The Good Stuff

While I did my best this summer to get rid of the "bad stuff," I also worked hard at creating more "good stuff."

I added Splat & Seymour and Elephant & Piggie to our character wall. 

I'm also creating a green screen with photo booth type props to encourage readers to share their favorite books and projects. I painted the speech/thought bubbles with chalkboard paint so we can write on them. I also painted a large picture frame to use, and the words "love" and some other fun shapes to showoff books. Hoping to get some teachers in to make some fun photos during inservice days.

Also cataloged the Iowa Choice books for all 4 levels. 

Then I spent lots of time reading those books, often on my deck with a glass of tea. 

But, I also read:

• on a train between Iowa and Philadelphia
• at the beach in Atlantic City
• at the Philadelphia Free Library
• in a frying pan in Brandon, Iowa
• at 2 pools and 1 waterpark
• in my car
• in my bed
• in New Jersey
• at 2 different hotels after a wedding and a concert
• at school

and others, I'm sure. 

Overall, I read 10.5 children's choice, 5 teen award, 5 high school award, and 20 goldfinch award books. Plus, a wordless book and a teacher's book club book, and a book I thought was on the teen list, but was actually on it last year. Plus, I'm about 3/4 done with The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller, which is a great read about how to turn kids into readers. I'd say this has been quite the successful reading summer!