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how to structure that in?

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book talk and where to get it!

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once or twice a week (during support time)
outside of the bldg. for pick up
late day option?  - maybe thursday

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NIS to AMS

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Big purchase for a new unit
or a "refresh" each year to keep titles spicy

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more variety in grade level texts

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along with free writes

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Yes, I really hope we get to use quill as well. This is great independent work while we can confer with small groups

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Yes, I really hope we get to use quill as well. This is great independent work while we can confer with small groups

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Seems like this could be a multi-day process

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Is anyone changing their grading categories? We are 70 summative, 30 formative at NIS but are planning on changing to 60/40

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Interesting ideas...

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When you read for pleasure do you record the date and pages read on a worksheet? How does this activity make reading more enjoyable?

On this relaxing afternoon, sharing a hammock and a love of reading with my youngest daughter, neither of us paused to think, "I better write this down on my reading log." That just isn't something real readers do; it's unnatural.

When I read a book that I really enjoy, I want to share it with others. I do not show them my reading log and say, "Hey you should read this, it's really good." I want them to read it too, so that we can talk about it.

So I had to ask myself, "Why exactly do I assign students to record pages, titles, summaries, and minutes of reading on a worksheet?" I want them to read, but how is this table with parent signatures making them want to read? It may be enforcing some sort of accountability, but it doesn't foster a love of reading. But if you can make them read, won't they eventually see how great reading is and learn to love it? Are you a parent? If so, when was the last time you "forced" your child to do something and they decided you were right and they loved it?

​Why not ditch the reading log for a method of accountability that encourages sharing your love of a book with others?

This one gets top billing because it is my favorite non-reading log form of reading response. Not only does it keep students accountable for their reading, but you can also create QR codes of their videos and place them inside the book! This is a great way to help students choose books to read from the classroom library. I have designated an old iPhone for this purpose. It has a QR code scanner app and students can scan QR codes in the books, watch book talks and decide if they are interested in reading that book.

I wrote a blog post about how I teach my class to write sketch quotes earlier this year. "
SketchQuotes"

6 Word Memoirs are a great way to summarize a character's journey through the plot of a story. Six words take up so little space, but can convey such big ideas. I have had students write 6 Word Memoirs in their planners and then transfer a final draft to a wall chart (above left) as well as giving out exit tickets. For me, a method that doesn't involve photo copying more pages is preferred. When students went up to the chart to write a 6 Word Memoir (above left) I noticed that they took more time and were reading other student responses, whereas in the Exit slip method they were just in a hurry to stick it up there and go.

You don't have to manage individual student blogs to utilize blogging as a tool to share thoughts about reading. I have found that with younger students that are just learning to use technology, a class blog is best. If you don't have access to technology in your classroom, try paper blogging.

I have begun to infuse classroom blogging assignments into more of our novel units this year. If you click on the image of Ivan (above right) you will see a novel unit designed entirely around blogging. I called it blogging our way through books, and it was part of a summer bridge class that I taught for 4th and 5th grade students. We used a kid blog account and the students really enjoyed their first experience with blogging. I was really pleased with how excited they were to be talking about books-in the summer. I wrote a post about them called "If You Plant A Seed. Your Students Will Read"

I have used several models of a classroom Twitter feed in class. While online versions would give students a bigger audience, my students are under 13 and not using Twitter yet, so I have modified it as shown below.

I share pictures that show that I value reading, as well as book reviews and recommendations.

I share my thinking about reading in class and on our class Instagram page.

I think the key in all of this is to make reading public celebration, and to vary the ways in which you think, talk about, share and respond to text. When the method that you use to keep students accountable for their reading is fun and engaging they are less likely to view reading as a chore and more likely to enjoy it. Is the goal to collect a stack of papers in which students log their minutes of reading or is it to inspire a love of reading that leads students to inspire others to pick up a book?

Have a great idea for getting kids to talk about books? I'm always looking for new ways to keep things fresh. Connect with me and tell me about it.

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When you read for pleasure do you record the date and pages read on a worksheet? How does this activity make reading more enjoyable? On this relaxing afternoon, sharing a hammock and a love of reading with my youngest daughter, neither of us paused to think, "I better write this down on my reading log."

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I would love to use quill during extension times at Anderson. Pulling for individual conferences during this time....hope we actually get to use it

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Bookshelf acts as a "reading log" of the books they've read each term - nothing fancy (haven't made it yet but this is my idea)

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I'm making sure they get time to read every day in class (maybe not always extension classes).

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How do you plan to incorporate time to read or reading accountability during writing units?

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40 - 60 pages per day (including time spent in class reading)

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Quill Fridays and Independent Reading

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stagger the units

split between ebooks, audiobooks, and district purchased books.

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We sell the books your students need! Booksource is a leading provider of classroom libraries and educational materials for school districts, classroom teachers, and literacy coaches. We've helped build classroom libraries for more than 3,000 school districts across the United States and are a strategically sourced vendor for the New York City Department of Education and the City of Chicago Board of Education.