Graffiti: Take a black marker and draw a brick
wall on a large sheet of red paper. Hang the paper in your classroom.
Invite students to write comments on the "brick wall",
both positive and negative, about the books they've read. This
will allow students to interest others in reading the same books.
Sandy Waggoner, Hardin Northern School, Dola, OH, Grades 3-6
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I hang an open umbrella from the ceiling on a pulley
so that it can be easily raised and lowered. From the center of
the umbrella, I hang three raindrops made of construction paper
that say "Raindrops Keep Filling Up My Head."
The idea is that reading fills their heads, and so when
a student has read a book, I write his/her name and the name of
the book on a raindrop and staple it to the edge of the umbrella.
The title of every additional book he/she reads is written on
another raindrop and attached to the previous raindrop. This sometimes
produces a long streamer to take home at the end of school. Two
raindrops can be cut from an 8 1/2"x 11"sheet of construction
paper, and spares can be stored in the umbrella. It's a fairly
easy system to manage, and the children enjoy such visible evidence
of their progress.
Shirley Fox, Adolph Link Elementary School, Wheaton, IL, Grade
2
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Museum Exhibit: After reading a book of his/her
choice, each student brings in an "artifact" from the
book to be displayed in a case with an index card giving the title,
author, and a brief synopsis. For example, a child who reads The
Cat Who Went to Heaven might bring in a picture of a cat or a
stuffed animal cat for the display case, with the information
carefully written on an index card and attached to the cat. The
"museum" is then open for other classes to visit.
Dorothy Freeman, St. Gregory The Great School, Virginia Beach,
VA, Grade 4
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Each month we choose a design such as a pumpkin,
turkey, tree, snowflake, or heart. We write titles of the books
we've read on the designs and hang them on our desks. This provides
us with an easy check on how many books we've read. We also keep
a computer printout on our door of all the books we have read
for BOOK IT!.
Debbie Utz, Minors Lane Elementary, Louisville, KY, Grades 4-5
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Bead Hangers: I give students a colored bead for each
book report they turn in. I also give them a ribbon on which to
string these beads. When they have read ten books, I give them
a shiny bangle to place between the 10th and 11th book beads.
I give them another bangle to place between the 20th and 21st
beads, the 30th and 31st beads, etc. These are hung in our window,
which adds a festive air to our room. The students take their
chains home at the end of the year. Edith Burke, Gold Canyon Elementary,
Apache junction, AZ, Grade 4
