September Reading Challenge Idea

Okay Friends!  I've been playing with my reading logs this morning and decided I needed to focus on just the month of September and share it so that I can get some feedback.

I originally wanted my students and their families to search for and read 25 books each month.  While I was trying to think of the types of books I wanted my families to read, I was scouring our curriculum maps and calendars of holidays and special events so that I could include those topics in my reading logs.  As I was doing this, I kept thinking....this is really going to be a challenge for me to think of 25 different books for each month...and then it hit me.  It is going to be very challenging for my families to search, find, and read 25 books each month.  I'm up for a challenge so for me, I'd be like, "Bring it on!"  But...without knowing my new families, I think it might be a little overwhelming for them and let's be honest...first grade is overwhelming enough!  So, my Monthly Reading Challenges are in the works!  I dropped the required books from 25 to 10.  I also decided to make each challenge optional, but I made it clear in my parent note that children will be rewarded for completing it and the challenges reflect what we will be learning during the month.  I think it will still be a challenge for some...and that's a good thing!  You can download the challenge by clicking on the caption beneath the picture below.

September Reading Challenge

At least I'm hoping you can download it!  I haven't created and shared something in awhile so I had to reteach myself!

I also added a parent note explaining the challenge as well as a page that lists places where they can find the books for each challenge.  I think I'll also provide books in a special area of my room that the children can borrow for an evening and then return so that others can use them.

Any other ideas??  I would love some (gentle) feedback as sometimes I think that my ideas will work but then they fizzle because my expectations are a little too high or it is too much to manage.

As for my movie with dad yesterday...we saw Prometheus.  Ummm....yeah.  Neither of us are science fiction buffs so I think it was a first for both of us.  Aliens, a robot, and all around weirdness!  Not our cup of tea as I spent a lot of time hiding in my sweatshirt and peeking through my hood but it was okay.  Gave us something to laugh at....after it was over!  :)

Have a great day!