Silent
Reading Incentives
To add a little
variety to Silent Reading time, I introduce incentives for my young
readers. As with any of the ideas in this workshop, take the following
ideas and change them to suit your teaching style and the needs
of your students.
Favorite
Books Center
During
Silent Reading, one small group of students is invited to peruse
the books at the Favorite Books Center. I explain that many of the
books in the boxes may not pass the Five Finger Test since these
are books that I read to them. Silent Reading time gives students
a chance to take a close-up look at books that have been shared
as a whole group. As Jack explained one day after silent reading,
"Steven Kellogg sure used lots of detail in Best Friends.
I never noticed all the dog food cans when you read it to the class.
There are 38 cans of dog food in the closet!"
The House
of Books
At
some point during the year, we paint the outside of a large refrigerator
box to look like a house, and cut a door and a few windows complete
with hanging curtains. The inside is filled with painted bookshelves
on which the students place cutouts of their favorite books. This
becomes our "House of Books" where two to three students
enjoy books from the Favorite Books Box during Silent Reading time.
Invite Parents
During
our September Open House, I invite parents to join us for Silent
Reading time. I ask them to bring a book from home and help model
the importance of reading. Since our time for Silent Reading usually
falls during lunch hour for working parents, they occasionally take
a break from their usual lunch routine to enjoy books with us.
Sit Anywhere
Fridays
As a reward
for a week of hard work, we have Sit Anywhere Fridays. I explain
to the class that instead of sitting in their assigned chairs, as
long as they are reading their chosen books, they are welcome to
stretch out under a table, on the carpet, with a friend at another
table, or even in the chair at my desk.
Partner Days
On
Partner Days, groups of two to three students enjoy books together.
Some of the partners will simply sit together side by side reading
their own books while others will take turns reading pages of the
same book out loud. The only rule is they must be reading and discussing
books.
Read with
the Animals
A
stuffed bear, an aquarium full of fish, or an incubator of
hatching baby chicks can add another dimension to the usual Silent
Reading time. Each day a different student snuggles and reads with
Book Bear, a stuffed brown bear, during Silent Reading time. Although
his favorite book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?,
he also enjoys We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Old Bear.
Our aquarium is filled with fish who love to hear Swimmy,
Fish Is Fish and many other student choices. Our hatching chicks
love Are You My Mother? but Feathers for Lunch is
not one of their favorites!
Book Buddies
Once
a week my class reads with fourth grade reading buddies for Silent
Reading time. Prior to the initial book buddy meeting, the teachers
coordinate partners between the two classes. The older students
are responsible for bringing a book to share with the younger friend
for the initial meeting. As the partners get to know one another,
they each bring books from home or the library to share with their
book buddies each week.
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