Adapted from The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller...
Last year was my first year to kick my 40 book challenge up a notch... My students that met the challenge had to keep an accurate record documenting the title, author, date completed, and genre with an accompanying parent signature. The students must read a variety of genres. We celebrate this accomplishment by adding students who meet the challenge to my classroom plaque which is displayed proudly.
By challenging my students to read FORTY books, I have found that even my most reluctant readers are motivated by this challenge. Just about every student finishes at least forty books-- and those who don't always come very close. Students read when given any opportunity- and even at unexpected times as well! The only stipulation that I make is that the students must read at least one book from each of the following genres: Traditional Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Informational, and Biography. The remainder of the books may be a free genre choice. I have begun a list of my own book choices within the classroom. I talk with the class about how I have difficulty meeting this genre requirement as I tend to choose all Realistic/ Historical Fiction!
If you are thinking this...
"Why Forty Books?"
Read on to see what Donalyn Miller says as I couldn't agree more...
"That I require students to read forty books may seem shocking when you are a student who has not read more than a book or two a year, but this hefty requirement prevents students from negotiating with me about whether they will read much. Any teacher who expects students to read forty books is not going to accept a book or two! If I expected less, they would read less, or they would wait until later in the school year to start.
Ten or twenty books are not enough to instill a love of reading in students. They must choose and read many books for themselves in order to catch the reading bug."
SO- let's get reading! To quote one of Mrs. Miller's students,
"I feel really bad about all those good books out there waiting for me to read them."
Last year was my first year to kick my 40 book challenge up a notch... My students that met the challenge had to keep an accurate record documenting the title, author, date completed, and genre with an accompanying parent signature. The students must read a variety of genres. We celebrate this accomplishment by adding students who meet the challenge to my classroom plaque which is displayed proudly.
By challenging my students to read FORTY books, I have found that even my most reluctant readers are motivated by this challenge. Just about every student finishes at least forty books-- and those who don't always come very close. Students read when given any opportunity- and even at unexpected times as well! The only stipulation that I make is that the students must read at least one book from each of the following genres: Traditional Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Informational, and Biography. The remainder of the books may be a free genre choice. I have begun a list of my own book choices within the classroom. I talk with the class about how I have difficulty meeting this genre requirement as I tend to choose all Realistic/ Historical Fiction!
If you are thinking this...
"Why Forty Books?"
Read on to see what Donalyn Miller says as I couldn't agree more...
"That I require students to read forty books may seem shocking when you are a student who has not read more than a book or two a year, but this hefty requirement prevents students from negotiating with me about whether they will read much. Any teacher who expects students to read forty books is not going to accept a book or two! If I expected less, they would read less, or they would wait until later in the school year to start.
Ten or twenty books are not enough to instill a love of reading in students. They must choose and read many books for themselves in order to catch the reading bug."
SO- let's get reading! To quote one of Mrs. Miller's students,
"I feel really bad about all those good books out there waiting for me to read them."