yellow chalk drawn sun

Welcome to LitCamp!

Summer has a whole new story

LitCamp is…

A breakthrough summer literacy program that combines innovative, research-based reading and writing lessons with an engaging and interactive summer camp approach.

The LitCamp program includes:

  • Diverse texts for read aloud and whole-group instruction to support reading and writing, speaking, and listening
  • Creative literacy building activities that use a joyful, strength-based approach to promote success as well as college and career readiness
  • Dedicated time for independent reading and writing to build a community of literacy learners
  • Developmentally-rich content to inspire curiosity and the desire to read and write
Purchase Now
girl reading a book grass

The End of the Summer Slide

Orange chalk straight lines Dragon fly in blue and green
Orange chalk straight lines Dragon fly in blue and green

Every summer, young people from every walk of life fall behind in crucial reading and writing skills. This phenomenon is known as the "summer slide."

Conceived as a means to prevent the summer slide, LitCamp is an effective summer literacy curriculum that cultivates students' confidence and aptitude for reading and writing, critical thinking, and learning.

The research is clear—young people need authentic, engaging, and personally meaningful experiences with reading and writing to become lifelong literacy learners. LitCamp’s thoughtfully designed lessons and best-selling books give students the skills and opportunity to reach their fullest potential.

Group of middle school kids with books

The LitCamp Model

LitCamp integrates all the key ways young people learn to read, write, speak, and listen by employing a signature set of lessons that inspire engagement and motivation.

Social-Emotional Development

  • Bolstering one’s self-concept
  • Building resilience
  • The 7 Strengths*

Literacy skills

  • Fluency
  • Comprehension
  • Analysis
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Engagement skills

  • Stamina
  • Motivation
  • Independence

*The 7 Strengths: Belonging, Friendship, Kindness, Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Hope. LitCamp lessons are framed around these seven key strengths because young people learn best in supportive and positive learning environments. At LitCamp, young people grow resilient and powerful as readers, writers, and learners.

Download the 7 strengths poster

A Day At LitCamp

LitCamp uses an exciting, interactive camp format to ignite all students as literacy learners. A typical day might look like this:*

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OPENING CAMPFIRE

Community matters to literacy. Each day begins with a quick Write Now activity and an introduction to some key academic vocabulary that will be used throughout the day.

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Read Aloud

A research-proven technique that is crucial to a middle schooler's literate life, each interactive read aloud provides inspirational resources that connect to the 7 Strengths.

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Bring the Text to Life

It's not just about words on the page, it’s about stories in the world. See what happens when books become fun.

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Reading Power

This is a time for leaders to model a key comprehension skill and for campers to delve back into the read aloud text to apply that skill.

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Bunk Time: Independent Reading

Independent reading is a key to lifelong literacy. LitCamp encourages and supports choice, purpose, and engagement!

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Community Lit

A chance for campers to connect to one another through discussion and games designed to enhance communication and a sense of belonging.

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Writing Power

If reading is breathing in, writing is breathing out. These LitCamp activities make writing feel important and powerful.

closing campfire icon

Closing Campfire

Literacy learners thrive in a structured yet richly meaningful environment. The daily wrap-up lets campers reflect on what they learned and leaves them excited for the next day at LitCamp!

campfire icon

Opening Campfire

Community matters to literacy. Each day begins with a quick Write Now activity and an introduction to some key academic vocabulary that will be used throughout the day.

read aloud icon

Read Aloud

A research-proven technique that is crucial to a middle schooler's literate life, each interactive read aloud provides inspirational resources that connect to the 7 Strengths.

text icon

Bring the Text to LIfe

It's not just about words on the page, it's about stories in the world. See what happens when books become fun.

reading group icon

Reading Power

This is a time for leaders to model a key comprehension skill and for campers to delve back into the read aloud text to apply that skill.

reading alone icon

Bunk Time: Independent Reading

Independent reading is a key to lifelong literacy. LitCamp encourages and supports choice, purpose, and engagement!

community icon

Community Lit

A chance for campers to connect to one another through discussion and games designed to enhance communication and a sense of belonging.

writing icon

Writing Power

If reading is breathing in, writing is breathing out. These LitCamp activities make writing feel important and powerful.

closing campfire icon

Closing Campfire

Literacy learners thrive in a structured yet richly meaningful environment. The daily wrap-up lets campers reflect on what they learned and leaves them excited for the next day at LitCamp!

*EL support is provided within each lesson to make the experience an inclusive one.

white chalk line Download a Sample Lesson
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Implementing LitCamp

The LitCamp program has been designed for flexible implementation. Each of the 20 lessons provides 2.5 hours of learning and fun. Lessons can be formatted according to 4-, 5-, or 8-week implementation models, as shown below.

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4-Week Model

One daily lesson for four weeks.

5-Week Model

Four daily lessons per week, with the fifth day being either:

  • A free day (no camp or summer school)
  • A day reserved for field trips or other activities
  • A day to customize learning through more independent reading or to pursue LitCamp-related reading and projects

8-Week Model

Each LitCamp lesson is split over two days.

  • The first day of the lesson includes the first two lesson pages plus time for independent reading
  • The second day of the lesson includes the second two lesson pages plus time for independent reading
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Sample pacing guides for 90-minute or other LitCamp implementations are available upon request.

LitCamp Materials

LitCamp materials are designed for summer use, and each level is denoted by a Bunk Color.

white shine

LitCamp Bronze Bunk
includes:

10 titles, including:
Lost and Found Lost and Found
  • Spiders
  • Lost and Found
  • Ninth Ward
  • That's Not Fair /
    ¡No es justo!
  • Barbed Wire Baseball
  • The Yellow Star
  • Helen's Big World
  • One Plastic Bag
  • Anything But Typical
  • Flutter and Hum /
    Aleteo y zumbido

LitCamp Silver Bunk
includes:

10 titles, including:
The Heist The Heist
  • A Kick in the Head
  • Rules
  • Five Sci-Fi Thrillers
  • The Great Greene Heist
  • Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions
  • An Angel for Solomon Singer
  • Rebel in a Dress: Adventurers
  • The Adventures of Marco Polo
  • Growing Up Pedro
  • Selected poems from The
    Rose that Grew from Concrete

LitCamp Gold Bunk
includes:

10 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books Bunker K-1 books
  • Heroes of the Environment
  • Bearwalker
  • Tales from Outer Suburbia
  • I Dreamed of Flying Like a Bird
  • Just Write! Here's How
  • Jabberwocky
  • I Am Malala
    (Young Readers Edition)
  • When the Beat Was Born
  • Esperanza Rising
  • Playing to Win

In addition to the reading list, each LitCamp Bunk receives a comprehensive set of materials, including:

LitCamp Student Portfolio cover

15 LitCamp Student Portfolio Folders

Gives students a place to archive and preserve their own writing (15 included).

LitCamp Leader’s Guide book cover

LitCamp Leader’s Guide

Helps teachers create effective, joyful lessons supported by engaging activities.

Preview
Every Child A Super Ready book cover

Every Child A Super Reader

A foundational text that shows what it is to be a super reader, writer, and learner.

Preview

Plus…

15 in fun handwriting

Wristbands with LitCamp Logo
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About the Founder

chalk drawn bee Pam Allyn Chalk drawn dragon fly

About the Founder

PAM ALLYN is a world-renowned literacy expert, advocate, and author. Her books include Every Child a Super Reader, a foundational LitCamp text which is included with every purchase. She has also written Your Child’s Writing Life (Avery), Best Books for Boys (Scholastic), and The Complete Year in Reading and Writing, a K-5 Series (Scholastic). Allyn is a national leader in the field of professional development and speaks globally on the learning lives of children and young adults. Among her many contributions to global literacy is her work as founding director of LitWorld (litworld.org), a widely heralded global literacy organization serving children across the United States and in more than 60 countries.

alt: Every Child A Super Reader Sample PDF
alt: Leader’s Guide Sample PDF