Amazon's Transportation, Risk and Compliance Team
READING BUDDIES
Overview: "Reading Buddies,' our signature corporate volunteer experience, is an engaging and interactive program for up to 30 volunteers, designed to foster a love for reading among elementary school students. Volunteers have the unique opportunity to become reading mentors, or "buddies," to young learners, creating a meaningful connection through the joy of books.
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Each student will have a reading packet with their book and a page with the following instructions for the volunteer.
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Orientation and Introduction (5 minutes):
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Begin each session with a warm welcome and brief introduction.
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Have the adult volunteer and student introduce themselves and share something about their day or week.
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Pre-Reading Discussion (5 minutes):
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Engage in a brief discussion about the book to activate prior knowledge and build excitement.
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Discuss the title, cover, and any predictions the student may have about the story.
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Reading Aloud (10 minutes):
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Divide the reading time between the volunteer and the student. The volunteer can read a page or a paragraph, and then the student can read the next.
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Offer assistance and encouragement as needed, focusing on building the student's confidence.
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Comprehension and Reflection (5 minutes):
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Pause periodically during the reading to ask questions about the story to check comprehension.
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Encourage the student to share their thoughts and feelings about the book.
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Extension Activities (3 minutes):
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Conclude the session with a brief extension activity related to the book. This could be drawing a favorite scene, writing a short summary, or discussing how the story connects to their own lives.
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Closure and Positive Affirmation (2 minutes):
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Thank the student for a great job reading and encourage them to keep building that skill, reinforcing a love for reading.
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Group picture​
Time: 30-40 minutes
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Ready to Partner?
MATH BUDDIES
Similar to Reading Buddies, Math buddies pairs volunteers with students to help them master math concepts. These include...
1st grade: Adding and subtracting within 20, word problems
2nd grade: Adding and subtracting within 100, word problems
3rd grade: Adding and subtracting withing 1000, mastering multiplication facts, beginning fractions.
4th grade: Multiplication and division of large number, decimals, factors, multiples and measurements.
5th grade: Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions and decimals, using powers of ten and exponents, Plotting points and shapes on a coordinate plane, Solving equations with parentheses and brackets, Converting units of measure.
CREATIVE PROJECTS
Let's get creative! Special projects provide students with opportunities to learn new skills, explore their interests, and have fun in a safe and supportive environment. For example, a technology company could sponsor a coding club, an AI company could demonstrate their technology in a self-driving car, a media company could host a journalism workshop, or a sports company could organize a fitness challenge. These creative projects benefit both the students and the businesses, as they can foster positive relationships, inspire creativity, and promote social good.​