Online Book Club

The goal of this project is to encourage students to read and to think critically about what they are reading. This project will encourage students to read a variety of texts from a variety of literature genres. Students will not only be increasing their love of reading, but will also be developing critical thinking skills and social skills. This project is currently open to third grade students who attend Forest Ridge. Every month these students are asked to complete a book report. This project is to completed at home; however, there are some students who do not complete the reports. The goals of this project is to motivate all students to complete monthly book reports.
Outcomes: At the end of the project,

Curriculum Activity Structure Similar Projects Public Service Announcement/
Interest Plan		 Communication Closure Contact

Curriculum Related Goals

This project aligns with numerous goals and objectives of the Howard County Essential Curriculum.

Back to the Top

Activity Structure

In September, third students at Forest Ridge will be informed about the book club. An informational sheet will be sent home. This sheet will contain the url to the blog. Parents will need to visit the blog and register their child via an email to me. Due to the structure of the activity, parents will need to provide time at home for students to complete work, or allow their child to spend recess time and before/after school time working in the tech classroom. Registration for the first session will be open until September 30. I will send confirmation emails to participants who successfully register.
In January, registration will open again for session 2. All students already involved will remain registered. This session of the book club will also be open to Third grade students who attend the four Howard County Public Elementary Schools that are located within a five mile radius of Forest Ridge.
Each month students will need to visit the Book Club Blog to read their next project/assignment. Each project will align with the book report assigned to the entire third grade. Click here for more details.

Visit the Book Club Blog

Back to the Top

Review of Similar Projects
Title: The VIPER Club: An Internet Reading Project
  • Coordinator: Joni Turville
  • Description: Students read at home and keep a record of the number of minutes they read for that month. Students submit the number of minutes to their teacher at the end of the month, with a parent signature. The teacher then gets the average per-student reading time and submits it to the coordinator. The coordinator then posts the information on the projectÕs web page. This project is not current; it was completed in 2002/2003.
Title: Book Raps
  • Coordinator: oz-Teachers ( a non-profit community service managed at the Queensland University of Technology in Austrailia)
  • Description: A Book Rap is a guided discussion where individuals or groups can respond to a question or comment about a book. The ÒRapsÓ ate coordinated by classroom teachers. Oz-Teachers will set up closed email lists or forum for the group.
Title: Book BackChat
  • Coordinator: Numerous, Anne Girven is contact to become a coordinator
  • Description: Based on the Book Rap project, Book BackChat involves mostly New Zealand schools (schools from other countries are welcome). Books are chosen for a variety of levels. Each term at least 4 books are chosen and classes/students register for the book discussion they want to join. Then the coordinator posts questions and each class/student posts their responses. This is a current project. More Info

Back to the Top
Public Announcement and Interest Plan

In September the third grade teachers meet with the students as a team to discuss their monthly book reports. I will attend that meeting. I will show the students a PowerPoint Presentation that explains the on-line book club. The Presentation will include examples of logs, podcasts, comic strips created using ComicLife, and an e-book.
The project will open up to four additional schools to participate and register in January. The current participants will remain in the club. They will be responsible for advertising for the new members. Students will write a script and create a commercial for the club. I will then send the video via email to the third grade teachers at those four schools(Bollman Bridge, Gorman Crossing, Hammond, and Laurel Woods). I will also detail teacher roles and responsibilities.

Students who express interest need to obtain parental permission. To ensure parents are aware of the expectations and objectives of the club, parents must send me an email. The email must include their child's name, and software and internet access the child has outside of school. All interested students who register will be able to participate. Students who consistently do not complete the work, even after three warning, will be asked the leave the club

In January, registration will open again. Register will come to directly to me. I will forward the emails to the home school and to inform the teachers who is registered from their school. again, any student who registers and attends one of the participating schools is allowed to join.

 Back to the Top
Communication

Communication is vital to this project. Students will communicate with me via email and in person. Students will also use blogs, wikis, and podcasts to communicate. Students will be able to email each other and discuss their projects face-to-face. Students will use blogs for online book discussions. As the students become more familiar with typing, through classroom instruction of Type to Learn, wikis can be created for students to discuss their plans and next steps. Other software students will use to express their thoughts: Pixie, ComicLife, PowerPoint.

 Back to the Top

Closure

The students will end the year with two blog posts. One will be their favorite book that they read and why it is their favorite, and two a brief description of what they learned in the book club and if they would do it again.

Book Club Dinner and Desserts @ FRES

  • All members and their families will be invited to a dinner at Forest Ridge at the end of the month.
  • Each students/group of students will choose their favorite project to share with all attendees. (Similar to an Authors' Tea)
  • This will allow all the members to meet face-to-face and for parents to see all the students accomplishments.
 Back to the Top

Contact information