This summer, I was asked to read Book Love by Penny Kittle and it was truly about promoting reading in the classroom. Something that we all want; to promote lifelong readers! When told I was to read it, I mentioned the book to my cousin whom is a 7th and 8th grade ELA teacher to see if she had ever heard of it! Of course, she said yes and that it was good, but that she had a better book that I should read because it changed the entire way she taught. That book was called The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller! If you teach ELA at all, it is a MUST read!
So I added this book to one of my must read professional books over the summer! It was a very quick and easy read and I haven't been the same since... LOL! After reading this book, I was so pumped to get back in the classroom! I couldn't wait to get my "kids" pumped about reading too!
Day One, I asked my students how many books they thought was a lot to read in one school year. I got responses such as twenty, five, ten and sadly, even one. It was then that I brought up Donalyn Miller's 40 Book Challenge. The look on some of my students' faces was pure shock that myself and my co-teacher would be asking them to read at least 40 books this year. I think my enthusiasm became so over the top that my students were starting to believe that they could actually do this. My enthusiasm was so over the top that I pulled an Oprah moment..."You are going to read 40 books, and you are going to read 40 books, and you, and you." I pointed to every student stressing that I believed that they could make this feat. I also wanted to know where the students saw themselves as a reader, I had them complete my Reading Inventory. This can also guide me to assist students in choosing books to read. One of the greatest things about this challenge is that the students choose their books. Students tend to hate reading when they have questions to answer or a project to do afterwards. This challenge is to have students be exposed to different genres, yet given the "power" to choose their books they read. Additionally, they don't have to do a project after every. single. book.
The next day, I discussed the different genres and provided examples of books that fit these genres the students are familiar with. Our school has started a Drop Everything and Read time built into our daily schedule. I had students identify the genre of the book they were reading and the reasons why it fell into this genre. My co-teacher and I wanted to make our pledge to read 40 books official, so we signed a poster board that I created making our pledge. Then we asked our students who wanted to join us, and one by one each of our students signed the pledge.
To add more excitement for reading we also decided to make our Friday D.E.A.R time a "Flashlight Friday." Students can read in the dark with flashlights. Oh my! I've never seen kids so excited to read before. We even had parents write us letters saying that their child had disliked reading, and now were coming home to read during their free time. Seriously, I'm not even joking! This totally makes my heart smile!
Later, we wanted our students to maintain a Readers' Response Notebook to keep a reading log with a rating system, as well as a visual to see what genres they have read, or have left to read.
The next day, I discussed the different genres and provided examples of books that fit these genres the students are familiar with. Our school has started a Drop Everything and Read time built into our daily schedule. I had students identify the genre of the book they were reading and the reasons why it fell into this genre. My co-teacher and I wanted to make our pledge to read 40 books official, so we signed a poster board that I created making our pledge. Then we asked our students who wanted to join us, and one by one each of our students signed the pledge.
Later, we wanted our students to maintain a Readers' Response Notebook to keep a reading log with a rating system, as well as a visual to see what genres they have read, or have left to read.
Instead of doing projects after reading their books, Miller suggests on doing "Book Commercials" to sell their books to classmates. This is do be done at least once a marking period, and most importantly, not for every book. Since I teach third grade, my co-teacher and I thought the students needed some assistance at first to organize or summarize their feelings about the book. We also needed to stress that the students are not to give away the ending, or tell us too many details.
We are excited to see how well and how far the challenge goes! Will you take the challenge??
Happy Reading,
K. Mac
Get my activities here:
Hi Kate! I am in the process of updating this information due to copyrighting issues. It will just be uploaded and renamed as something else! Thank you for your interest. I will surely write back when it is completed and will update the link in the blog post! Thanks for your understanding to this matter!
ReplyDeletePlease let me know when/where I can find the updated version... I'd love to use it in my classroom :-)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted you to know that I have updated my 40 Book Challenge product as a FREEBIE. The poster, the graph for the challenge and the words to create the classroom signature poster are in the freebie. Some of the other content, (reading inventory, reading log and book commercial) have been added to a new product: Getting to Know Your Reader. Both are in my store and you can find them here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Motivational-Ms-Mac. Thanks for your understanding!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted you to know that I have updated my 40 Book Challenge product as a FREEBIE. The poster, the graph for the challenge and the words to create the classroom signature poster are in the freebie. Some of the other content, (reading inventory, reading log and book commercial) have been added to a new product: Getting to Know Your Reader. Both are in my store and you can find them here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Motivational-Ms-Mac. Thanks for your understanding!