Chapter 2: Wild Readers Self-Select Reading Material

Hey Y’all!

We are continuing the awesome book study of Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller.
If you haven’t picked up a copy, it is a MUST.

I love everything this woman stands for and I absorbed so much while reading her book!

Let me just say, I LOVE read alouds in every way possible. It is my favorite way to introduce different language/reading skills.

When books are read together, the entire class connects as the characters journey unfolds. It is a great way for us to reference a character trait or reading skill and have the entire class have the same connection.

I read a few historical fiction books aloud to my class (which remained untouched at first), the kids were so enthralled with these children and adults that accomplished so much that I found them diving into the cob web infested book bin after I read this genre. It was great to get my kids away from typical fantasy books.

Miller explains that you don’t have to read the entire book. She writes, “Frequently I read the first chapter, article, or poem from a book and place it on the whiteboard rail. The book rarely lasts until the end of the day before an eager reader claims it”.

Throughout the year I receive numerous free books from scholastic and when books come I either have a lot of children wanting to read the books, or none at all.

The every so creative Donalyn Miller has a remedy for that…Book Drawings.

In order to increase interest AND introduce new books, Miller presents each new book with a book commercial (this means that she gives a brief preview of the books content and her personal experience with the book along with connections to other books).

THEN, she asks her students to record the book Title on their, “Books to Read” list.
After that, they write their names and book title on 1/4 of an index card.
Miller draws names for who get the chance for the book next. The fact that it’s a drawing just entices more children to enter regardless of whether they wanted to read the book in the first place or not.

Miller compares it to economics. It has nothing to do with the book itself, what happens when the supply is low, demand goes UP! You are a smart woman 😉

In order to be fair Miller allocated some rules:
1. You must be present to win
2. You may not have more than one book from a drawing at a time.
3. You have one week to finish the book.
4. You must return books offered in drawings to Mrs. ______.

Student’s in Miller’s class have Reading notebooks, and in it they document every book they read. These reading lists in the beginning of the year serve as an accountability tool.

This would’ve been SO GREAT for me to be able to spot my children that were going to need that extra push and help to generate a love of books.

On this sheet title and author name are listed align with, genre, date start/finished, and star rating.

Also, have you entered in the awesome giveaway celebrating Sarah fro FramptonsFundamentals?
Click the picture below to enter!