Tag: reading

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Say Goodbye to Traditional Book Reports

One a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most, how much did you enjoy doing book reports as a student? I’d bet that the majority of people would say they are at a 4 or lower. Traditional book reports are just so… boring. They aren’t fun to students to write, and if I’m being totally honest, I’d bet that most teachers don’t enjoy grading them. 

So rather than having your students write a traditional essay style book report, try something new! Students always appreciate when things get jazzed up a bit, and I promise you that alternative book reports are a whole lot more fun to grade. Plus, different kinds of “reports” get students to think about their books in different ways. Rather than just a summary, they get to use more critical and imaginative thinking skills to complete their assignment.

I taught junior high English for a long time, and quickly learned how to change up the boring book report and make it into something fun. Book assignments that feel more like a fun time (but are still assessing learning) rather than a monotonous summary of a book are a sure fire way to get students more engaged and more willing to do the work. 

So if you are a teacher who has students complete an assignment based on a book they’ve read, give some of these a try! I have used all but a couple of these ideas myself in my classroom with my students, so I assure you that they are fun and engaging for students!

  • Book quizzes— three or four short answer questions about their book. 
    • Describe the main character
    • Use good describing words to “show” what the scenery in the book is like
    • What was the biggest conflict in the book, and how was it resolved?
    • Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
    • etc.
  • Draw a new cover for the book.
  • Create a playlist of songs that would be the soundtrack to your book. With each song, describe what part of the book you chose that song for and why you chose it. Illustrate an album cover.
  • Create a comic strip for a scene in your book.
  • Write a test for your book— include some multiple choice questions, several short answer questions, and an answer key.
  • Write and illustrate a children’s book version of your book. 
  • Write an interview for one of the characters. Include the character’s answers.
  • Create a social media profile for one of the characters. Include a profile picture and a couple of posts with pictures and captions.
  • Rewrite the ending of the book.
  • ABCs of the book— think of something that has to do with your book for every letter of the alphabet. In 2 sentences, describe how that word ties to the book.
  • Write a text message exchange between two or more characters discussing something that happened in the book.
  • Choose one character and write 2-3 journal entries from their point of view.
  • If there was a certain food that the book mentioned a lot, find a recipe and make it. Bring it to share with the class.
  • Create a timeline of events that happen in the book.

Hopefully one or more of these ideas will be useful to you. If anything, it’s given you a reason to think about the way you assign book assignments and how you might be able to change things up a bit!

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Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King in the Classroom

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day approaching, I thought it would be a good time to provide you with a few ideas you can use in your classroom to help your students understand and honor the life and impact of Dr. King. These ideas can be used and adapted for all ages and grades.

Watch the video of Dr. King giving his famous “I have a dream” speech

Sometimes hearing and seeing an event take place can make a greater impact than just talking about it. For younger students, have them listen to and watch the speech and listen for the things Dr. King hoped for. 

For older students, have them watch the speech, then provide them with a physical copy of it. Put them into small groups and have them do a close reading of the speech and discussing what makes this speech so powerful.

You can find the speech here.

Have students create their own “I have a dream” piece

This activity can be presented many ways. Students can create their own speech about their hopes and dreams. You can also have students create a “dream board” where they make a collage of pictures and words showing their dreams. You might also have students write a poem about the things they hope for.

Talk about what “the content of their character” means

Together as a class, brainstorm positive characteristics of people they know. Talk about what character is and how it can shape who you are. Then, have students write (length will depend on age and ability) about the content of their own character and what they hope to be remembered and known for. 

This gives students a great opportunity to analyze what makes a good person and reflect on their own characters. It provides an excellent text-to-self connection.

Create a timeline of the life of Dr. King

Have students— either in groups of individually— create a timeline of events in the life of Dr. King. Have them use the internet to gather pictures and information to create their timelines. 

This activity provides students a chance to research, learn, then practice putting things in chronological order.

Talk about bravery and courage

Dr. King was incredibly brave and courageous for doing the things he did. Talk with students about times they have had to be brave. Discuss what it means to have courage. Have them write about their own experiences with bravery and courage.

Discuss equality vs. equity/fairness

Many students don’t understand the difference between equality and equity. Take the opportunity to teach them the difference and why it matters. The discussion opens up a world of possibilities in talking about how we should treat people and how people need different things to succeed based on their own personal circumstances. Students can create a piece of art or writing showing their knowledge and understanding of these concepts.

Research famous quotes by Dr. King

Have students research famous things Dr. King said. Let them pick their favorite, then have them write it out and create a piece of art around the quote. Encourage them to match their art to the feeling of the quote. 

Plan a day of service

Dr. King was a big proponent of service and believed that everyone could serve. To honor this legacy, plan a day of service with your students. If possible, plan and execute a large scale service project together. If not, encourage students to find smaller ways to serve and help those around them. Service is something that benefits both the server and the served. It provides students with an incredible chance to look outside themselves and see others in a different light. 

However you choose to, I hope you take a minute to at least talk about and acknowledge the impact that Dr. King had and continues to have on our world. His legacy is one to not be forgotten, and it’s important that we continue to teach the rising generation that everyone matters and everyone has a voice.

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Five Ways to Help You Pick the Right Book

When it’s time to pick a book, how do you know what’s good for you? Here are a few ideas: 

  1. Ask a trusted friend: It’s tried and true! If you have friends with the same book interests as you, they may have a good title up their sleeve to suggest. 
  2. Look for books with awards: Caldecott, Newberry, etc. If they have an award on their cover, it means it’s a good choice! 
  3. If you’re in a library, look for books that have multiple copies: If a library has multiple copies on hand, it means they have a lot of interest in the book and it’s in high demand. 
  4. Ask a teacher: Teachers are really good at a lot of things, but recommending books is a talent high up on their list. 
  5. Ask a librarian: If there’s anyone more qualified to recommend a book, it’s a librarian. Even if they don’t know you personally.

Bonus: Read many of the book lists that we’ve curated here on our blog! Books are a big part of our lives and sharing them with you brings us joy.

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My Complete List of Books I Read in 2022

My complete list of books read in 2022. If you’ve read any, let’s chat about it! I wanted to write up my thoughts about every single book on this list, but then it would get too lengthy and no one would have time to read this post in its entirety. If you want to know more about a certain book, I am always open to talk about it and discuss. Reading books is my favorite hobby! If you want to learn more about how I was able to accomplish reading so many books, check out my last post.

Key: 
📘 eReader books
👂🏼 Audiobook
📕 Physical book

1. 📘Curvy Girls Can’t Date Quarterbacks by Kelsie Stelting

2. 📘Luna’s Rescue by Erica Richardson

3. 👂🏼Educated: a Memoir by Tara Westover

4. 📘👂🏼Seven Perfect Things by Catherine Ryan Hyde

5. 📘He’s Just a Friend by Karly Stratford 

6. 👂🏼The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

7. 👂🏼Night Road by Kristin Hannah

8. 👂🏼That Summer by Sarah Dessen 

9.📘The Orphan Keeper by Cameron Wright

10. 👂🏼A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

11. 👂🏼Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

12. 👂🏼 Orphan Train Rider by Andrea Warren

13. 👂🏼 The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff 

14. 📘👂🏼 Anxious People Fredrik Backman 

16. 👂🏼Things My Son Needs to Know About the World by Fredrik Backman

16. 👂🏼American Royals book #1 by Katharine McGee

17. 👂🏼My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

18. 👂🏼Forever Boy by Kate Swenson 

19. 👂🏼Majesty: American Royals book #2 by Katharine McGee 

20. 👂🏼 Inheritance: American Royals by Katharine McGee 

21. 👂🏼 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab 

22. 📘👂🏼 The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka 

23. 👂🏼Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt 

24. 👂🏼 Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman 

25. 👂🏼 Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult 

26. 📕The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen 

27. 👂🏼The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida 

28. 👂🏼Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 

29. 📕Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

30. 👂🏼Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline 

31. 👂🏼The One Hundred Years of Leni and Margot by Marianne Cronin 

32. 👂🏼Book Lovers by Emily Henry 

33. 📘He’s Just My Ex by Karly Stratford

34. 👂🏼The Help by Kathryn Stockett

35. 👂🏼To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han 

36. 📕P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

37. 📕Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Jan

38. 👂🏼To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

39. 📕The Bodyguard by Katherine Center 

40. 📕 Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover 

41. 📕28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

42. 👂🏼The Book Haters Book Club by Gretchen Anthony

43. 👂🏼I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 

44. 👂🏼Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt 

45. 👂🏼Thirst by Scott Harrison 

46. 📕In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham 

47. 👂🏼The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand 

48. 👂🏼People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry 

49. 👂🏼Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 

50. 👂🏼Have I Told You This Already? By Lauren Graham 

51. 👂🏼Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

52. 👂🏼My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan 

53. 👂🏼 Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 

Photo by Caio

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So You Want To Read More? Here’s Some Tips.

In 2022 my goal was to read 12 books, which is roughly the national average of books read a year. This is also one book a month, which felt doable for me. I was very into reading when I was younger, but then life became busy and finding a good routine was hard to get into, especially after having kids. 

But 2022 was my year to change that. I made reading a priority, which was the biggest factor in finding success. I also trained my brain to listen to audiobooks. I had a hard time focusing on listening to anything from podcasts to audiobooks, so I took the time to slowly acclimate myself to listen when being read to. Once I felt like I had audiobooks down, I had to train myself to pick up physical books to read them. All of it took work and time, but I was making reading a priority!

Possibly one of the hardest things for me to do was retrain my brain to pick up a book instead of picking up my phone to scroll through social media. Whether we like it or not, social media has us trained to feel like we are missing out if we’re not on it constantly, so it’s easy and natural to open Twitter and Instagram multiple times a day without really thinking about it. It’s mindless. But once I replaced my social media time with reading, it gave me ample time in my day to finish more books. 

By the end of March, I had accomplished my goal of 12 books. So I set a new goal to finish 50 books by the end of the year, and I ended with 53. How did I make such a huge jump from rarely reading to finishing 53 books in a year? 

Because reading begets reading. This is true for adults and kids. Once you’ve gotten into and finished a book, it’s so much easier to pick up the next one and continue reading. And if the next book you picked up happens to be the first book in a series, well then once you’re finished, you HAVE to find the second book ASAP! And while you’re reading that book, a friend hears that you’ve been really into this series and suggests another similar book that he knows you’re just going to LOVE. So then you have to read that book when you’re finished. And once you’ve finished the book your friend suggested, you may stop reading for a time because you just blazed through so many books so fast. But once you give yourself some time, it’s not as hard to pick up the next book your librarian set aside for you because she heard it’s the type of book you really like and she thought of you when it was returned by the last person. 

Reading begets reading, and once you start it’s much easier to keep going. A few tips I want to share if you or your child is trying to make reading more of a priority: 

Reading can and should be fun. Do not read historical WWII novels or Jane Austen if that’s not what you’re into. Just because it seems “educational” or “better literature” doesn’t mean it’s something you have to be into. If reading cheesy romance novels or fantasy books is what you’re into, then read those. If you’re reading words on a page that work together to create sentences and paragraphs and chapters, then you’re reading. 

Join a book club. This can be a great thing or it can backfire, that’s up to you and the book club you choose. Oftentimes book clubs rotate which book they’re reading and let members pick the book, which can leave a lot of variety and can sometimes make it hard to finish a book you’re not into. But it can be a great thing to have people who also read the book and loved it come together, sit down, and enjoy discussing what everyone did and didn’t like. 

If you’re finding it hard to pay attention to an audiobook, find a mindless activity to do while listening. Simple games to play on your phone, knitting or crocheting if you’re into that. Or even go for a walk! Something to keep your hands busy while you listen. 

Pick a book that’s also a movie. The book will always (ALWAYS) be better, but sometimes it can be great motivation to finish a book so you can watch the movie.

Find the right platform. We are lucky to have reading available in so many different formats! But it can be overwhelming. Try out physical books, audiobooks, a physical eReader, or an eReader app on your phone, tablet, or computer. Whatever works for you, stick with it. You don’t have to be reading physical books every time (or ever) to have it count as reading.

Dedicate reading time. For me, it was in the evenings before bed, that was the easiest time for me to pick up a book or listen to my audiobook. Maybe for you, it’s right after school? Maybe it’s first thing in the morning. Once you’ve dedicated reading time and made it a habit, it’s easier to do more and more often throughout the day. 

What things do you do to help you make reading more of a priority? 

Photo by Rahul Shah

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Quick, Easy, Doable Activities For Kids Over Winter Break

Winter break is nearing for many families! It is exciting that the holidays are well on their way and we are able to celebrate a great time of the year with family and friends. However… if you’re like me, winter break can also feel very long and sometimes daunting. I’ve found that when my oldest is home from school even just for the weekend, she struggles with not being in the same routine and not having an adult constantly telling her what to do and where to go. Basically, she’s looking for me to entertain her. And with a household to run, food to make for parties, clothes to coordinate for family pictures, presents to wrap, and more, I just cannot add “entertaining my 5-year-old all day every day” to that list. It’s impractical for everyone. So alas, here are a few *mostly independent but can also benefit from some light supervision while you load the dishwasher* activities you can try with your kids, as well as a few family things to do during winter break. (Or is it a few months?? Because it feels that way sometimes.) 

Invite a friend. Now that they’ve been in school for roughly a semester, friendships are more established and planning playdates with peers is easier. People tell me all of the time how nice I am to have so many neighbor kids in and out of my house constantly but to be honest, it really doesn’t make my job as a mom any harder. If anything, it makes it easier! They all play so well together that I can happily supervise their play while I fold laundry and they run from room to room pretending they are being chased by pirates. 

Indoor bowling. Those red solo cups you have stashed away for your next Christmas party? Spare a few for your child to create a tower of cups that they can turn around and knock over with a soft ball. You can also use stuffed animals, nerf guns, or rolled-up socks. Once your kid masters making the tower by themselves, this activity becomes one that can be done by themselves with supervision. 

Paint with water. Always my favorite go-to activity! Construction paper + paintbrushes + cup of water = entertainment. Just remember not to fill the cup of water with too much, in case of a spill. 

Stuffed animal sort. The best part of this activity is that they get to pull ALL of their stuffed animals out into the middle of their bedroom or the family room. And we all know your collection is huge… what kid doesn’t have at least 1000 of them? Once they have all the stuffies out, give them different ways to sort them. Sort by color, sort by size, sort by how many arms and legs they have. There are so many possibilities! 

Winter/ Christmas/ Holiday book-a-thon. Have a basket full of the books you want to read over winter break that stick with a collective theme. Then each night you grab a book and read together before bed. Or first thing in the morning. Or at lunchtime. Either way, it gives everyone something to be excited about each day. You can see our big list of Christmas and other holiday books here! 

Dance parties. We are huge, huge believers in dance parties at our house! They can be used for changing the mood of the day, to kill time, or for those moments when you just need to utilize your gross motor skills. 

Take a field trip. Staying home over winter break can mean a lot of staying indoors and going a little stir-crazy. A field trip for your family can be as simple as a quick run to the grocery store for everyone to pick out a snack, or as extravagant as visiting your town’s aquarium! The goal is to get out and experience something besides the same four walls of your home! 

Get outside. I know, I know. It’s winter. It’s cold. But the benefits are incredible and after some good, quality time outside, you’ll all be refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day. 

Here’s to wishing you good luck in surviving winter break! We can do this together!

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Stop Pushing The Books And Let Them Take it at Their Own Pace!

You guys, I love reading. I love reading so much that I have consumed (and completely finished) 47 books this year. If I were to include the books I’ve skimmed or started but didn’t finish, I’d be somewhere near 60+ on the number of books I’ve read this year. 

From the time my oldest was born, I have tried so hard to instill a love of reading in her. I’ve done everything the professionals tell you to do for kids to enjoy reading. I don’t ever push books on her, I let her take the lead on what to read, how to read it, and when to read them. I never turn down an opportunity to read a book if she’s bringing one to me. Yet still, she’s seemed very disinterested in reading and learning to read. 

It’s been hard for me to have such a love for reading and watch her not care as much. She’s now five years old and started kindergarten this last fall. It seems like an opportune time to introduce chapter books with a little more depth and story to them, but those turn her off even more! I always dreamed of the day I would sit down in a big recliner with my child and read Charlotte’s Web for the first time, but that day feels so distant to me right now, which is disappointing. 

However, I’m doing my best to create a safe, fun environment around books for her, so I’m working every day on not pushing the literature! Instead, we spend plenty of time surrounded by books, all throughout our home at the school library, and the public library. I model reading for her by reading my own books. We also spend a lot of time looking through picture books but not reading them, which is always a win, too. 

Do you have a kiddo that doesn’t love reading whether your own child or in your classroom? How do you help foster a love of reading and an environment of support for them?