Engaging Our Readers!

Hold the phone! I just saw an awesome idea on Periscope that I really want to share with you and recreate in my classroom. Hope King over at Elementary Shenanigans had an awesome idea to engage readers. She teachers upper elementary at the Ron Clark Academy and she essentially raffled off books. 

What happened was that the kids got to put their name into bins that corresponded with a particular book. Hope then was going to pick a "winner" to read the book first.

HELLO! I LOVE THIS!

So here is how I am going to engage my little ones. With our reading series we have a book that we focus on for the week. As I am sure you all do, as well. 

SO - here is my thinking. I am going to look ahead in my plans and see what reading skill we are to focus on. Then, I am going to pull books that will work with that skill. For example. Cause and Effect - Pete the Cat! I will pick 4-5 books that will work with that skill and then have the kids pick the one that we read for the week. Majority rules.

What a super way to engage readers. Here you are giving THEM the choice. How exciting for them! I tell my students all the time that our classroom is a family and that I learn from them too. Why don't I add just another way to show them. Let them drive their learner. Oh wait, isn't that the goal!?

I am so excited and can't wait to give this a try. I do not have my next unit at home. If I did, you best believe that would be my project tonight! Stay tuned to see how it works.

If you want to watch her scope. And you should! You can watch it here. 

Happy Teaching!