Here are my top five reasons why you should change up your summer reading list to include works being used in schools:
- It's a great way to become involved in student learning - when we know what is going on in other classrooms we become a stronger community of learners
- You can connect with what is being taught in the schools - talk to other teachers to find ways to align curriculum in different subject areas
- You can engage in meaningful discussions with your children and students - modeling life long learning to your students send a powerful message
- You will be enriched by reading (or re-reading) the works being used in our schools - you may discover a new favorite book, or re-kindle your passion for an old favorite
- It is a way to invigorate and connect your teaching - science, history, art or other subject area teachers can do some cross curricular teaching, for example connecting world history concepts to a book like Night
Help build the summer reading list with a twist. Include books being read by students in our schools that teachers and parents should take the time to read. You can access the Summer Reading List with a Twist - Google Doc here - find a blank space and share your ideas!
Techify it! Here are some ways to incorporate summer reading and technology into your curriculum.
- Write a blog about the books you read, share your thoughts and encourage students to comment
- Let students research the book and blog about it so they can share their thoughts and interact with others who have read it as well
- Use Google Presentations to let students share a book with the world - they can discuss the book, research the author's life, and explore history or science concepts covered in the book - share the link to the presentation on a school website or blog
- Use Google Sites to create a review of books for students - students can recommend and review books they read in school which can be useful to students as they move through the grades
- Have students create a video review of the book and post it on YouTube
If you have other ideas please add your comments!