Independent Reading
Accelerated Reader (AR)
What is AR?: Students are expected to be reading for 30 minutes everyday! You will get 10 minutes during flex, another 10 minutes during resource to read your independent book. This means that you will need to be reading for 10+ minutes on your own each day! We will be using the Accelerated Reading (AR) program that you used last year in 7th grade. This year you will be earning a grade for AR.
Goals: Every student will take a test on the computer to determine his/her reading level. From the results of this test, the students will be given a reading zone and a reading goal for the quarter. This will be decided on an individual basis.
How do I reach my goal?: In order to earn points towards your goal, you must read books and take quizzes online over the books. Each book has a different point value based on length and content. All of the books in the library are marked with their reading level (ZPD) and the points they are worth. If you want to check out a book from the public library or a book from home you can go to www.arbookfind.com to find point values and ZPD. Just taking a quiz online does not ensure that you will get all the points. You must do well on the quiz to earn points. Quizzes for books may only be taken once, so be sure that you’ve read the entire book and understood it so that you can earn your points.
How will I be graded?: At the end of the quarter I will take the points that you earned and divide it by your goal. This will give me a percentage. I will take this grade out of 100 points!
For Example: If your reading goal is 15 points during the quarter and you earn all 15 points, you would receive a 15/15=100%. I will then give you 100/100 for you independent reading grade. If you earn a 10/15=675 and I would give you a 65/100 points.
What books can I read?: You have the freedom to choose what kind of books you want to read. However, there are a few conditions. 1. The book must have a AR quiz that goes along with the book. (you can find out if a book has a quiz by going to www.arbookfind.com . 2. Your book must be in your ZPD. Each book has a reading level. For example: If your ZPD is 3.5-5.2 you can read any book that is in that range. If you find a book that is not in that range you may still read it, but it will not count towards your goal.
You will probably have to read a couple books in order to meet your goal. The novel that we are reading in class may count towards your goal!
Make sure when you are picking books they are actually books that you want to read. DO NOT pick books just because they have a high point value.
How Do I Take a Quiz Once I Finish a Book?:
1. Go to https://hosted180.renlearn.com/384095/ and log in using your student name and password.
2. Under accelerated Reader click on Take a Quiz
3. Click the top link: Take a Reading Practice Quiz
4. Then select a quiz by typing in the title or the author of the book you’ve read.
5. Next a list of possible matches will appear, choose the correct one and begin the quiz.
Keeping Track of your points: You don’t have to worry about keeping track of your points because every time you take a quiz it will automatically get recorded and can be reviewed by me! I can see what quizzes you have taken and how well you have done on the quizzes. I will be sending an update home at interims to allow your parents to see your progress on AR.
Bonus: If you reach your goal, you do not have to take any more quizzes for the quarter. However, if you wish to keep reading and taking quizzes for AR, I will give you bonus points!