Summer Reading 2017 Welcome to our Parent Summer Reading Workshop! Thanks for joining us today. My name is _____, and I will be your host for this event. Children today will be expected to read at a rate unlike ever before in history. So it’s imperative that we give every child the tools necessary to achieve success. We can’t do that alone. As parents, you are your child’s first role model, advocate, and teacher, and we need your help, especially over the summer months. We have some information to share about why summer reading is important, and how we can partner together to keep kids reading over the summer.

Jobs Today 90% of the jobs today require either a TECHNICAL EDUCATION or a 4-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE. The skills required for 90% of the jobs today have changed radically. Children in our elementary schools today must grow up to be readers, writers, and critical thinkers in order to compete for the majority of the jobs available. By helping them develop in their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, we are giving them options for the future. Think about one of the most common questions adults ask kids. What do you want to be when you grow up? Their answers can range from an astronaut to a teacher, from an engineer to an athlete. No matter what their career dream, the best way to help them get there is making sure they learn the skills they need. Whether it’s an astronaut or an athlete, they will need to know how to read, comprehend what they’re reading, and write effectively.

Kids who DO READ tend to gain a month of reading proficiency. Research on Summer Reading Children who DO NOT READ in the summer can lose two to three months of reading skills. Kids who DO READ tend to gain a month of reading proficiency. We all know that as summertime approaches, students look forward to their time off. But there’s one thing children shouldn’t take a break from over the summer – reading. Reading is the most important skill for a child to develop. It is a skill, just like any other that requires a lot of practice. The more kids practice, the better they become, and the greater opportunities they’ll have in life because of it. Summer reading loss or "summer setback" is a big problem for some children. If kids don’t read books over the summer, their reading skills typically decline an average of three months between June and September. And the decline adds up over every summer, every year. 3 3

The Importance of Summer Reading Children who read four or more books over the summer do better on reading tests in the fall.* While the statistics on summer reading loss may seem discouraging, there are answers. Studies suggest that children who read as few as four books over the summer maintain the level of reading skills they achieved during the preceding school year. Students in grades three or higher need to read four to eight books, while kindergarten through second grade students need to read 10 to 12 books over the summer. But, it’s not just about having books; it’s about having the right books — ones they love and are excited to read. Children should have access to books that also match their skill level and interests, which equally encourages independent reading over the summer. Additionally, opportunities to listen to and talk about books they select gives children the chance to engage in conversations about what they read, creating a culture of reading in your home. When the next school year starts, they will already have a head-start!   *Kim, Jimmy. “Summer Reading and the Ethnic Achievement Gap,” The Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (2004). 4 4

Where to find good books: Access to Books Where to find good books: Book Fair/Reading Club School or community library Bookstores Book exchanges Garage sales First, in order for students to succeed in reading, they need access to books they like and fit their reading level. There are many places to find good books for your child over the summer. Here are a few suggestions!

What Kids Want In Books The summer break is a marvelous time for kids who love to read. Freed from assigned school reading, they are able to explore topics and books of their own interest. The Kids and Families Reading Report, conducted by Scholastic, reveals what kids really want in books.   Overwhelmingly, children across all age groups agree that their favorite books—and the ones they are most likely to finish—are the ones they pick out themselves. The study also reports that the majority of kids ages 6–17 (70%) say they want books that “make me laugh.” They also want books that “let me use my imagination” (54%), “tell a made-up story” (48%), “have characters I wish I could be like because they’re smart, strong or brave” (43%), “teach me something new” (43%) and “have a mystery or a problem to solve” (41%).

The Scholastic Summer Challenge Free Website for Parents, Educators, and Kids Kids Join their school team and log their reading minutes online May 8– Sept. 8. Now let’s talk about how we can encourage kids to read! (Share a personal story of having a child that either liked to read independently or didn’t. Then ask participants to share their stories and experiences.) Some of you have children who read by themselves without much encouragement. And some of you have children who, no matter what you try, you can’t get them to pick up a book to read at home. And I bet there are a lot of you who have children somewhere in the middle. The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge is a free website designed to give kids the motivation to read and log their minutes online as part of a school team. It has fun rewards and activities, as well as tools and resources for you!

Our Students Are Going to Take the Challenge! Our school is taking the challenge! We areasking all students to join our school team and Take a Reading Adventure as part of the 2017 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge! We’re going to rally the entire school community and challenge our students to crush our reading minute goal!

Engaging Students Interactive reading minute logs < Online Mobile > The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge website gives kids an interactive reading log where students record the number of minutes they read each day. This web-based challenge invites students to join the school team to try to be the top reading school in our state. Students simply join our school team, choose their books, then log their reading minutes online. They can also track our school’s reading progress throughout the summer. Students get virtual rewards through weekly challenges that motivate them to continue reading over the summer months. Poll: What are some of the ways you’ve motivated your children to read?

Students Love the Summer Reading Challenge! For students who are not always motivated to read outside of school, this challenge helps make reading fun for them. It is a terrific way to keep kids reading all year long!” Samantha St. James, reading specialist, Thornell Road Elementary School, Pittsford, NY How motivating can the Summer Reading Challenge be? Last summer, 250,000 students from 5,154 schools read an astonishing 204,594,918 minutes during the summer break. Plus, each state will have a top reading school. Scholastic will present each top state school with a “Celebration in a Box” that will come complete with items to host a school-wide reading celebration.

Logging in the First Time The first time your child logs in they are asked to complete a short initial set up. Go to scholastic.com/summer In the KIDS box, click the “GO NOW” button and enter their username and password. Follow the steps for the first-time sign-in. Note: If whole school is participating and has enrolled students, omit this slide. Note to presenter: If possible, have an account for a “sample” student available and an online connection to demonstrate the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge website. We’re signing up students and providing each with a username and password. We’ll go to the website and use a test account to demonstrate how to log in for the first time. Go to scholastic.com/summer 1. In the Kids square, click on GO NOW! 2. On the next page, click on the Login button. 3. Screen 1: Type in the screen name (your user name) and password provided by your teacher. Click Go. 4. Screen 2: Use the password your teacher gave you when asked to create a password. 5. Choose a security question to answer and then answer it. Click SUBMIT. 6. Screen 3: Click on Continue. 8. Welcome to your homepage! Click on LOG MY MINUTES to start entering minutes. NOTE: Up until August 1, reading minutes may be entered on the current day, and up to two weeks prior. However, after August 1, students will be able to enter minutes for the whole summer up to the current day. Does anyone have any questions?

Setting a Summer Reading Goal Partner with your child to create a reading goal. Four books for children in grades 3 through 6 at an average of 180 minutes per book = 720 minutes Twenty minutes per day x 5 days a week x 10 weeks = 1,000 minutes Think about a reasonable goal for your child and discuss it with him or her. Complete the My Summer Reading Goal card with your child’s name, grade, and the number of minutes your child commits to reading over the summer months, then place it in a box on the registration table before you leave. Here are two examples of how to estimate a goal: 1. It may take about 180 minutes to complete a novel for a third through sixth grade student. So if a child reads a minimum of four books this summer, that equates to roughly 720 minutes. 2. You can also calculate the number of minutes for your goal by thinking your child will read 20 minutes per day for five days a week. There are approximately 14 weeks between June 1 and the September 6 end date. You could use 10 to 14 weeks, so your child’s reading goal would be between 1,000 and 1,400 minutes.

Key Dates Begin entering minutes into the Summer Reading Challenge! The Summer Reading Challenge officially ends. Last day for students and teachers to retrieve minutes and print out Summer Reading Challenge stats! Here are some key dates to remember: May 8: Kids can begin entering minutes into the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge! September 8: Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge closes at 3 p.m. EST. October 8: IMPORTANT! This is the last day for students and teachers to retrieve minutes and print out Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge reading logs and stats.  

Kick Off Your Summer Reading Make a list of your summer reading goals and books to read as a family. Have your kids sign a Summer Reading Pledge with the number of minutes they plan to read. Visit scholastic.com/summer to easily log reading minutes. Thank you for coming tonight! Help your child set a goal and get off to a good start. As a family, write down your goals and some great books for your personal summer reading list. Don’t get discouraged as the summer begins — life happens! You want to commit but you’re not sure because... Work is busy at the moment Your child is in sports She has camp coming up Your home-life is packed But every minute counts and they add up fast once you get into the reading habit and entering minutes on the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge website, you’ll find it gets easier to do!

“The Summer Reading Challenge has been such an incredible experience — our students have accomplished so much! The beauty of the program is that students are allowed to read whatever they want. They get credit for minutes, not books, which is why we even encourage them to read to younger siblings and together with other family members. But the main success is that students were enthused about reading this summer.” — Frankie Smith, librarian, Williams Intermediate School, Pell City, Alabama Keep books close all summer long — for rainy days, running erands, long car trips, or lounging around the house. Bottom line? It only takes 20 or 30 minutes every day to give your child a head-start for the rest of their lives. Thank you for attending this workshop and partnering with us. Have a great summer and enjoy your time reading together!