Racing to Read: INDY 500
Ms. Jaques’ 8th Grade Independent Reading Program
This independent reading program will promote independent reading. It will encourage you to be accountable for your reading through documentation that supports and encourages reading comprehension. Happy Reading and Racing!
1. INDY 500 is about putting you in “the driver’s seat”. You get to decide how
many pages you will read during each trimester, but 33% of your grade in Reading is based on how much you read for INDY 500.
If you read 500+, you earn an A.
If you read 450 pages, you earn an A-.
If you read 400 pages, you earn a B.
If you read 350, you earn a C.
If you read 300 pages, you earn a D.
If you read 250 pages, you earn a F.
2. You can read as many books as it takes to reach 500 pages.
3. You will document your reading during class and at home with Reading Logs.
4. Independent reading time will be provided for you on Fridays in Reading Workshop. Since we meet on A and B days, you will only meet every other Friday. That means you will have to read at night—every night. Remember that each trimester is about 12 weeks long, so do the math to figure out how many pages you should read each night to reach 500 pages in 12 weeks.
5. When you have Reading Workshop once every other week, you will be responsible for 2 assignments. The instructions of each type of assignment will be given during our 1st Reading Workshop:
Strategy Lessons
Reading Response Journals.
6. Every time you reach 100 pages you will reach a Pit Stop. A Pit Stop is a test that allows you to analyze the conflicts, themes, character’s problem solving skills, character’s traits, and important passages.
7. When you have Reading Workshop once every other week, you will also be graded on your participation. I’ll use an Observation Checklist to answer these 3 questions: Are you prepared? Do you use your time well, Are you a diligent worker?
8. We will track your progress on the board out in the well. Every time you reach a Pit Stop at 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500 pages and pass your test, you’ll move you’re a car with your name on it across the “raceway”.
9. If you read more than 500 pages per trimester, then you can earn extra credit.
10. At the end of each trimester (November 5th, February 11th, and May 26th), we’ll have some type of celebration to honor, recognize, and reward your hard work.
Please take this home and explain it to your parents. You need to bring this back with their signature and a list of questions you or your parents have.
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Parent Signature
QUESTIONS: