This year was my first year running a true Reading Workshop. I'd done some of the aspects of Reading Workshop in the past, but never the true experience before this year. I'm obsessed with books, I've always loved to read and I love sharing books with my students, but I know that students value their peers suggestions more than mine at the start of the year (until they realize I actually know what I am talking about.) Because of this I created a Book Recommendation Wall in my classroom.
It is very simple-the students just jot down the title of a book and the author as well as their name on a post-it. They then hang it onto the wall. It is near part of our classroom library, so when students are looking for books they check out the recommendations of their classmates. I enjoyed watching students look at the wall, and then go talk to a peer about their recommendation. Sometimes they were asking for more information about the book, other times they were asking where the book was in our library.
What I will do differently:
Next year I want to give the kids time to talk about the book they are recommending in our share time at the end of Reading Workshop. I found that it was always the same few students adding to the wall-I think if I give them a chance to do a quick class-share the day they put it on the wall it will encourage more kids to add their recommendations too.
What do you do to encourage reading in your classroom? How do your kids share book recommendations with each other?
We do a book walk with all the Read 180 books. Instead of Independent reading the first couple days, they pass the books around the class. They have 5 minutes with each book, and jot down the titles they are interested in. This gives them a list to start off from and gets them excited. But I have to include a more organized way/time for them to talk after they read.
ReplyDeleteI love your book recommendation board! This is such a great way to encourage students to not only share what they've read, but also helps them try out something new! I think I could even do something similar with my little friends, but maybe have us write up the recommendations together as a class! Thanks for the idea. :)
ReplyDeleteAylin
Learning to the Core
Love it! Great idea. I am a fan of anything that involves kids sharing their favorite books.
ReplyDelete~Brandee
Creating Lifelong Learners
I bet you are right about some actually sharing out loud before posting would get some more kids involved. I like the posting area idea.
ReplyDeleteHeather
room 4 imagination
At the end of this year, I had my sixth graders sit in a circle and talk about books. I'd given them a sheet on which they wrote the title and author of the best book they'd read this year and then four places to write books they might want to try this summer. We just took turns - and everyone got a chance to talk. It was so nice that I want to do it again next year, but not just at the end. I'd like to do it for a couple of days every month or two (not sure yet!) That way kids can learn from each other about good books to read.
ReplyDeleteMarion
MentoringintheMiddle
One of my teaching buddies (grade 1/2) has the students share what book they selected from the school library and a little sentence about it before they head back to class. I have seen this in action and they are so excited to share and they all listen to each other - I think it would be great to keep this enthusiasm going in older grades. I have seen a Book Graffiti wall with big sheets of Brown Kraft paper and have always wanted to try that.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea for sharing books and having a visual! I agree that I could see the same kids putting up a majority of the recommendations. Like so many activities, time has to be devoted in class to encourage more participation. I think having the students do a quick class share is a great idea. We gave "book reviews" to the class on favorite books about 4x throughout the year and the students really DO love listening to their peers' recommendations. Thanks for linking up!
ReplyDelete~Holly
Fourth Grade Flipper