdays (Cohort 1 – 10/13, 10/20, 10/27; Cohort 2 – 11/3, 11/10, 11/17; Cohort 3 – 12/1, 12/8, 12/15)
• Grades 6-8: Thursdays (Cohort 1 – 10/14, 10/21, 10/28; Cohort 2 – 11/4, 11/11, 11/18; Cohort 3 – 12/2, 12/9, 12/16)
All sessions will be held at Dog Ears Bookstore, 688 Abbott Road, Buffalo (near Mercy Hospital). Sessions will be held upstairs of the bookstore (enter through the front entrance). All COVID protocols must be followed. Adults do not need to attend with their child but must be mindful of the drop-off and pick-up times. Parents are welcome to wait for their children in the café, which will be open for food and beverage purchases.
Pre-registration is required and youth are expected to attend all three sessions of the cohort that they are signed up for. Parents can sign up their children by calling the bookstore at (716) 823-2665. When signing up, please make sure to indicate which cohort your child will be attending.
The free workshops are made possible through funding by the Erie County Youth Bureau.
