40 BOOKS, OUR CHALLENGE!Dear Fourth Grade Families,
My goals for your child this year are simple: fall in love with books, see yourself as a reader, and develop lifelong reading and learning habits. I believe that all students are readers (with varying degrees of readiness and interest). It’s my job to guide their growth in both reading ability and a passion for reading. Research shows that readers are more likely to succeed academically and professionally and contribute more in social and civic pursuits. Additionally, students who spend more time reading far outpace their peers. With this knowledge and aspiration in mind… I invited my students to join me in an impressive goal. Together, we plan to read 40 books each this year. Wow! We’ll be keeping a tally of our reading progress by genre in our reading journals. I’m asking students to broaden their reading scope by reading a specific number of books from various genres (see attached for genre goals). 11 of the 40 books are pure student choice of genre. All 40 books are student self-selected (with help from me only if requested or necessary). Students will have time to read in class every day and will be expected to read at home for 20 minutes nightly. Additional reading is encouraged. Do I require all students to make this goal? Certainly not. Will I post individual progress or set up a competition? Absolutely not. Will there be a prize for reaching 40 books? Only the intrinsic satisfaction that comes from challenging yourself beyond what you think is possible. I invite you to join us in this endeavor! Feel free to print a copy of the genre list (attached) for you and/or other members of your family, and tally your own progress. I look forward to watching all of my students grow and succeed as readers this year! Happy reading! Sincerely, Ms. Hollis |
