First Chapter Friday

First Chapter Friday is a big deal in my classroom! It happens every Friday, and students come in looking forward to seeing what book we will be reading. 

First Chapter Friday is exactly what it sounds like. You read the first chapter of a book aloud to your students. But, what makes it fun is the hype and excitement for the book and who gets to read the rest of it. 

Click here if you want to grab a copy of my display slide.

I have six easy steps to help your students want First Chapter Friday every week.

1. Decide on a book and talk it up before Friday without giving the title away.

2. Share the title. Then share information about author and talk about other books he/she has written.

3. Read the blurb and let students share thoughts and questions.

4. Read the FIRST chapter (and sometimes the 2nd and 3rd, and maybe 4th)! I love when they talk me into reading another chapter.

5. Let students share thoughts about the book via Padlet (QR code on my slide) and read each other's ideas.

6. Place an "I WANNA READ" sheet for students to sign their name if they are interested in reading it. 

And that's it, but my students absolutely LOVE First Chapter Friday!

Click here to grab a copy of my list. I put the list in our classroom library, and we pass the book to the next person. I love when they all try to be the first one to get the book from the school library. :) 

This is a great time to highlight new books, authors, different genres, series, etc. I also let students submit titles of books to me for recommendations for our First Chapter Friday reads. First Chapter Friday has brought even more excitement to our classroom for my readers! 

What do you do to grow the love of reading in your classroom?

Student Book Challenge

I knew I want to come back from Christmas Break and hit the ground running with building stamina and creating excitement about reading new books! So, the Student Reading Challenge was born. 

We looked back at our goals for reading, accessed how we were doing, and reviewed good reading strategies. I challenged my students to the 20 book challenge to begin with. This will not be 20 individual books, per say, because I didn't want students to read just 20 picture books. I wanted to encourage a variety. Together, we created a point system:

Picture books= 1 point

Graphic Novels= 5 points

Chapter Books= 10 points

The only requirement I gave them is that they had to read at least one chapter book. 

Click here to grab a copy of the document students are recording their books on. 

After students earn 20 points they share the document with me, and we talk about the books they read. They earn a certificate and get to sign the 20 point sign in our classroom library. I love recognizing hard work with a positive note from me that can go home!

Click here to grab a copy of the certificate that students can earn. 

From there, students start working on the next challenge: 40 points, 60 points, etc! Let me know if you have any questions. 

Can they get to 100 "books" before the end of the year? That's the real challenge!

Encourage Reading and Writing Over the Break

As teachers we know the importance of reading each day and that regression can occur over breaks. I like to encourage my students in fun ways to read and write over the Holiday break. 

Here are 4 ways you can encourage your students:

1. Reading Incentive- 

This incentive encourages students to read 30 minutes a day. You could set it for less if you have younger students. You can send the letter home to parents along with the reading mug. The top readers will get to have breakfast with me when we return in January. We will eat and talk about the books we have read. Yes, I will be reading over break and keeping track too to show my students.

Click here to grab a copy of my letter and mug that I will be sending home with my students next week. 

                  

2. Who's Reading What?-

I am also going to share a collaborative document with my students in Google Classroom so we can see in live time the books being read and get ideas and recommendations over break! I am excited to see all the books being read and the pictures that will come in! Click here to grab a copy!

3. Christmas Break Journal-
If I'm encouraging reading, I am definitely going to encourage writing too! I love hearing from students over break. I will share this Christmas Break Journal in Google Classroom with my students. I can easily respond back to them and show I care even over the holiday. (I will not respond everyday. I will take time to enjoy my break and family too.) Even if you don't respond over break, students will be collecting writing ideas and can share with one another when we return in January.
Click here for a copy.

4. Reading Bingo from Capstone- 

This is another cute option to share with students over break that I found from Capstone Reading on reading that makes reading fun. It offers several creative ideas for reading!

I already have a stack of books I'll be reading over break! Remember to model what you teach and preach. :) How do you encourage reading and writing over the break?

Using Book, Head, Heart to Support Reading Comprehension

Are you looking for ways for your students to think deeply and differently about texts? I have found one that I love and that has changed the way my students think about the texts they read. In Disruptive Thinking by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst, they introduce us to a reading strategy called Book, Head, Heart (BHH). This strategy helps students think deeper, synthesize their learning, and make real life connections. 

Book, Head, Heart has specific questions for students to think about while they read. It moves them beyond the text and ignites critical thinking skills. Beers and Probst suggest that "Reading is about growing, about changing who we are, about helping us see ourselves in the world from a slightly different perspective." pg. 69.

I start by introducing Book, Head, Heart during Read Aloud. This way students hear me modeling my thinking about BHH before they try it on their own. Students are also able to have collaborative conversations and self discovery during this time.

My favorite questions from Book, Head, Heart:
Book-What does the author want us to know?
Head- What surprised me? 

Heart- How will this book help me become a better person?

These questions are also great when conferring with your students to see their thinking and what area students are struggling. 

Click here for a copy of this BHH handout for your students to use.

I added Signposts because we also talk about Beers and Probst' Signposts and how they can help us as reader to Notice and Note when we are reading. If students Notice and Note a Words of the Wiser it often ties into the life/heart lesson and add we add that quote to our Reading Graffiti Wall

This helps students dig deep to find the the theme/heart lesson of the book they are reading. 

Have you heard of Book, Head, Heart? How do you implement this strategy in your classroom?

Jumpstart Summer Reading

I absolutely love having extra time to read more books off my list during the summer, and I love helping students create their own Reading List to jumpstart their summer reading!

I just implemented First Chapter Friday, where I read only the blurb and the first chapter of the book. While I read students soak in the chapter, and then turn and talk with their partners about their thoughts, questions, and if they want to read the rest. I make sure to choose a variety of genres, styles of writing, and authors. This helps ensure each student will find one book they might want to read or open the door to different genres and authors for some readers.

(Click the above photo for a copy)

Students can then scan the QR code and leave their thoughts to share with each other on our class Padlet. I love reading their opinions and emotions after only hearing one chapter. They can also add the book and author to their Summer Reading List paper or on Google Keep if they want.  (This is a great time to help students set up Google Keep if you haven't already. :)

(Click the above photo for a copy)

I will also host one last Book Tasting the last Friday of the year and give my students the opportunity to read many first chapters and add to their Summer Reading List. These First Chapter Fridays really build the excitement around reading! I have already have students buy the books from their lists, and it's not even summer yet!!

Since I know students can't buy every book on their Summer Reading List, I encourage them to visit the library and share one of my favorite apps Libby with them and their parents. You simply add your library card, and you instantly have the library at your fingertips!!

What is on your Summer Reading List?