Exposing Students to New Books of Interest: 4 Things I Do Throughout the Year

Over the years I've built up my classroom library from just two bookshelves to over 1,600 books. A bigger classroom library means more books for students to choose from, but it can also make it difficult for students to select a book they are interested in.⁠ 

At the start of the school year, I spend a considerable amount of time making sure students understand the different genres that I use to organize my classroom library and where to find those genres (and additional formats like graphic novels, verse novels, manga, and short story collections). But having students understand which genres they are interested in is just the beginning of helping them to find books they want to read.

To expose students to books in our classroom library and help them build a TBR (to be read) list throughout the year, here's four things I do routinely.

The 5 Focus Areas for my March Madness Poetry Tournament

Hosting a March Madness Poetry Tournament is one way I liven up what could otherwise be a blah month. The weather is still crummy and Spring Break seems far off.⁠

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But even more importantly, this intense focus on poetry builds my students' comfort levels with reading and understanding poetry while also providing an opportunity to review learning from earlier in the year.⁠

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As we progress through the tournament, here’s the terms and skills  I focus on.