What is it?

Reader’s Club is an extracurricular activity for my students.  They need to read an additional 15 minutes outside of school.  They can read whatever interests them.  I run this by semester, with the first semester being the “Operation Read” theme and the second semester being a different theme.  The kids are responsible to fill out a weekly reader’s slip each week with their name, dates, and check off the nights that they read.  Their parent is responsible for monitoring the reading and signing the slip at the end of each week.  I have a box in my room where the slips are placed each week.

How many levels are there?

There are six levels per semester.

How do students pass from level to level?

For every 20 nights that a child reads, they earn a certificate for a level.  If they miss nights on the reader’s slip, that is okay.  They just get added.  It might take them an entire semester to get through one level, but it still does count.  A semester’s time allows for about 3 weeks of not reading, so any child should be able to accomplish all six levels.

How do I manage Reader’s Club?

Each child has their own sheet with a calendar for the year.  Every night that they read is marked off.  I keep all of these sheets in a 3-ring binder.  I also let the kids put a sticker on a visible chart in the room each time they pass a level.  If you have reliable students who enjoy book work, you may want to let them do it.  I have a couple of kids that are really good at it.  I just double check.

How often do you hand out prizes?

About once a week I hand out the prizes and certificates.

Where do you get your prizes?

A great place is www.orientaltrading.com or www.ustoys.com .  You can also get really cheap books from www.scholastic.com .  Other ideas include a free homework coupon, a party that those that reach a certain level can attend, or extra time at recess.

How do you fund the program?

Fortunately, I have budget money.  If you are less fortunate, try local grants, a parent organization, or sometimes local business will give away free coupons.

Is Reader’s Club a competition?

No, not really.  The students just try to do their best.  Where it becomes a competition is between homerooms.  If you don’t have another homeroom to compete with that is okay.  There is a bulletin board in the room with 5 maps representing the migration route of the whooping cranes. (see the pictures at the top of this page)  I challenge the kids to keep reading and to work as a team or class to beat the cranes to Florida .  For every 20 nights that the students in the class read, the arrow moves a dot along the crane migration route.  I have 20 students.  If they all read on Monday night, then the arrow would move one dot.  I only move the arrow once a week.

How do you get the kids motivated to read outside of school?

I keep reminding them.  A letter goes home to the parents at the start of each semester.  There is a kick off at the beginning of the semester with various reading activities that relate to the crane theme.  I also give a bonus activity that is worth a ½ of level automatically.

What types of activities do you do to kick off Reader’s Club?

For the first semester I call Reader’s Club “Operation Read.”  It matches the theme of cranes.  Then I take a class period and do three different activities that relate to cranes and reading.  They rotate to each activity about every 15-20 minutes. 

1.  One activity is the “Pecking Order” game from Journey North’s website.  Click here for more details. 

2.  Another activity is a skimming and scanning activity using Journey North’s booklet “Whooping Crane Comeback.”

3. The third activity is one I designed using a website.  The students are given a picture of each species of crane.  Using the description on the website, they students are encouraged to match the crane with the description and place it in the correct place on the chart.  They can check their answers at the end of the activity.

4.  The bonus activity is usually due about a week after the kick off.