The Great Genre Challenge   Nonfiction books should be at least 25+ 

pages and should be at a 3rd - 6th+ grade level. 

Reading Project  For example, “Cats” Level 2 National Geographic 
Sept. 2020 - May 2021  Readers would NOT count, but “Cats” DK 
Eyewitness Books would. ​Remember the goal is to 
BUILD YOURSELF into a LIFELONG Reader, and 
choose books that are in your “just right” zone.  
 
How do I prove that I read a book? 
There are 2 forms for you to do to show you 
have finished a book. The first is a Google Form that 
 
we call the “Basketball Form” (it has a basketball 
30 MIN. of READING = your daily HOMEWORK! 
at the top) with a 3-5 sentence summary and 1-2 
 
sentences of main idea 
What is this project for? 
/ theme. This can 
To make you a lifelong reader! And to help 
usually be finished in 
you try LOTS of different kinds of books (genres). 
4-8 minutes. The 
Unlike in elementary school, you will be asked to 
second is even quicker: 
choose many different types of texts, like the ones 
just type the title & 
listed below. I think you will even find some that 
author of the book into 
you LIKE in these new-to-you genres. 
the “Colorful genre form” so you can personally 
 
keep track of what you’ve read. 
Can I still read books I want to read, though? 
 
Yes. ⅕ of the project are books of your 
How will I be graded on this project? 
choice! You also get to choose WHICH books in the 
Mrs. Baker sets mini-goals for you to meet 
genres. Studies show that students who get hooked 
each week or month on the Homework page. Once a 
on a series of books have a 62% higher chance of 
month, she will give you points in the gradebook for 
reading regularly as an adult.  
reading books and completing the ‘Basketball’ and 
 
‘Colorful Genre’ forms. If there are 3 ‘reading 
What counts as a book? 
weeks’ in September, and 
That depends on which kind it is. Fictional 
you finished 2 books, you 
genres should be at least 100 pages (with a few 
would get a score of 2/3. 
exceptions that we discussed in class, like the I 
The months build up on 
Survived series.) We also use the “quarter rule.” If 
each other, so by October, 
your book has 25 (250 pages), it counts for 2 
you need 3 from Sept. + 4 
spots. If it is 50 (500 pages), it can count for 3 
from Oct = 7 total, and so 
spots, etc.  
on. 
   
What if it’s taking me more than 2 weeks to finish a  Why do I have a Daily Reading Log AND a Great 
book?  Genre Challenge log? 
That happens sometimes; we call it your  So we can keep you on track. If we see that 
reading fluency. What you need to do is to find an  you are stuck, we can help. It also reminds you to do 
adult (or an audiobook) to read the text TO YOU as  30 minutes of DAILY READING for homework. ​You 
you watch the words. ​The reason you should “go  only have to do the Daily Reading Log ONE time a 
faster to finish” is​ because after 2 weeks, you will  day, at least 4-5 times per week (at school, or  
forget what a character is like ​in the beginning​ by  home + school added together in the evening.)  
the time you finally ​get to the end​. That change is   
KEY for our big idea in 5th grade: T​ HEME​! More  When is this project due? I heard there was a 
than 2 weeks for a 100 - 250 page book is pushing  party? 
the limit of your brain’s ability at your age.  Your Great Genre Challenge project is due 
  the end of Memorial Day weekend - May 31, 2021. 
Where do I find  It will be a big part of your final grade in English 
audiobooks to help me?   Language Arts (ELA) this year. ​ If you achieve the 
Seeing + Hearing =  goal of at least 25 books across the genres, you can 
Understanding  choose a fun activity or treat to do in celebration of 
You can find audiobooks on White Pines’ library  your accomplishment! 
Destiny system. (See other note for directions.) The   
GH or SL library has CD’s and Playaways in-person,  *FICTION GENRES*  *NONFICTION GENRES* 
or you can download the programs Libby, OverDrive,  3 Realistic Fiction  3 History / Social Studies NF 
or Hoopla. You use your public library card number 
2 Historical Fiction  3 Science NF 
to access them FOR FREE. Epic, NewsELA, 
ReadWorks, and Audible through Amazon. You can  2 Poetry Anthologies OR 7-10  2 (Auto) Biography / Memoir 
Short Poetry (picture) books 
also get on YouTube and find teachers or authors 
1 Traditional Literature /  1 Geography / Culture / Travel 
reading books aloud.  Mythology / Classic 
 
3 Fantasy / Science Fiction  1 Environment / Nature 
What if a book is offensive to me or I find it 
inappropriate?  2 Adventure / Survival OR  (optional) 1 Background 
Mystery  Knowledge / Facts / 
As you are at a middle / intermediate  Encyclopedia / Almanac 
school, the books start to include some mature  1 Graphic Novel  (optional) 10 Picture Books, 
language and difficult topics, because those are  Websites (10+ longreads) or 
10 NewsELA articles 
real-life issues that come up. If a book is bothering 
you for any reason, you can abandon it immediately  1 Sports OR Animals   

and start something else. You are in total control of  (optional) 1 Humor / Illustrated  *YOUR CHOICE* 
Novel  5 of Your Choice - Chapter 
each book you read. 
Books