A+ Ideas from teachers

To help students choose a book to read for BOOK IT!, I developed a "Reading Tree." I went to our library and wrote down the names and authors of some books I thought appropriate on index cards. (You can have five cards for each book if you wish.) On a bulletin board I have a large apple tree - you can use an actual tree branch - and on it I have "pockets" in the shape of apples. I place the index cards with the names of the books and authors in each "pocket." On the back of each index card are the following questions:

(1) Who are the characters in your book?
(2) What is the story about?
(3) Where does it take place?
(4) When does it take place?
(5) Why would you recommend this book to someone?

The students go to the tree, "pick" a book title (index card), go to the library, read the book, answer the questions, and turn in the answers to me. The "book reports" get stapled up on the bulletin board for all to enjoy. When I choose books for the "Reading Tree," I try to include all varieties, i.e., biographies, fantasies, detective stories, etc.
Janine Heagy, Sparr Elementary, Span, FL, Grade 3

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Students will read books recommended by their peers. To foster this, have available in the classroom red, yellow, and green index cards. These cards correspond to the colors in a stop light. A student fills out a green card to tell others to "go" for this book. Yellow means caution, the book was "so-so;" and red means "stop," do not read this book. The front side of the card has the following information written on it: the title and author of the book and the student's name. The back side of the card has the following information written on it and should be filled in according to the color card chosen: A green card should read, "I really liked this book because..." A yellow card should read, "This book was so-so because..." A red card should read, "I did not like this book because..." Have hanging in the classroom a burlap banner covered with silly, comical buttons, such as "Who Needs Skool?" After a student fills in an index card and staples it to the bulletin board, he/she can wear a button for the day.
Kathleen Doherty, Christa McAuliffe School, Tinley Park, IL, Grade 4

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Have students keep literary journals in which they record brief descriptions of books they have read. On the cover staple a sheet of paper with different shapes drawn on it. Each shape should represent a book category. Each time the student completes a book, he/she should color in the corresponding shape. This will encourage a variety of reading experiences. Replace the cover sheets each month. Nancy Murphy, Iroquois School, Rochester, NY, Grade 4

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Take a picture of each student holding his/her favorite book and attach a short summary of the student telling in his/her own words why this book is so special. Laminate and display. Students can read about classmates' selections and expand their knowledge of exciting books to read.
Marcelle J. Smith, Gamewell Elementary, Lenoir, NC, Grade 1