40 Book Challenge. Educator s Manual. All the materials needed to implement the challenge successfully in your classroom or home!

Transcription

1 40 Book Challenge Everything you need to know! Educator s Manual All the materials needed to implement the challenge successfully in your classroom or home!

2 Contents How to use this manual Introducing the 40 Book Challenge Student Reading Survey Introduction Letter to Parents Setting up student reading folders Genre requirements & page number information Student Tally Sheet Genre Study How to throw a 40 Book Challenge Party! End of Year Certificate BONUS: Tips for accumulating an affordable classroom library! Thank you for visiting my store!

3 How to use this manual Donalyn Miller, the author of The Book Whisperer, created the 40 Book Challenge. This manual was inspired by Miller s 40 Book Challenge, but modified to fit the needs of my students. I adapted the genre requirements based on Common Core Standards and the reading interests of my students. I will introduce each content section with a brief summary as to how to implement it in the classroom.

4 Introducing the 40 Book Challenge Give a tour of the class (or school) library and give students time to pick out ANY book (or two, or three!) they would like to start reading. Tell students they are invited to participate in the 40 Book Challenge. This means they will read 40 Books by the end of the school year. Let them know there will be a party to celebrate (whether they achieve it or not- but don t tell them that yet!) Send home the following two pages: 1) A reading survey so you can get to know each student s reading habits. This also helps you to recommend books to the student. 2) A letter home to parents describing the 40 Book Challenge and inviting them to participate as well!

5 Student Reading Survey Help me learn more about you as a reader! Name: 1. What was the last book you read? 2. Who is your favorite author? 3. What are your favorite types of books to read? X as many as apply: q Traditional Literature q Realistic Fiction q Historical Fiction q Fantasy q Science Fiction q Mystery q Non-fiction/Informational q Sports q Comics q Newbery Winners q Poetry q Funny books q Biography/Autobiography/Memoir 4. What book would you recommend to a friend? 5. X all the boxes that apply: q I LOVE to read q I like to read q Reading is ok q I don t like reading q I read everyday q I read a few days a week q I don t read outside of school q I like to read the newspaper q I I have a library card 6. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about you as a reader?

6 Dear Parents, Extensive research demonstrates that people who are avid readers are better students. In order to help your child be more successful in school, and to create avid, life-long readers, I am encouraging your student to participate in the 40 Book Challenge this year. The challenge is for each student to read 40 books from different genres by the last week of school. Class time will be devoted to independent reading, responding, and tracking their reading. The students may borrow novels from our classroom library, as well as the school library. They may use books from home, the public library, or anywhere they can get their hands on a good read! We hope that they are so into their books that they will want to continue reading outside of class. Not all books are created equal. If a book is less than 100 pages or substantially below the student s reading level, it will not count towards the 40 Book Challenge. 250 page or more books will count as two books pages will count as three books. Parents are you up for the challenge? We welcome you to join in on the reading fun! What better way to motivate your child? We hope you will join us, and yes, you will also be invited to attend the end of the year 40 Book Challenge Party if you participate! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Sincerely, Please sign, date and return this section to acknowledging your receipt and understanding of the 40 Book Challenge. Student Name: Student Signature: Parent Signature: Date: Parents: You don t have to formally decide now, but if you (or any other family members) are thinking of participating, please write your name/s below so I can keep track of participants. Thank you! Family participant/s:

7 Setting up student reading folders It is important that the students have an easy way to track what they are reading towards the 40 Book Challenge. There are three things I like to include in student reading folders: 1) Genre requirements- this lists the number of books that must be read in each genre, plus page number information 2) Genre study- I review one or two genres each week for the first few weeks of school. Use your class library to quiz or challenge students to identify book genres by looking at the covers only. 3) Tally sheet- this is the record sheet students use to keep track of the books they read I usually have students glue the requirements to one side of a manila folder, genre information on the other side, and tally sheets stapled to the inside! You can have them decorate the covers.

8 40 Book Challenge Genre Requirements: 5 Traditional Literature 5 Realistic Fiction 3 Historical Fiction 3 Fantasy 2 Science Fiction 2 Mystery 3 Non-fiction/Informational 2 Newbery Winners 2 Poetry Anthologies 3 Biography/Autobiography/ Memoir 10 Chapter Books Of Your Choice! pages = & pages = & & 500+ pages = & & &

9 40 BOOK CHALLENGE TALLY SHEET Book Title Author # of Pages Traditional Literature (5) 1 Date Finished Teacher Sign off Realistic Fiction (5) Historical Fiction (3) Fantasy (3)

10 Book Title Author # of Pages Biography/Autobiography/ Memoir (3) l7 Date Finished Teacher Sign off Non-Fiction/ Informational (3) Newbery (2) Poetry Anthologies (2) Mystery (2) Science Fiction (2)

11 Book Title Author # of Pages Reader s Choice Chapter Books (10) 31 Date Finished Teacher Sign off

12 Genre Study Genre Study What are common elements and characteristics of these genres? Fantasy Realistic Fiction Study Traditional Literature Study Study Non-Fiction/ Informational

13 Science Fiction Study Genre Study Autobiography/ Biography/ Memoir Mystery Historical Fiction Poetry Study Study

14 Throw a 40 Book Challenge Party! My 2014 party! Your students have worked hard all year! Now is the time for them to enjoy all their hard work. No 40 Book Challenge party is compete without: 40 decorations (check out the Over-the-Hill section of party supply stores) A 40 Book Challenge Cake Reading Certificates Book Raffle I give one raffle ticket per 2 books each student reads. It is fun to give out a long stream of tickets to each student! They write their names on the back and put them in a jar. During the party I raffle off books I have purchased using Scholastic Bonus Points during the school year. Have fun!

15 BONUS! Grow your classroom libraryfor cheap I ve mentioned my classroom library a few times in this manual. I feel as if it is important to have a large variety of genres available in the classroom, since library time is limited in many schools. Buying books can be very expensive, but it can also be very cheap! The three greatest ways I have found to accumulate books: 1) Friends of the Library Bookstores. Most libraries have a bookstore in them. Some libraries are more expensive than others. Many in my area sell books for 25 cents each, and that is the most I try to ever pay for a classroom book. Sometimes they even have book bag sales- $5 for a paper bag as full as you can get it! Check your local library websites for sales. 2) Set up a classroom account. Bonus points are earned each time students buy books with your class account number. Bonus points accumulate FAST and can be used to purchase books absolutely free! I save some for the class library, and use the rest for the end of year raffle. 3) Donations. Ask your students to donate old books they no longer want. I have also gotten many from retiring teachers. Happy Reading!

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