March is Reading Month!

I haven't been so great about keeping up with my blog this year! I have lots of neat things to share that have been happening in my Reading Intervention classes. But those are for other posts. Today is about sharing our March is Reading Month activities!

Our theme for Reading Month this year is Read Around the World. We had a kick-off assembly on March 1st with a Mock Rock. One group from each grade level (6-8) was chosen to move on the the finale Mock Rock which will be held on March 28.

Also a part of our March 28 assembly will be a school spelling bee. The students have been studying hard and four winners at each grade will compete against each other to see who the top speller in the building might be.

This year, we are getting kids excited by awarding Spirit Points for the different activities. This is our tally board and kids check it all the time! At the end of the month, the grade level with the most points gets their class engraved on a gigantic trophy.

Each week we start with a video quiz. Because our theme is Read Around the World, we decided to use settings as our focus. Students listen to the clues and then have to guess the setting of the book. Each correct answer earns a Spirit Point. All correct answers are put into a basket and about 40 winners per week are drawn. Winners get to select a book that they donate to a teacher's library (I put a book plate in each book to show by whom it was donated) and a small prize for themselves.

Our 7th grade ELA teacher had the idea for our Where in the World Do You Like to Read? display. Kids are slowly getting their pictures in, and they earn a Spirit Point if they do. Many teachers are helping out with this by taking pictures and getting them developed for the students. We have a great staff!

Our amazing Art Teacher had her middle school art students create posters for Reading Month. Winners of the Poster Contest won Spirit Points for their grade level. Here are a few of the winners:

Two times during the month, students have the opportunity to complete a Setting Quiz during their lunchtime. Completing the quiz earns Spirit Points and winners of the drawing receive prizes. Our first Setting Quiz was places in the United States. Students had to name the landmark and state. How many can you name?

Our second Setting Quiz is international. Students must give the name of the landmark and the country in which it is found. This second quiz will end on Wednesday of this week.

In language arts classes, most students had the opportunity to create Passports. During language arts classes, students are able to read about other places and earn stamps for their reading. These stamps will also count as Spirit Points. Here are some of the 7th grade Passports:

One activity we conduct every year is the Door Decorating Contest. This year, we assigned each grade level a continent and they could choose where in that continent to focus. With the addition of Spirit Points, the Door Decorating Contest was very popular this year! It was so fun to listen to the buzz in the halls as students worked together between classes and during their lunches to create the best door. Below are the winners...it was stiff competition!

This was the 2nd Place door, decorated by 8th graders.

This door, by a 6th grade group, took 1st Place. The dragon's body is an interactive trivia game about China..so creative!

The 7th grade took 3rd Place with this door. I love their use of lights on the Eiffel Tower!

The last week in March will be a biggie for Spirit Points. It is our Spirit Week for Reading Month. Each day is a special dress day and the students can earn points for participating. Monday is Hat Day. Tuesday students can earn points for wearing shirts with place names (settings!). Wednesday is Book Character day and Thursday is Blue and Gold day (I already hear the 8th grades has big plans to dominate Blue and Gold Day!)

So, that's our Reading Month so far. We'd love to hear about activities that are popular at your school!