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. It is the result of a one-of-a-kind partnership between Scholastic, the literacy organization LitWorld, and best-selling author and literacy advocate Pam Allyn.

LitCamp redefines the whole notion of summer school. It is designed to bring a sense of joy, community, and accomplishment to both students and teachers.

The LitCamp program includes:

  • Easy to implement, standards-aligned literacy lessons
  • High-quality fiction and nonfiction literature
  • Engaging group activities
  • Dedicated time for independent reading
PURCHASE NOW

The End of the Summer Slide

Lit Camp in blue letters
Lit Camp in blue letters

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

LitCamp reverses the summer slide by providing a joyous, fun, and interactive framework for literacy support. LitCamp enables children to use their skills while rediscovering their natural motivation, curiosity, and confidence.

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

The LitCamp Model

LitCamp incorporates the whole learning life of the child. It integrates all the key ways children 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: LitCamp lessons are framed around seven key strengths that prepare children for challenges they will encounter in their educational lives, careers, and communities. The 7 Strengths are Belonging, Friendship, Kindness, Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Hope.

DOWNLOAD THE 7 STRENGTHS POSTER

A Day At LitCamp

LitCamp uses an exciting, interactive camp format to transform traditional reading instruction. A typical day might look like this*:

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Opening Campfire

Community matters to literacy. Each day begins with a community-building 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 child’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

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.

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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.

campfire icon

Opening Campfire

Community matters to literacy. Each day begins with a community-building 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 child’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

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.

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 four, five, or eight 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
two crayon butterflies
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LitCamp Materials

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

LitCamp Red Bunk

20 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books
  • I Got the Rhythm
  • One World, One Day
  • Giraffes Can’t Dance
  • The Hello, Goodbye Window
  • Big Al
  • My Friend Rabbit
  • Pierre the Penguin
  • Z Is for Moose
  • Violet’s Music
  • …and more

LitCamp Orange Bunk

20 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books
  • Blackout
  • What if You Had Animal Teeth?
  • Library Lion
  • Big Mama’s
  • Yo! Yes?
  • Suki’s Kimono
  • Chrysanthemum
  • Frog and Toad All Year
  • Stone Soup
  • …and more

LitCamp Turquoise Bunk

20 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books
  • A Beam of Light
  • A Chair for My Mother
  • My Name Is Yoon
  • For You Are a Kenyan Child
  • Big Red Lollipop
  • Those Shoes
  • Zen Ties
  • Mice and Beans
  • …and more

LitCamp Green Bunk

20 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books
  • No Dogs Allowed
  • If the World Were a Village
  • Exclamation Mark
  • Crow Call
  • Two Bobbies
  • Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
  • Chicken Sunday
  • Road Runner’s Dance
  • Tito Puente: Mambo King
  • …and more

LitCamp Blue Bunk

10 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books
  • Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People
  • Testing the Ice
  • Because of Winn-Dixie
  • Butterfly Boy
  • Abe Lincoln’s Dream
  • Bobby the Brave (Sometimes)
  • Planting the Trees of Kenya
  • The Matchbox Diary
  • …and more

LitCamp Purple Bunk

10 titles, including:
Bunker K-1 books
  • Long Shot: A Comeback Kids Novel
  • Weslandia
  • Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
  • Tsunami!
  • How Strong Is It?
  • Crossing Bok Chitto
  • Nelson Mandela
  • Little Red Writing
  • …and more

LitCamp Grade K-6 individual sets include the books listed above and:

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
LitCamp Leader’s Guide book cover

LitCamp Leader’s Guide

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

Preview
LitCamp Student Portfolio cover

LitCamp Student Portfolio Folders

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

Plus…

15 in fun handwriting

Wristbands with LitCamp Logo

bee flying right bee flying right bee flying right

About the Author

Pam Allyn

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.