"If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book." -- J.K. Rowling (author of the Harry Potter series)
Did you know…
Reading reduces stress
Keeps our brains engage preventing disease & improves memory
Expands our vocabulary
Improves focus and attention span as compared to online media
Increases the brain’s connectivity in the temporal cortex of the brain
Enhances our critical thinking skills
Le Cunff, Anne-Laure. "The Science-based Benefits of Reading." Ness Labs, 2022, nesslabs.com/reading-benefits. Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.
To achieve not only these benefits but many more, each semester students will conference with their teacher to set a realistic and level appropriate reading point goal.
Reading a variety of materials will help you find the right material for you.
Reading materials may include HHS library books, books from home or the public library, magazines, newspapers, or even manuals. If a student’s chosen reading material does not have a point value in the AR system, the number of points the reading is worth will be assigned by the teacher based on length and reading difficulty.
magazine & short newspaper articles: 1-5 points
informational text: 5-10 points
novels: 5-20 points
* Materials may be in a digital or print format. Also, students should check with their teacher to be sure their reading material is acceptable.
Please bring your independent reading with you every day to English or resource time. You will not have independent reading time every day in English class, but at least weekly.
Please note: Novels assigned in class as part of a unit will NOT count toward reading points.
GRADING: So what’s all this reading worth?
Independent reading will be worth a total of 50 points for the entire semester. At mid-semester, students are expected to have achieved half their point goal (25 points). If students fall short of their goal, they will earn the percentage of what they’ve achieved.
For instance… Let’s say Mr. Weinmann sets a goal for 100 points because he is going to rock it this semester and has chosen to read the entire Harry Potter series. However, he falls a little behind during deer season. He achieves 88 points out of 100. What percentage is 88 points out of 100? Of course, it is 88%. So… he would earn 44 points out of 50.
Assessment opportunities: Ways to share your reading with your teacher.
Book Chats-- Conference with your teacher & chat about your book, article, etc.
Create a character map
Doodle notes
One pagers
Share with the class
Create a video
AR test (must be taken with either your teacher or in the library)
Offer your own idea!
Assessment opportunities will be determined by each individual teacher as appropriate for the course and student level.
"One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time." – Carl Sagan
“Carl Sagan, also known as ‘the astronomer of the people,’ was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, author and researcher. He made crucial contributions in popularizing astronomy to the public. He authored over 600 scientific papers and wrote several books about astronomy and natural sciences.” -- Famous Scientists.org
Click HERE for a PDF of this article.