The latter part of this week, I helped the students set major reading goals for the school year. There are three independent reading goals we will be working toward:

*Reading Counts points (annual goal)
*Third Grade Genre Titles
*Third Grade Buccaneer Books (also called Rockets)

Both the genre list and the Buc Book list are new to third graders this year, and since there was so much information to share with the students, I wanted to let you know what to expect.

The third grade genre list is composed of 24 book titles, divided by genre. Included genres are; Informational, Biography/Autobiography, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Poetry, and Mysteries. Children are required to read one title from each genre, but encouraged to read multiple titles if the books spark their interest. Within each genre, there are three book titles available, ranging in difficulty level.

After giving the children a brief overview of the books in each genre, I offered them the chance to start checking them out. In addition to what copies the library may have, I have two copies of each title available in our classroom. The goal of the third grade teachers is to expose the children to a variety of genres, hopefully giving them the opportunity to find enjoyment in a style of writing they'd never read before.

The third grade "Rockets" list has 15 books on it, and you can find a link to the titles here. The children were asked to set a goal for how many of the 15 each of them would read before May. I believe many of these books would be of great interest to the students!

Luckily, while working toward reading the required books from the genre list and the Buc Book list, your child will simultaneously be earning Reading Counts points!

Although I would love for each child to earn many points this year, I don't want it to come at the expense of the love of reading. We are setting goals to encourage the students to read from a variety of genres, develop their love of reading, and feel good about their accomplishments. I told the students that reading a great book is far more rewarding for me than earning points...and that they shouldn't even ask me how many points a book is worth because I won't know! I hope you'll guide your children toward reaching their goals, but put most of your focus on developing their love of reading.

Setting worthwhile and achievable goals is a learned and beneficial practice. Today you'll find the first monthly reading goal sheet in your child's backpack. After reviewing each child's annual goal individually, we selected both a monthly and weekly goal to help keep everyone on track. You are encouraged to go over this form with your child, sign, and return it to me on Tuesday. I will continue to check on your child's progress as the weeks go by to ensure everyone reaches their goals.

It is also important that children know how to find a "just right" book. They should select novels that are challenging, but not too hard, very interesting, and fun to read. We talked about the five finger test, which you can read about here. I've also found a couple of websites that offer suggestions for both parents and children.

How to Help Your Child Find a Good Book
Help Me Find a Book!

Have a wonderful three day weekend (hopefully filled with reading)!