Summer Reading

Hi friends!

Have you thought about how you'll encourage your students to read this summer? I know you want them to read, so they don't fall behind in their reading skills over the next few months. Plus it's fun to read in the summer when you have so much more spare time!

Here's what I am doing. I've created a reading challenge that's flexible enough to be the same for every grade. There are 10 steps to the challenge, like "read a book in your pajamas." Students can choose whatever book they can find or borrow and read it in their pajamas. They'll write down the author and title. If they complete the whole challenge, they will have read ten books!

On the back of the challenge, I have a suggested reading list for the grade level, with lots of series to get them hooked on a character they'll love. Some parents need a little help in finding "just right" books for their children.

After many weeks of work, I've just finished this summer reading challenge today and added it to my TPT store here. I'm selling the individual grade level challenges for $1.50 each, but the K-5 librarian bundle (a $9 value) is just $5. And it will be even less during the upcoming Teacher Appreciation sale!

Here's a sneak peek.

Every student who completes this reading log will get a summer reading spirit stick from me when we go back to school in August.

These are cute little embroidered sticks that we order from Spirit Monkey. Our students collect them for different achievements and wear them on a lanyard.

The friendly neighborhood public librarian has also offered to visit our school and talk to our students about the summer reading program at our nearby public library. I was going to gather grade levels together and have her talk to all of them. But then I remembered how hard it is to hold the attention of 120 students when you aren't used to it. I think I'll have her present to one group, then make a video for the rest of the classes.

Our district librarians also collaborate to create a list of the free stuff kids can earn by reading over the summer. Many local businesses give prizes like T-shirts or free books to summer readers, and we want our students to enjoy those, too.

I spend a lot of time in the last few weeks trying to get our students motivated to READ, READ, READ during the summer. How about you? Do you have any summer reading ideas to add?