Program Guide
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Introduction
As educators, you are familiar with the challenges that teachers and students face when school resumes each fall after the summer break. Learning recovery is real. It costs teachers and students valuable time and energy as everyone scrambles to regain their academic bearings and reinvigorate the teaching and learning process. According to research, giving kids access to books and reading-related materials is perhaps the most powerful way to keep students on track over the summer. Some studies have shown that, without regard to ethnic or socioeconomic level, kids who read five or more books over the summer perform better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who have read one or no books. Scholastic’s My Books Summer, a summer reading program for Grades PreK through 12, is committed to providing books to kids for exactly that reason (Kim 2004). But the good news is that we CAN successfully support learning recovery instruction. Scholastic’s My Books Summer provides literacy support during the summer months. We hope that this program will help you lead the way to a summer leap! Our intention is straightforward. We want students’ literacy skills and their engagement with reading and writing to continue to grow over the summer. Our means are direct. We provide books and related materials for children to take home for the summer to keep and enjoy. Our ends are simple but essential. We hope to have students return to school in the fall prepared to pick up where they left off at the summer break—perhaps even ahead of where they left off!
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Suggestions for Implementing My Books Summer
The Role of the Administrator or Summer Reading Coordinator
My Books Summer is a gift to users, whether they are educators, students, parents, or caregivers. We urge you to present this set of books and materials as a program geared toward shared enjoyment as much as enrichment. Mid-Spring: Start the Buzz Hold a schoolwide “summer reading buzz” night to introduce My Books Summer . • Invite parents, caregivers, students, teachers, community members, and school and local librarians so that everyone is on board from the start. At the event, you might want to do the following : • Briefly discuss the background and rationale for the program. (See page 58.) • Explain the importance of daily reading and reading aloud together. • Invite students and teachers to list and make displays about their favorite books. • Display book collections at each grade level. • Launch a summer reading poster contest. Students can create posters highlighting their favorite books, summer reading spaces, summer reading mottos, etc. Help classroom teachers establish daily routines of reading and logging minutes. Get kids used to logging their reading minutes on paper. If your school is participating in the Scholastic Summer Reading program, encourage families to log minutes on the online portal. Learn more at scholastic.com/summer . Include a note about the program in your newsletter or post it on the school website. Be sure to describe the role of reading in strengthening literacy skills.
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The Role of the Classroom Teacher or Summer Reading Coordinator
Before implementing My Books Summer, the classroom teacher or coordinator can engage kids and families in various ways. The teacher or coordinator can do some or all of the following: • Send home letters to introduce My Books Summer. (See sample letters, pp. 33–38.) • Host a Scholastic Literacy Event to show the program and its take-home components before distributing materials. • Preview book packs with the class, noting special features or subject matter that seem especially enticing. • Engage in a book talk about a familiar title to model thinking about books and citing text-based evidence. • Emphasize to students that the books are theirs to keep—to read, reread, enjoy, share, and add to their home libraries. • Post flyers in the classroom and hold a poster contest to build enthusiasm about summer reading. • Establish the daily practice of making journal entries and logging minutes spent reading in anticipation of the Summer Reading Journal and Summer Reading Log. • With older students, open a class discussion about the importance of reading over the summer and its impact on their overall success in school and beyond. • Encourage students to take part in the Scholastic Summer Reading program, a free online summer reading program where students can log their reading minutes, access free resources, and earn digital prizes. (www.scholastic.com/summer) • Remind students that in the fall they will get to share their journals and Think Sheets with their new teacher, who will be thrilled to be introduced to students through their reading history and writing skills. • If you have purchased the family engagement BookConnect mobile tool, hold a tutorial for families at a summer reading kickoff event. • If you allow students to choose their own books, help them make book selections that will support and expand their skills. Is the book on a topic of interest? Does it look appealing? Challenging? Informative?
To help implement these tips, use the checklist on p. 20.
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Quick Checklist for Administrators
MID-SPRING: Start the Buzz
Invite parents, caregivers, students, teachers, and school librarians to a school-wide “summer reading buzz” night to introduce My Books Summer. Describe the program. Promote daily reading and reading aloud. Display MBS book collections. Launch a summer reading poster contest. Establish daily classroom routines of reading and recording minutes on reading logs. Send out an MBS newsletter or post it on the school website.
LATE SPRING: Set It in Motion & Set Goals
Distribute program materials to teachers. Post student summer reading posters in halls and in classrooms. Send out follow-up parent and student letters (see sample letters, pp. 33–38). Establish class and school goals for summer reading, and communicate these to parents and caregivers. Visit classrooms in person to introduce My Books Summer to students and parents or caregivers. Set up a student-managed MBS table at an end-of-year event, such as a school play, band concert, bake sale, or walkathon. Host a Scholastic Literacy Event to kick off summer. If you have purchased the family engagement BookConnect mobile tool, hold a tutorial for families at a summer reading kick-off event. Hold a tutorial for teachers so that they can set up class, parent, and student interfaces.
OVER THE SUMMER: Keep Up the Momentum
If possible, keep the school library open one day a week over the summer. Partner with the local library for readings, book clubs, reading partnerships, story hours, and/or special booklists. If your school is participating in the Scholastic Summer Reading Program, post on the school website or marquee weekly updates of minutes recorded.
Administrator Resource • ALL GRADES
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For review only. Not for distribution.
Quick Checklist for Teachers
MID-SPRING: Start the Buzz
Establish the daily practices of making reading journal entries and logging minutes spent reading. Engage in book talks about familiar titles to model critical thinking and citing text-based evidence.
LATE SPRING: Set It in Motion & Set Goals
Send home student and family letters to introduce My Books Summer (see sample letters, pp. 33–38).
Post flyers in the classroom or hold a poster contest to motivate students. Invite parents into the classroom to introduce the program and show its take-home components. Host a Scholastic Literacy Event to kick off summer. If you have purchased the family engagement BookConnect mobile tool, hold a tutorial for families at a summer reading kick-off event. With older students, open a class discussion about the importance of reading over the summer and its impact on their overall success in school and beyond. Preview book packs with the class, noting features of special interest. Emphasize to students that the MBS books are theirs to keep—to read, reread, enjoy, share, and add to their home libraries. Encourage students to take part in the Scholastic Summer Reading Program, where students can log their reading minutes, access free resources, earn digital prizes, and more! Remind students that they will share their Summer Reading Journals and Think Sheets with their new classroom teachers in the fall.
OVER THE SUMMER: Keep Up the Momentum
Ask your local library to inform you about story hours or book groups for summer reading.
Teacher Resource • ALL GRADES
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