..................................
Primary Necklace: Assign colors to categories
of books appropriate for primary readers. Then purchase plastic
beads of the same colors and give each student in the class a long
shoelace. As soon as a student finishes reading a book, award him/her
with a bead that matches the color of the book. Have the students
string their beads on the shoelace and wear their necklace on National
Young Reader's Week. Assign each child a "buddy" with whom
he/she can share one of the books he/she has read.
Margot Minor, Cornell Middle School, McKeesport, PA, Grades 1-6
..................................
Our class is going to write to favorite authors during the first two months of school. When the authors write back,
we'll use their signatures on buttons to wear on National Young
Reader's Week. The students will design their own button to include
the author's signature. We'll share our letters and information
with our reading partners.
Sharon R. Hansen, Cornell Elementary, Des Moines, IA, Grade 3
..................................
Have your students make a National Young Reader's Week visor to wear during National Young Reader's Week that shows what they've been
reading. Make a pattern in the shape of a visor and have the children
trace it onto oak tag or construction paper. Ask the children to
draw and color a picture of a scene from a favorite book on the
visor and print the title and author of the book along its brim.
Have them cut out their visor and attach yarn ties at either end.
Jean A. Eller, Greene Township School, Erie, PA, Grade 3
..................................
To make National Young Reader's Week more meaningful to my students,
and to help them understand what a blessing it is to be able to
read, I developed a project for blind children.
On National Young Reader's Week, my class will take pictures from
simple coloring books, trace them, and fill them in with textured
materials. These materials can range from burlap to beans. The children
will write the name of the item or a simple sentence below the picture
in braille using glue dots. After the books are finished, we hope
to personally deliver the books to the children.
Susan Nixon, Palm Lane Elementary, Phoenix, AZ, Grade 4
..................................
On National Young Reader's Week, set up murals at shopping
malls with living mannequins portraying favorite fairy-tale
stories.
Joyce Combs, Beadle Elementary, Yankton, SD, Grade 6
..................................
Have the students help decorate T-shirts that
have already been designed and silk-screened by the teacher and
students. The T-shirts should say: BOOK IT!® National Young
Reader's Week. Students can help color and decorate their shirts
with glitter and puff fabric paint. The T-shirts should be worn
during National Young Reader's Week.
Wanda Lehano, Waipahu Elementary, Waipahu, HI, Grade K
..................................
Each classroom will agree upon a favorite book. Then students will
decorate their doors as giant book covers. The giant book-cover
door will open up to find the room decorated as a scene
or setting from the book. On a day during National Young Reader's Week, the students
will come to school as characters from their chosen book, judges
can select grade-level winners or a hallway winner. A giant "Book
Cake" could be served at lunch to reward everyone's hard work.
Beth Barlow and Donna Lawson, Jane Macon Middle School, Brunswick,
GA, Grade 6
..................................
Have each student draw a picture of one of his/her
favorite scenes from a book. The picture should be turned in to
the teacher without identifying the illustrator. On National Young
Reader's Week, the teacher will randomly pass out the pictures to
the class. Then one by one, each student will present his/her oral
book report in front of the class. After each oral report, the student
in the audience who thinks that he/she has the picture that corresponds
to the report should raise his/her hand.
Catherine Fitzgerald, Hillcrest Elementary, Binghampton, NY, Grade
6
..................................
During National Young Reader's Week, we at McDonald
Green Elementary will "Get Caught Reading." During the week students, teachers, and other school employees are
encouraged to spend any free time reading, e.g., while waiting in
line, before going to homerooms, when assigned work is completed,
etc. A "Secret Person," different each day, catches 20
people reading. Each person who is caught receives a large star
to wear that reads "I was caught reading." His/her name
is placed on another star, which is displayed at a prominent location
in the school. Each person also receives a tasseled bookmark. A
picture of the display and several students will be published in
a local newspaper.
Ludy Adams, McDonald Green Elementary, Lancaster, SC, Grades 1 -2
..................................
An idea that has really proven successful for my first graders
is a "Read-Olympics," in which I award
students for their reading accomplishments with hand-made gold,
silver, and bronze medals. I give my students lists of words taken
from their sight vocabulary, basal words, and dolch words. I award
a gold medal to the student who can read an entire list of words
perfectly, without any hesitations. If a student misses one word,
I award a silver medal. If a student misses two words, I award a
bronze medal. If more than two words are missed, I award a certificate
for trying. For National Young Reader's Week, the class can choose
a list of words previously given to them by their teacher. (Many
lists should be available for them to choose from.) Students could
be divided into teams representing different countries to make it
more exciting. Medals could be awarded to the top three people on
each team, or to the team as a whole. An Olympic Ceremony could
be held, too!
Carolyn Mackey, Crestview School, Strongsville, OH, Grade 1
..................................
The 4th and 5th graders in our school will be participating in
a reading contest starting in September. The student
who reads the most number of pages on his/her level will become
"Assistant Teacher" for the day on National Young Reader's
Week. He/she will have the choice of assisting in kindergarten, first,
second, third, fourth, or fifth grade. This award may be given to
several students.
Phyllis Benner, Lan-Chester Christian School, Coatesville, PA, Grades
4-5
..................................
Every time a student reports on a book for BOOK IT!®, I will
write the student's name on a ticket. The tickets will be kept in
a jar until National Young Reader's Week. During National Young Reader's
Week, I will have a drawing for prizes. There will
be a grand prize (free book, dictionary, etc.) and then an assortment
of smaller prizes. I will pull out tickets until everyone has won
a prize. (I award only one prize per student.)
BOOK IT! incentives would make very popular prizes.
Linda Benedict, Huntsville Elementary, Huntsville, OH, Grade 2
..................................
Our children will be choosing five simple books to record
on tape for children in the hospital who are too young,
too tired, or too sick to read on their own. The books will come
from the children's hospital library so that they may listen to
the tape and follow along with the book. We will deliver the tapes
on National Young Reader's Week.
Jamye G. Backus, New Middletown Elementary, New Middletown, OH,
Grade 4
..................................
Have young readers give local radio presentations on National Young Reader's Week, such as book reviews, plays, and
favorite poems.
Myrna Hutson Hart, Jefferson Elementary, Oregon, IL, Grades 1-4
..................................
I will ask my students to share a book with as
many teachers, students, parents, friends, support staff, etc.,
as possible on National Young Reader's Week. The students will get
signatures of those persons with whom they've shared their story.
The student with the most signatures that day will get a special
prize. We keep a drawing box filled with "treasures" to
choose from. All students will get happy-grams, participation certificates,
or badges for their day's hard work.
Rhonda R. Bender, Horace Mann Elementary, Clinton, IA, Grade 1
..................................
A great way to recognize National Young Reader's Week is to create
a new "holiday", and greeting card stories are a memorable way to share the day. Take old greeting cards and
line the inside of them with construction paper. Cover any written
message on the front of the cards with construction paper as well.
Then have each student write a creative story inside the card that
is based on the greeting card illustration. Ask your students to
send their greeting card stories to someone on this special day.
Eileen Shapiro, West Riviera Elementary, Riviera Beach, FL, Grade
3
..................................
Each sixth grader will be assigned a first grader to interview,
finding out about their family, birthday, friends, pets, and favorite
things. Using this information, the sixth graders will write a story,
using their first grader as the main character and the information
from the interview as the basis for the story. The stories will
be published in book form by the sixth graders, complete with cover
and a sewn binding. On a day during National Young Reader's Week, the sixth graders
will present the books to their first-grade partners and share some
reading time with them.
Rhonda R. Mooney, Estherville Middle School, Estherville, IA, Grade
6
..................................
Create a "Big Book" with your class.
You can easily construct a Big Book using oak tag for the cover
and white construction paper for the pages. Hold your book together
with yarn ties so that pages can be easily added or rearranged.
Choose a topic and allow each student to perfect a page before writing
it in the book. Illustrations can be added later. Unveil your book
to parents and the rest of the school on a day during National Young Reader's
Week. Students will delight in reading what they have written.
Patricia M. Coughlin, Homestead School, Weymouth, MA, Intensive
Academic Teacher
..................................
Ask teachers and staff members to dress up as storybook
characters from fairy tales, nursery rhymes, etc., on a day during National
Young Reader's Week. Each "character" should wear a clue
pinned on his/her costume. For example, Little Miss Muffet might
wear, "I like curds and whey." Some clues should be obvious,
while others should be difficult. Students should write down ten
teachers' names and the characters they represent. The first five
students to turn in a 100% correct list will win a book (purchased
by the school), free library time, extra free time, etc.
Suzy Hall, South Pittsburg Elementary, South Pittsburg, TN, Grade
6
..................................
Battle of the Books: Read aloud six to ten books
during the week preceding National Young Reader's Week. On a day during National
Young Reader's Week, put all the books on the front chalkboard with
a number written over them. Divide the class into two teams. Ask
both teams questions that require them to select the name of one
of the books read to them. For example: In which book is the setting
a circus? In which book was the main character afraid of the dark?
If students select the right book, their team gets a point. If they
guess wrong, the other team gets a chance to answer the same question.
Maureen Smith, Kynoch School, Marysville, CA, Grades 2-3
..................................
Create a special area in the school that is sure to get attention.
Place a small plastic swimming pool, filled with sand and an old
locked trunk, in the area. Hide the key to the trunk in the library,
possibly in the book Treasure Island. Each day,
give the students a clue that will lead them to the key that unlocks
the trunk. A classroom goal can include finding the key and unlocking
the trunk by National Young Reader's Week. Bookmarks and books are
the hidden treasure that all students discover and enjoy. Norm Melichar,
Moiling Heights Elementary, Omaha, NE, Grade 3
..................................
On National Young Reader's Week, have each grade level in the school
prepare one item of food using a recipe that has
to be followed by reading the directions (several
groups of children can work in preparing small batches of the same
food). The types of food can be "no-cook" varieties or
"cook" varieties if ovens are available. Parent aides
can help with this activity. All food can be placed on a table to
sell during the lunch hour or snack times. The money collected would
be used for purchasing books for the library or classrooms.
Janice Ann Szabo, Sacred Heart of Jesus School, Cleveland, OH, Grade
1
..................................
Spread the excitement of National Young Reader's Week with a school-wide
balloon launch. Attach a tag to the balloon that includes
"National Young Reader's Day," as well as the name of
the school and its address. Have your students fill in their name,
grade and, most importantly, the title and author of their favorite
book. Printed at the bottom of the tag could be a question asking
the balloon's finder what his/her favorite book is and a statement
encouraging the finder to write back. To protect the tags, laminate
them or place them in zip-lock sandwich bags.
Xan Adams, Birney Elementary, Marietta, GA, Grade 4
..................................
Children love making and sharing their own books.
What better way to celebrate National Young Reader's Week than with
a Young Author's Party? The children could make invitations for
parents, friends or other classes to come read their books with
them. A special program could be planned to spotlight some of the
books. The children could read and follow recipes to make their
own refreshments and could serve as hosts and hostesses. They could
design their own special bookmarks as take-home treats for their
guests.
Nettie McQueen, Murray School, Fort Bragg, NC, Grade 3
..................................
I would like to make a day during National Young Reader's Week a whole-day
celebration. There should be a festive atmosphere throughout
the school, with balloons and decorations everywhere. Everyone,
including staff, should come dressed like his or her favorite storybook
character. Posters with catchy slogans or book cover illustrations
could be carried as classes parade around the school at a scheduled
time. A play or puppet show could be included. Authors of well-known
stories could be invited. Lots of time should be allotted for reading,
and community leaders and the elderly could be invited to read stories
to small groups.
Ruth Delmonico, Pompositticut School, Stow, MA, Grade 1
..................................
During National Young Reader's Week, schedule a school-wide
literary day. Each grade level could study and prepare
materials and projects for a different genre of children's literature.
For example, kindergarten students could study nursery rhymes; grade
1, fairy tales; grade 2, poetry, etc. This could begin several weeks
before National Young Reader's Week. On that special day, students
could have readied projects, displays, written assignments, decorations,
costumes, etc., and the school could be opened to parents and the
community for touring. Possibly an assembly could be held at the
end of the day.
Stasis Lynn Coon, Keystone Elementary, Knox, PA, Grades K-3
..................................
National Young Reader's Week will be the "Reading Happening."
The day will start out with all teachers reading to their classes
for thirty minutes. Then each child in the school will choose two
or three activities to attend. All faculty, aides, and resource
people from the community will be in charge of an activity. Examples
of activities include using a reading program in the computer lab,
making a book jacket for a library book, writing a story in a book
of blank pages, reading a recipe and baking something, reading jump-rope
songs and using them, reading parts to a puppet show, watching a
film about an author, reading directions and conducting science
experiments, drawing picture books, and reading directions and making
a model or a craft. The children will realize that reading affects
many different areas of their lives and is fun!
Kathy Brose, Northern Hills Elementary, Onalaska, Wl, Librarian
..................................
National Young Reader's Week will be a day to READ, READ, READ and
celebrate. The highlight of the day will be an All-School
Assembly. Wilbur the Bookworm, in a costume rented from
our local children's theatre, will be present to draw the winning
names of children who will receive gift certificates for books from
our contest, Noteworthy November Narratives. Our elementary teachers
will act out a favorite children's book, perhaps Miss Nelson is
Missing, as it is read by the principal. The most exciting part
of the day will be a visit from a children's author. This could
be arranged with the help of local bookstores, business partners,
and the PTA.
Sally Klitz, Cody Elementary, Omaha, NE, Grade 1
..................................
Encourage a school-wide, city-wide reading time during National
Young Reader's Week by having the mayor proclaim 15 minutes in the day that will be used specifically for reading.
Carla Lance, Lincoln Elementary, Mt. Pleasant, IA, Grade 1
..................................
Role Reversals: Traditionally, young readers choose
a story, and a family member or teacher reads that story to them.
On a day during National Young Reader's Week, my students will be asking a family
or staff member to select a story that they would like the child
to read to them. This "role reversal" will be a time for
both the reader and the listener to experience reading from a different
point of view. Naturally, both participants expect to share a few
hugs, laughs, and a good book.
Wendy Knott, George Washington School, Elmire, NY, Remedial Reading
2-6
..................................
In recognition of National Young Reader's Week, our class activities
will revolve around a morning coffee to which our
parents have been invited. The students will give choral readings
and read from original works, either short, creative stories and
compositions or poetry they have written.
Peggy R. Bassett, Hilton Head Preparatory, Hilton Head Island, SC,
Grade 5
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