Learning to read is such an important part of our first grade curriculum. I have had great success with a take-home book program in my classroom. BRAG (Books Really Are Great) books go home nightly for each child to read at home a few times with parents or siblings. Each student has a book box filled with 7 or 8 leveled books at his/her independent reading level. An independent book should be read with 98% accuracy without much help. There is a pocket in each child's BOAT binder that holds both the BRAG book and an at home reading log. The parents receive an introductory letter about our BRAG book program and how to read with their child at home. This BRAG book piece is part of the 20 minutes that we would like first graders to read five times a week or more. The log is dated for S, M, T, W, TH night reading. If the children read 20 minutes for those nights they meet the 400 minute reading goal that we have set. Many children read well over 600 or 700 minutes a month. A home reading log is on the back of the BRAG book log. This second log is for library books, home books, magazines, etc. This home and school connection really gets the parent actively involved and helping their children learn to read.

I meet with four children a day and conference with them while the rest of the class is at SSR (Self-selected Reading.) In the conference I talk to each child about how their current level seems to them (Easy, Hard, Just Right). I always like to hear from them about how they feel about their books. I can tell a lot from what the children say. The children bring their book box and BOAT   Binder to their conference so I can take a quick look at the parent comment section of their reading logs and tell how many of the books they have read. I usually have between 24-28 students so I get to each child every seven school days or so. That is why they have 7-8 books in their book boxes...so they don't run out before our next meeting time. I also take a quick running record so I can decide about what book level is right for each child.

Generally children spend two weeks or so in each level but that is not always true. Sometimes reading "clicks" and a child moves fast through levels for a bit. Sometimes a child needs a little more time to get letters and sounds down so he/she spends lots of time in a certain level. The levels are not meant to be competitive in fact, children know not to boast about their levels because everyone has special talents and abilities and just because you can read better doesn't mean you are better at math, soccer, drawing, running, etc.

This take home program has been so well received and child's reading takes off with all of the practice they get reading at their independent level. At Guided Reading Time the children are grouped in ever changing flexible groups at their instructional reading level. That should be at about 95% accuaracy so that they encounter tricky words and are able to apply strategies when reading. Since they have my support in a guided group they can have trickier text and still feel successful. It is important that their take home BRAG book is a bit easier so the can read with confidence and fun at home. We want them to go home and "brag" about their newly developing reading skills....thus the name BRAG books for this program!

Teachers always ask me how I get enough books for this program to work. Collect books (mainly readers) from wherever you can: garage sales, library sales, Scholastic points, parent donations, grant writing, etc. It takes a while but you can build a fantastic book collection. I level the books through Scholastic Reading Counts and Fountas and Pinnell's book, Leveled Books for Readers. Once you get used to book levels you can level the books yourself. Try this type of program in your classroom and watch your student SOAR with reading. Best of all they LOVE to read!

Resources for getting started: (Click on book to purchase)