Exploratorium 2012: Keller, Esther

Table #10     The 25 Books You Should Read Before Leaving Middle School

 

Audience:       All          

 

Presenter:       Esther Keller                                                  

                        JHS 278 Marine Park

                        1925 Stuart Street

Brooklyn, NY 11229

Library Web site http://is278library.org

E-mail ekeller3@schools.nyc.gov

 

Description, Goals, Intended Outcomes: 

In collaboration with the literacy and art teacher, we created a bookmark/booklist for the entire school.  Our theme was The 25 Books You Should Read Before Leaving Middle School.  Based on classroom discussions three 8^th grade classes created a list of criteria for books that are a “must read” before graduating 8^th grade.  Using an online form, each student submitted the titles of five books they felt it was imperative to read before graduating 8^th grade.  They also justified their choices in a brief essay.  Students then voted online and we narrowed down the list to 25 books. (We had 2 votes to get the final list). With the collaboration of the art teacher, students designed bookmarks, which were then voted on by students and staff. (We scanned the bookmarks and posted them online.)

 

Before we started the project, the LA teacher wrote up a proposal for Donors Choose. We used Staples as a vendor to double-side, laminate, and cut the bookmarks for us.  Once the project was funded, we went ahead with the project and submitted the final design for printing.

 

Bookmarks were distributed to all students, including incoming 6^th graders at the September orientation.  Some teachers even brought their classes to the library to bookmark the titles.

 

Process to Develop and Implement this Project:

1. Find your collaborating teachers and create a timeline.
2. Choose a theme. This year we’re going with “Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life.” Which is the theme of Scholastic’s Global Literacy Campaign.
3. Find funding for the project.  There are cheaper alternatives to Staples (as we discovered over the summer).  http://gotprint.net printed 2500 2x8 glossy bookmarks (color on 1 side and black and white on the other side) for $60.  The Staples bookmarks were larger, but cost nearly $900.
4. Gather any readings: essays, articles, etc. that can tie in with your theme.  Use that to generate the classroom discussion and develop the criteria for the books that will make it to the booklist.
5. Have students submit their initial picks.  (We had them choose 5 books, but we reconsidered the number for this year and are having students only submit 1 choice.)
6. Have students vote for the book.  (We used Google Forms to embed a vote on our website. This is by no means “secure” or accurate. Some students may have voted more than once.)
7. If necessary, have a second vote.
8. With the art teacher, have students submit designs related to your theme. Choose the best ones or all and scan them and display on your webpage. Create another vote.  We opened this vote up to all the art students, as well as literacy students, and to teachers and administration.
9. Finalize the bookmark and send it to the printer.
10. Distribute it to students, teachers, and administrators.

 

Budget:

This will depend on where you print.  Staples cost nearly $900, but there are cheaper alternatives to Staples (as we discovered over the summer).  http://gotprint.net printed 2500 2x8 glossy bookmarks (color on 1 side and black and white on the other side) for $60.  If you go with the cheaper alternative, consider having the PA budget it.

 

Timeline:

November – Posted project on Donors Choose

December – Project was funded

January – February – Planned details and got bogged down with testing and other projects

March – Rolled out the project

March 11 – Five picks due

March 25 – Final day for 1st booklist vote

March 30th – Final day for bookmark design vote

March 30th - Final day for tie breaker booklist vote

April – Submitted project to be printed

Beginning of May -- Distributed bookmarks and booktalked titles

 

Evidence of Outcomes, Possible Adaptations, Lessons Learned:

This generated a tremendous excitement for reading.  Students still come looking for the booklist and have challenged themselves to read every book on the list.  Teachers have specifically asked to booktalk titles from that list.

 

Common Core State Standard(s) addressed:

R.10. By the end of year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. 

W.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

S.1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

S.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

S.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

 

Information Fluency Continuum (IFC) Skill(s) addressed:

Standard 2:

• Connects to and forms personal meaning from literary and artistic works.
• Responds to the images and feelings engendered by a literary or artistic work. Connects text to personal experiences.
• Discusses, evaluates, and shares great literature.
• Shares reading experiences in variety of ways and formats. Participates in literary discussions and book clubs.
• Creates personal responses to literature using arts and technology.
• Creates original products based on responses to literature.

 

Skill(s) taught:           

• Citing, textual evidence,  Supporting an argument

Assessments:

N/A

Resources Used:

Donors Choose, Google Forms, Google Sites