Summer Reading Contests and Programs

Yes, she really was reading and stirring!

When I began preparing this post on summer reading contests, I came across an article about the potential negative effects of incentive-based reading programs: A Closer Look at Reading Incentive Programs (click the link to read the article).

I think the article brings up some points that are worth considering. I am still going to post the links to summer reading programs because my children will read this summer regardless of incentives, and I think there are many children who love to read and would have fun with these programs.

As always, use your discretion as to the types of websites you allow your children to visit, the programs themselves, book choices, and whether you think an incentive-based program might be detrimental for your reader(s).

• Scholastic Summer Challenge: Kids ages 7 and up sign up for their school and log their reading minutes. Schools that log the most minutes will be published in the 2011 edition Scholastic Book of World Records. There is a check box for homeschoolers. This is an interactive site, although there are strict privacy rules in place. Kids are placed in groups by book genre interest and can make a profile and interact on message boards, take polls, etc.


• Barnes & Noble Summer Reading: Children in grades 1-6 download a Summer Reading Journal to keep track of the books they read and record their favorite parts. Return the completed form (8 books) to a local Barnes & Noble for a free book by 9/7/10 (books are pre-selected by age and based on local availability).


• Homeschool Buyer's Co-op: You must be a member (free) for your children to participate in this summer reading contest for homeschoolers. Parents log their kids' reading hours, book titles, and optional reviews every day at the Daily Reading Record. The Reading Champions page lists everyone's reading hours, book titles, and reviews, which is nice for kids who are looking for book ideas. Every Tuesday starting on June 8, they will do a drawing for a $15 Amazon gift certificate. In September, they will do a drawing for an Apple iPad. Homeschooled children ages 1 through 18 may participate.


• Book It! Summer Reading: Children who were in grades K-6 during the 2009-2010 school year may fill out an entry form and mail it in after reading 5 books for a chance to win a prize package. Homeschooled students are eligible to participate (I checked via e-mail). Entries must be received by 8/23/10.

Don't forget to check your local libraries, stores, and restaurants. Most libraries offer summer reading programs, and it can't hurt to keep an eye open at other public places you frequent.

Summer Reading Programs and Contests

I like to give my children the opportunity to enter summer reading programs and contests. They all read quite a bit, but it's nice to have a little incentive sometimes. It's a bit late, but here are a few programs that I found this year (As always, check out the sites first to see if you are comfortable with having your children use them.):

• Scholastic Summer Challenge - Kids sign up, take a quiz to get sorted into teams, log minutes read and read for a cause, Save the Children. At the end of the year, the winning reading team gets to choose which Save the Children U.S. program will receive a donation.

• Summer Reading Splash - This reading program is hosted by HomeschoolBlogger and includes Splish's Blog, where children may share their reading lists, enter weekly contests and interact with others. Download the reading log for younger students here and for older students here.

• Barnes & Noble - Children in grades 1-6 download a reading journal to keep track of the books they read and record their favorite parts. Return the completed form (8 books) to a local Barnes & Noble for a free book (books are pre-selected by age and based on local availability).

Don't forget to check your library! All of the libraries around us have summer reading programs with prizes.

Free Writing Webinars

Tapestry of Grace is offering a free 2-hour mini-seminar on teaching your children to write by Marcia Somerville.

I own her Writing Workshop CDs, and I found these workshops to be extremely helpful! Marcia has a baby-step way of explaining how to teach your children to write that makes you feel like you are never behind.
It looks like this webinar is the same as the Writing Workshop that I own, but it is free! You do have to register, and "seating" is limited.

Here are the links to read a summary of each session and register:

Writing Workshop I: June 15, 3:00-4:00 pm (EDT)

Session 1 Registration and Workshop Summary

Session 1 Handout (pdf)

Writing Workshop II: June 15, 8:00-9:00 pm (EDT)

Session 2 Registration and Workshop Summary

Session 2 Handout (pdf)

Click here and go to the "Workshops" tab to keep up on all of the current webinars offered by Tapestry of Grace. You will find several virtual conference workshops available:

• "Teaching with Tapestry of Grace"
• "Introduction to Tapestry of Grace DE (Digital Edition)"
• "Writing Workshop I"
• "Writing Workshop II" (free download available - Windows Media Player needed)
• "The Nearness of God is my Good" (free download available - Windows Media Player needed)
• "Teaching Devotional Techniques to our Kids: a Toolbox Approach"
  

There are several handouts available for the various workshops:
Materials Download Page

These virtual conferences will be going on throughout the summer, so be sure to check back at this link to stay updated!

Enjoy!

Summer Reading

The time for summer reading has already arrived! The Old Schoolhouse is hosting their first Summer Reading Splash, complete with a blog here at HSB where children can enter weekly contests to win - what else? - books, or even a series of books. What could be better? TOS has also provided a helpful list of reading goal-setting ideas.
The Summer Reading Splash began on May 19, continues through July 31, and is open to all ages (even nonreaders). Reading logs and a bookmark are available for download here. By completing a reading log and submitting it to the Schoolhouse Store at the end of the Summer Reading Splash, your child will be able to choose a free E-Book.
Here are links to some other Summer Reading Programs:

Veritas Press (also see their Summer Reading Coupon Book - these are incentive coupons for you to give to your children, not store coupons)
Barnes & Noble
Scholastic Summer Reading Buzz (info at the Teachers and Parents pages)

Don't forget to check your local library; we always enjoy our library's summer reading program.
~Andrea

HomeschoolBlogger Comments
(use scrollbar on right to read)

May. 22, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Jocelyndixon

Oh I saw the TOS email about the summer reading and the blog. It's so cute! lol I hope everything fares (is that the right use?) well with you and your reading this summer!

MJ

May. 23, 2008 - Hi

Posted by Anonymous

Hi, Andrea!
Just stopped in to answer your question about the graphics. I got them from stock xchng.com

I tweaked them a bit by changing the color. Glad you liked them. Have a great weekend! : )

Kysha
http://humblemama.blogspot.com

Guess what?

I won The White Seneca from a Homeschool Minute Newsletter contest! This book will fit in well with our history studies this spring. You can read a review of the book here if you're interested. The sequel, At Seneca Castle, is available as a free download here.

The newest contest in the Contest Central section of The Homeschool Minute is for The Adventure of Missionary Heroism, which also looks wonderful. If you are interested in these monthly contests and you don't already receive The Homeschool Minute, go here to subscribe (scroll down).

Thank you to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for sponsoring this contest!

Homeschool Spanish Support

If you haven't been to Señora B's blog at El Rincón Español and you are teaching, learning or interested in learning Spanish, it's a must see! I am absolutely amazed at the amount of information Señora B shares. Besides an extensive link list and recommended resources, she includes tons of flashcard ideas, grammar helps, cultural information and virtual field trips.

If you haven't seen El Rincón Español, please be sure to check it out and leave a comment. It is becoming a wonderful Spanish resource!

More Top Ten Resources: Literature

Maureen at Trinity Prep School is continuing her top ten homeschooling resources lists, now by category.  This Top Ten List is Literature.  I have to admit that I didn't do much other than narration with literature until I started Tapestry of Grace in February.  Therefore, my list is going to be some of my favorite online sources for public domain books and texts.  I do want to remind you to check these sites out before sending children to them.  Some of them have thousands of books, not all of which will be appropriate for children.

Bibliomania

Classic Reader

University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center

The Baldwin Online Children's Literature Project

The Online Books Page

Project Gutenberg

World Wide School

Bartleby.com

The Free Library

Arthur's Classic Novels

Bonus Free Audiobook Sites
(I know I'm going over 10, but I can't help it!):

LibriVox

AudioBooksForFree

Free Classic Audiobooks

LiteralSystems

Free Christian Audiobooks

If you would like to contribute, post your top 10 online literature resources and link back to Trinity Prep School.  Make sure you post a comment there so that everyone can visit your list.

~Andrea