Lithia Springs Reads
Key Elements:
· The 25 Book Campaign
· Kick-Off Pep Rally
· Monthly Celebrations
· End of the Year Goal Fun Day
· Accelerated Reader Program
Why a Book Campaign?
Students need to read about one million words a year in order to develop sufficient vocabulary to continually improve their reading proficiency (Nagy and Herman, 1987). In order to achieve those one million words, students need to spend 25 minutes a day reading at a rate of 200 words per minute for 200 days out of a year (Irvin, 1990). One million words sounds rather overwhelming. But if broken down, it turns into approximately 25 books per year. The average adult novel has about 150 pages with 300-500 words per page. If a student averages 400 words on each page, they will read 60,000 words per book. If a student reads 25 books per year, based on 60,000 words in each book, they will read 1,500,000 words annually.
Why a school-wide campaign?
· To increase student’s vocabulary.
· A clear school-wide emphasis on the importance of reading/
· A continual and across-the-board focus on reading that makes reading more second nature and acceptable to students
· A whole school buy in. Since all students are participating in the school-wide campaign, they become excited rather than embarrassed.
· It is also a new state standard for reading across the curriculum - ELA4/5R2: The student consistently reads at least twenty-five books or book equivalents (approximately 1,000,000 words) each year. The materials should include traditional and contemporary literature (both fiction and non-fiction) as well as magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and electronic material. Such reading should represent a diverse collection of material from at least three different literary forms and from at least five different writers.
· Kindergarten – 25 books (any length) read to them.
· 1st Grade – 25 books (any length) read to them, read independently, or read with assistance.
· 2nd Grade – 25 books (any length) read independently or with assistance.
· 3rd Grade – 25 books (at least 75 pages) read independently.
· 4th & 5th Grade – 25 books (at least 100 pages) read independently.
·
25 Books Campaign
1. The motivational campaign is launched with an academic kick off “pep-really”. Cheerleaders and football players from LSHS will come and lead students in cheers and chants and two will prepare a speech on the importance of reading.
2. Students commit to reading 25 books or equivalent texts before the end of the school year by signing a contract. They will receive these contracts on the same day of the academic “pep rally”.
3. Each student keeps a Reading log in the classroom. The purpose of a Reading Log is to keep track of the number and kind of books read. This log must be kept in the classroom. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE THEM HOME. Students may take a copy home if you would like for them to, to log their reading. They will still need to transfer that information to their official classroom Reading Log.
4. Teachers and parents can validate that students have read a book by:
· A quick conversation – IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE TALK WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR READING! A conference log is attached to take notes about student reading as documentation.
· Pairing students to discuss favorite books read and why they like it.
· Consider having a 25 Books Wall. Students fill out index cards about the books they have read and place them on a wall. The purpose is for students to refer these cards to get ideas about what to read next.
· Students can be paired with a reading buddy. These students commit to reading and discussing the same book.
· The classroom needs to have a strong collection of leveled books. The teacher recommends books at the appropriate level for each student.
· Students can be paired with students in a higher grade as reading buddies. Classes in upper grades are encouraged to ask another class in a lower grade to be their Reading Buddy class.
5. 4th and 5th grade students can count books read aloud in class, as long as they have a copy and are following along with the reading. They can count pages from their textbooks, magazines, etc. The important thing is to keep up with the pages read.
6. Adults (teachers and parents) are encouraged to participate. Teachers are encouraged to post the title of the book they are currently reading.
7. Monthly reading celebrations are planned to acknowledge students’ achievements in reading a certain number of books. These celebrations will be announced at the pep rally.
September – Kick Off Pep Rally
October 31st – Book Character Day
November 13 – Celebrity Reader Day
December 4 – Family Fun Reading Night
January 18 – Book Swap
February 22 – Teacher Swap Day
March 3 – Seuss’ Birthday Celebration
April 18 – Balloon Release
May 28 – Reading Celebration Fun Day
8. Please remind 4th & 5th grade students that they need to select books that are on their appropriate reading level. Please monitor the reading logs.
9. At the end of each grading period, each teacher should post student’s progress with the number of books read. Students on target should be highlighted. The media center will post how many AR points your class is earning and how many books your whole class has read.
25 Book Campaign Reading Conference Notes
Date / Student Name / Title / NotesLithia Springs Elementary
Read Aloud Teacher Log
2007-2008
Teacher:______
Book Title / DateLithia Springs Elementary School
Staff Reading Log
2007-2008
Name:______
Book Title / Author / Starting Date / Finishing DateI certify that I have read 25 books during the 2007-2008 school year.
______
Signature Date
Lithia Springs Elementary 25 Books Campaign Reading Log
Name: ______Fiction AR ZPD: _____ Nonfiction AR ZPD: ______
Title of Book / Author / Dates Read / Genre / Publication / Pages Read / AR Level(if applicable) / AR Grade
(if applicable) / Teacher Initials
Important Dates
August
August 24: SOAR celebration at 2:00
September
September 7: 25 Book Campaign Reading Rally school wide (tentative – waiting to hear from LSHS cheerleading coach)
October - National Book Month
October 1 – 5: Book Fair
October 2: Family Fun Night at the Book Fair
October 15: 1st Grade & 2nd Grade AR Party @ 1:45 (ask Gibby to hold in lunchroom – pizza party)
October 17: 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade AR Party @ 1:45 (ask Gibby to hold in lunchroom – pizza party)
October 31: Book Character Day
November
November 12 – 16: Children’s Book Week (tentative plans)
Monday: Door decorating contest – teachers will need help decorating doors and we will need prizes
Tuesday: Celebrity Reader Day - will need “celebrities” and guest readers to read to the classes
Wednesday: Scavenger Hunt
Thursday: Name the Author
Friday: Drop Everything and Read
December
December 4: Family Fun Reading Night – wear your pajamas to school and read with your parents and teachers
December 17: – 1st & 2nd Grade AR Party @ 1:45 (ask Gibby if we can hold it in lunchroom – decorate your own cookies)
December 19: 3, 4, & 5th Grade AR Party @ 1:45 (ask Gibby if we can hold it in lunchroom – decorate your own cookies)
January
January 18: Book Swap – Students bring their gently used books to the media center and shop for new books on the tables, for every one they bring, they can swap.
February
February 11 – 14: Book Fair
February 12: Book Fair open after school and after the PTA Valentine Dance
February 22: Teacher Swap Day
March
March 3: Read Across America Day (need volunteers to help with activities in the media center)
March 24: 1st & 2nd Grade AR Party @ 1:45 (ask Gibby if we can hold it in lunchroom – ice cream party)
March 26: 3, 4, & 5th Grade AR Party @ 1:45 (ask Gibby if we can hold it in lunchroom – ice cream party)
April
April 14 – 18: National Library Week – Balloon Release on Friday
April 23 – 29: Turn off the TV Week
April 28 – May 2: BOGO Book Fair
May - Get Caught Reading Month
May 21: 1st & 2nd Grade AR Party @ 1:15 (ask Gibby if we can hold it in lunchroom –cupcakes and cokes)
May 22: 3, 4, & 5th Grade AR Party @ 1:15 (ask Gibby if we can hold it in lunchroom – cupcakes and cokes)
May 28: Reading Celebration Day – kids who met yearly AR goal and/or 25 Book Goal (like Fun day – but kids don’t pay – verify this with Mr. Marchant, will need funding for this!!!!!!)