DeMello 'camp out' day racks up reading minutes
Airplanes and passports littered classrooms across Joseph DeMello Elementary as students participated in “Reading Takes You Places.”
Students at DeMello spent Camp Out Day on Friday, March 18 reading their favorite books, lazing in pajamas, racking up reading minutes and earning prizes.
DeMello has been participating in “Reading Takes You Places,” a nine week reading program. Each class records how may collective minutes students read. After earning 100 reading minutes, students in grades one and two are awarded with an airplane bead that they put on a necklace. After earning so many points and airplanes, the students can earn medals for their participation.
In grades three through five, students are given a reading passport that even has their photo and an about me section. Students fill in continents according to how many minutes they read.
The first graders enjoyed Camp Out Day by shutting off the lights, curling up under a tent and reading “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” by Beverly Cleary with flashlights.
To keep students engaged, teacher Rachael Dyer had the students record and share their perceptions of the story as they read along.
“We’re trying to make a movie in our heads because this is going to be our bridge into being able to read books with less supportive pictures, so into the chapter book realm,” Dyer said.
The second graders in Sara Kolbeck’s class read independently in the comfort of their sleeping bags and pajamas.
Adrianna Riveira, 7, was particularly excited about her book about horses, cuddled up with her toy unicorn.
They also enjoyed singing campfire songs while a YouTube video of a lit fireplace gave the room a homey atmosphere.
The third graders in Melissa Pickering’s “Camp Pickering” huddled around a construction paper fire as they camped out. Kids read and played math games or computer games.
In the hallway there’s a “DeMello Reads” wall with book recommendations from students and guests like Superintendent Bonny Gifford, as well as a wall of “Hot Picks,” which has recommended reading from faculty members.
