Inspiring Readers to Read Across the Genres

In order to encourage my students to read across the genres, I implemented 3 years ago a Read Across America Project - there are 50 different projects that are named after our 50 states - this was a fun way to tie our American History to our Reading projects - however, only one is directly related to a state (New York - read about the Empire State Building).

Student choice, exposing students to actually opening out atlases, cook books, almanacs, comic strips, graphic novels, poetry books, encyclopedias, science experiments, picture books, researching a future career, reading about scientists, biographies, as well as reading novels has opened up so many windows to my students.

Each week students are required to turn in one project.  These project include science experiments, making a paper puppet of a main character, book marks, illustrations, word-searches/puzzles, quizzes, reading poems aloud, writing paragraphs, cooking a recipe for their family, and the list really does go on.

It holds the students accountable in making reading a habit while allowing the students to choose what they want to read.  They are allowed to do 3 projects on one novel - I do want them to complete the novel!

If you are interested in this project, let me know.