March Madness Reading Program The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that students who said they read for fun almost every day had higher average reading scores in 2004 than those who said that they never or hardly ever read for fun. But between 1984 and 2004, NAEP says the number of 17 year olds reporting they never or hardly ever read for fun rose from 9% to 19%, while the percentage who read daily dropped from 31% to 22%. (Wiehardt, 2011) Goal: All students will actively participate in the March Madness reading program to promote reading for enjoyment and daily reading. School Mission Statement: The mission of Langley High School is to provide a challenging and enriching academic environment that inspires students to develop the skills necessary to become ethical and productive citizens. Life Long Learning (Core Value): We believe every student has the ability to meet the high expectations set out by teachers and community. We believe in teaching students the value of continuous learning for the sake of learning. We believe every individual can achieve happiness through learning. Rationale of Goal: One of Langley s core values is to teach students the value of continuous learning for the sake of learning. Implementing a reading program that encourages students to read for enjoyment of topics/genres that interest them will instill this value. Objective: The librarians will collaborate with English teachers to create pre/post student surveys, implement the March Madness reading program, and analyze the effectiveness of the reading program to promote reading for enjoyment and daily reading within the study body. Target Groups: Students, teachers, and administration Program Description March Madness Reading Program: Students will participate in a March Madness reading program to promote reading for enjoyment and daily reading. Starting in December, librarians and English teachers will collaborate to create a pre assessment survey that all students will take in their English class either in the classroom or the library. The survey will ask questions about students reading habits. After the survey, the March Madness bracket will be released. The March Madness reading bracket will contain 16 young adult fiction novels. Students will be able to read the novels within the bracket independently or in their English classes. Advertisements promoting the March Madness Reading Program, located around the school, will include QR codes to book trailers of books in the bracket. Students may submit their predictions of a completed bracket before the tournaments begin. All students and staff members have the option of participating. The first Monday of March will mark the beginning of the book tournament. Every day, two books will compete against each other and students may vote on their favorite novel during the day. Results will be revealed the next morning of the competition. A total of 14 tournaments will be held and the final favorite book with be revealed on the last day of the competition. The librarian will share the bracket winner as well. After the March Madness reading competition, the librarians and English teachers will create a post assessment survey for
students to take in their English class. Librarians and English teachers will analyze and compare pre and post student survey results to determine the effectiveness of the reading program. Where: The March Madness reading program will mainly take place in the library and English classrooms. Advertisements will be located within classrooms, hallways and the library. Voting ballots and ballot boxes will be located within central locations in the school and in the library. When: November: Librarians and English teachers collaborate to create a student pre assessment survey December: Administer student pre assessment surveys December: Release the March Madness reading bracket with the 16 YA novels March: Begin the book tournament! (i.e. March 2 nd, 2015-March 19 th 2015) March: Announcement of the final book winner and student bracket winner March: Librarians and English teachers collaborate to create student post assessment survey April: Administer student post assessment surveys April: Librarians and English teachers analyze pre and post survey results Who: Librarians will lead the March Madness reading program and will collaborate with English teachers. Librarians will manage all of the tournament administration details (i.e. creating advertisements, counting ballots, communicating with students and staff about the updated bracket). Librarians and English teachers will collaborate to create and analyze student survey results. The student body and staff will participate in the March Madness reading program. Program Implementation: Prior to introducing the March Madness reading program to the student body, librarians and English teachers will meet to discuss and create an introductory lesson introducing this program to the students. The librarians will offer to co-teach with English teachers in the classroom or the library describing what the program is and how students can participate. The library website will also include details and updated results of the book tournament. Publicizing: Introductory lessons in English classes and library Posters of tournament novels with QR codes to their book trailers School-wide announcements revealing the tournament winners The library website will have a description of the March Madness reading program and results of the tournament Evaluation: The effectiveness of the March Madness reading program will be determined by the students pre and post assessment survey results. The surveys will ask students questions about their reading habits (i.e. reading for enjoyment, daily reading routines).
March Madness Book Tournament Read Looking for Alaska and vote if you want it make it past the first round of books! **Looking for Alaska Book Trailer** Visit the library to cast your vote for your favorite books in the March Madness book tournament!!
March Madness Book Tournament Will a classic favorite, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone, win it all? **Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone Book Trailer** Visit the library to cast your vote for your favorite books in the March Madness book tournament!!
Pre March Madness Survey Name: Grade: 1. Do you read books for fun (i.e. not for school assignments)? 2. About how many minutes a week do you spend reading for enjoyment? minutes 3. I am motivated by a desire to learn. 4. I would like more free time during the week to read books for fun. 5. I can list 5 of my favorite book titles. 6. I enjoy reading and am excited to read books I select on my own.
Post March Madness Survey Name: Grade: 1. Do you read books for fun (i.e. not for school assignments)? 2. About how many minutes a week do you spend reading for enjoyment? minutes 3. I am motivated by a desire to learn. 4. I would like more free time during the week to read books for fun. 5. I can list 5 of my favorite book titles. 6. I enjoy reading and am excited to read books I select on my own. 7. Did you participate in the March Madness book tournament? 8. Did the March Madness book tournament help you independently select a book to read? Why or why not?
March Madness Reading Program The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that students who said they read for fun almost every day had higher average reading scores in 2004 than those who said that they never or hardly ever read for fun. But between 1984 and 2004, NAEP says the number of 17 year olds reporting they never or hardly ever read for fun rose from 9% to 19%, while the percentage who read daily dropped from 31% to 22%. (Wiehardt, 2011) Program Description March Madness Reading Program: Students will participate in a March Madness reading program to promote reading for enjoyment and daily reading. Starting in December, librarians and English teachers will collaborate to create a pre assessment survey that all students will take in their English class either in the classroom or the library. The survey will ask questions about students reading habits. After the survey, the March Madness bracket will be released. The March Madness reading bracket will contain 16 young adult fiction novels. Students will be able to read the novels within the bracket independently or in their English classes. Advertisements promoting the March Madness Reading Program, located around the school, will include QR codes to book trailers of books in the bracket. Students may submit their predictions of a completed bracket before the tournaments begin. All students and staff members have the option of participating. The first Monday of March will mark the beginning of the book tournament. Every day, two books will compete against each other and students may vote on their favorite novel during the day. Results will be revealed the next morning of the competition. A total of 14 tournaments will be held and the final favorite book with be revealed on the last day of the competition. The librarian will share the bracket winner as well. After the March Madness reading competition, the librarians and English teachers will create a post assessment survey for students to take in their English class. Librarians and English teachers will analyze and compare pre and post student survey results to determine the effectiveness of the reading program.
Works Cited Wiehardt, G. (2011). Realistic Ideas to Get Teens Reading. Scholastic. Retrieved July 24, 2014, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/realisticideas-get-teens-reading