My number one goal with reading is that my students leave my classroom with a greater love for books than when they came in.  One way of accomplishing this is to make sure they are reading consistently throughout the year.  To do this, I require my students to complete a monthly Reading Log.  They must read for at least 30 minutes, 5 nights a week and record what they have read.  I also require that they earn at least 25 Reading Counts points each grading period.  Students may currently take these tests in the Media Center and will soon be able to take them on their Apple laptops.

The other way that I foster a love of reading is through the use of highly-engaging novels for whole group and small group reading.  My students will be reaing the following novels this year.

Fifth Grade

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone

This is a highly accurate portrayal of the English settlement at Jamestown.  Students can relate to the story because it is told from the perspective of Captain John Smith's young page, Samuel.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

This novel, set in Central Florida, follows Paul Fisher, a middle school soccer player, as he adjusts to life in a new town.  As he learns more about the town and his new friends, he also begins to learn more about his own past.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Thirteen-year-old Brian must survive in the Canadian wilderness after his small plane crashes.  Will he be rescued before winter sets in?

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Previously homeschooled, Stargirl enrolls in a public high school.  She is very different from her new classmates.  How will they react?

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

Finn and the other digital hosts must protect Disney's Magic Kingdom from the evil Overtakers by secretly entring the park at night.

Fourth Grade

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman

A string of seven tornadoes struck Grand Island, Nebraska on June 3, 1980.  This novel is a fictional account of that night, from the perspective of twelve-year-old Dan Hatch.

Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

Twelve-year-old Matt must stay alone in a cabin in the Maine woods while his father moves the rest of his family.  Matt befriends Attean, the son of a Native American chief, who teaches him to survive in the wilderness.  After many months, Matt's father does not return and Matt is faced with a difficult choice.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Native girl Karana must survive alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins for several years after her family leaves the island.  While she waits for a boat to rescue her, she must make a shelter, find food, and defend herself from wild dogs.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Samuel Westing has left behind two hundred million dollars in his will.  In order to recieve the money, one of his sixteen heirs must find the answer to the Westing Game.  Using the clues, as well as what they learn about the characters, can the reader find the answer before the lucky heir?

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Winnie Foster encounters the Tucks, a family blessed (or doomed) with eternal life.  A mysterious stranger arrives, hoping to expoit the Tucks' secret for financial gain.  What will happen to the family?