TO:All WCSD Fifth Grade Teachers
FROM:The DIXIE READS Committee & St. George RoadRunner Baseball Team
DATE:August 24, 2009
RE:RoadRunner Reading Rally
What is DIXIE READS?
DIXIE READS is a community-wide project sponsored through Washington County School District, highlighting the importance and enjoyment of reading.
What is the DIXIE READS sponsored RoadRunner Reading Rally?
The rally is a joint commitment between the DIXIE READS committee and the St. George RoadRunner ball team to foster reading for fun and enjoyment. The RoadRunner Reading Rally is a new part of DIXIE READS specifically for fifth grade students. Everyone knows that the more students read, the better readers they become. The RoadRunner Reading Rally goal is to motivate and engage students as readers through participation in reading 10 books chosen for their appeal to fifth grade readers.
In early May of 2010, students who choose to will participate in a rally (similar to a spelling or geography bee) competing to answer questions related to the 10 books.
Does the entire grade level have to participate?
Participation can be by individual classroom, individual fifth grade students or by the entire grade level.
What do I, as a fifth grade teacher, need to do if I choose to have my students participate in the RoadRunner Reading Rally?
Sign the RoadRunner Reading Rally commitment sheet that states that you will support the students’ efforts to read the books through availability and reading time at school and/or home.
Who will provide my fifth grade students with access to the 10 books?
Five of the ten books chosen for this year’s RoadRunner Reading Rally are the 2010 Beehive Award nominee books and are available in your school’s media center. DIXIE READS will also provide copies of the Beehive titles. The five other books will also be distributed to the schools/classrooms choosing to participate. Media aides will be asked to provide shelf space for the five titles chosen by the DIXIE READS committee along with the Beehive nominees. Only fifth grade students will be eligible to check out books provided by the DIXIE READS committee. *See attached complete reading list.
What are some of the ways teachers might help students achieve the 10 book reading goal?
- Providing time within the school day for sustained silent reading
- Choosing selected titles for Book & Breakfast, Lunch Buddies, etc.
- Choosing to read aloud a title(s) from the list of 10
- Encouraging reading as part of a student’s homework
- Encouraging fluent, motivated readers to tape record a book for which other students can listen while they read the book
- Providing buddy reading time
Who will write the questions used in the rally competition?
The DIXIE READS committee will manage the writing and collecting of the questions. Students will also be encouraged to contribute to the rally by submitting questions for the book(s) they read. A question writing format will be distributed to each fifth grade classroom teacher who chooses to participate.
What tool(s) for students recording books read will DIXIE READS provide participating students?
The list of books will be provided on a RoadRunner Reading Rally bookmark and also in a full-size binder sheet.
Who will conduct the actual RoadRunner Reading Rally competition?
Ball players from the St. George RoadRunner ball team will be the competition announcers. If an entire grade level chooses to participate, depending upon the number of students, the DIXIE READS committee may choose to have a run-off competition first at the classroom level and before the main fifth grade event at the school.
What incentives other than the fun of reading good books and writing questions for the rally will the DIXIE READS committee and the St. George RoadRunners provide for students who choose to enter the rally competition?
Incentives may include books, RoadRunner ball team t-shirts and hats, free tickets to a 2010 RoadRunner ball game, the opportunity for each RoadRunner Reading Rally winner from each participating school to throw the first pitch at DIXIE READS Night at the ball game.
How is the DIXIE READS RoadRunner Reading Rally funded?
DIXIE READS has been fortunate to have two grants, Qwest and Eccles, and the commitment from school principals to utilize each school’s Foundation for Students in Washington County School District accounts which has helped fund the various components of DIXIE READS including 4th & 5th grade read aloud books, Principal Book of the Month, etc. The DIXIE READS committee is asking each participating school to donate $10 toward the cost of the books per participating fifth grade classroom.
The DIXIE READS RoadRunner Reading Rally Book List
Washington County School District
Contact: Sue Wilson – 862-9617
e-mail – swilson@admin.washk12.org
Historical Fiction – A. LaFaye Worth (DIXIE READS choice)
Baseball – Lyman Hafen In the Midst of Winter (DIXIE READS choice)
Science Fiction – Margaret Peterson Haddix Among the Hidden (DIXIE READS choice)
Realistic Fiction – Cynthia Lord Rules (DIXIE READS choice)
Graphic Novel – Jennifer Holm Babymouse, Queen of the World 1 (DIXIE READS choice)
Baseball – Mike Lupica The Big Field (2010 Beehive Nominee)
Fantasy – Sarah Prineas The Magic Thief (2010 Beehive Nominee)
True Story – Graham Salisbury Night of the Howling Dogs (2010 Beehive Nominee)
True Story – Joan M. Wolf Someone Named Eva (2010 Beehive Nominee)
Fantasy – Trenton Lee Stewart The Mysterious Benedict Society (2010 Beehive Nominee)