2010 Required Summer Reading

Program

Barbara Mehlman
October 8, 2009
Overview

 Why a Summer Reading Program?

 Components of White Plains High School
Summer Reading Program
 What is the Summer Book Blog?
 Why a Book Blog?
 Our Summer Reading Brochure
 Conclusion
Why a Summer Reading Program?

 Research shows that children who continue to read

during summer vacation perform better in the fall.
New York State Department of Education
 Reading comprehension and vocabulary scores increased
 Spelling and grammar improved

– Outstanding high school writers reported extensive summer

reading
– Summer losses in achievement are “the major reason” for
the academic gap between low and high income children.
U.S. Department of Education
Components of the White Plains High
School Summer Reading Program

 All incoming students must read two books from our

required booklist
– Required books are listed on brochure and range from
classics, ie. The Hobbit, to It’s Not About the Bike by Lance
Armstrong
– Nonfiction, fiction, male and female authors with diverse
voices: Pete Hamill, Jamaica Kincaid, Esmeralda Santiago
 Books available at White Plains Library and School
Media Center, as well as local booksellers
 Students choose between two written assignments in
the fall or one written assignment and participation in
the book blog
What is the Summer Book Blog?

 Students discuss books in small groups on-line

during the summer
 High school language arts teachers act as site
moderators
 Students sign up for a blog at the SLMC based
on genre
 Students may discuss books from (i) the
required reading list; (ii) the suggested book
blog reading list on our SLMC homepage or (iii)
other summer reading
 Why a book blog?

 Blogs are interactive personal journals viewed on-

line. Invite reader response, but prohibit readers
from editing prior entries
 Terrific educational tool because blogs increase
verbal, visual and digital literacy. (Huffaker, 2006)
Teacher directed reading and writing exercise
increases technological proficiency.
 Research shows teens are the largest blog audience
– expect our kids to be excited to use this technology
tool this summer. Pew Internet and American Life Project
Our Summer Reading Brochure

 Publicizes our summer reading program in a concise

attractive format
– past – website listed books only
 Answers students and parents questions
 Will there be a test?
 How many books must I read?
 What are the books?
 Where do I get the books?
 What is the summer book blog?
 Where can I find out more information?
Conclusion

 Information already posted on SMC page

 Brochures distributed to all students in May
 Questions?
Resources
 Huffaker, D.A. (2006) Let them blog: Using weblogs to advance
literacy in the K-12 classroom. In L.T.W. Hin & R.
Subramaniam (Eds.), Literacy in technology at the K-12 Level
(chap. XIX). Hershey, PA: Idea Group, Inc..
 Pew Internet and Life Study as cited in McPherson, K. (2006,
June). School library blogging. Teacher Librarian, 33(5) 67-69.
 “2010 New York Statewide Summer Reading Program:
Research/Promoting Literacy” New York State Library.
NYSED.gov. 5 Oct 2009 http://
www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/research.htm