Reading over the summer is not only fun, but also crucial for strengthening students' literacy skills and preventing the "Summer Slide".
The American Library Association cites the following benefits to readers in a summer reading program:
- Encouragement that reading become a lifelong habit
- Reluctant readers can be drawn in by the activities
- Reading over the summer helps children keep their skills up
- The program can generate interest in the library and books
- The program can just be good fun and provide an opportunity for family time
DCSD's District Library Media Center
Join the DLMC this summer for our 1st annual summer reading program! Reading is an Adventure is open to all DCSD Students and Staff.
Participants must complete the Google Form (below) using their DCSD email or submit a reading log (below) to your school librarian by August 12, 2024. If your school does not have a librarian, please email your completed reading log to dlmc-questions@dcsdk12.org.
Summer Reading Contest Rules:
Submission must include DCSD email address
One entry per person
Entries must be received by end of school day on August 12, 2024
Required - minimum of 500 minutes (20 mins per day) between May 24 and August 12, 2024
All reading counts! Books, eBooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, comics, magazines, etc. Sora is a great place to read on the go!
Student Grand Prize - Kindle
Student Prizes - New books, gift cards, stickers, certificates
Staff Prizes - Summer reading swag
Flyer - includes book suggestions for every grade level
Online Form
Elementary Student: Reading Log
Secondary Student: Reading Log
Adult/Teacher: Reading Log
- Allow children to choose books and reading material. Giving your child the freedom to choose their own books will help them to find ones that are of interest to them and encourage reading for pleasure. Regularly visit libraries for your children to pick out new books.
- Make it a part of your routine. Making time for reading in your everyday life will make it feel more natural and habitual. Schedule a specific time during the day when your child is expected to engage in reading.
- Praise and give attention for reading but be careful about material rewards. Research finds that offering rewards for reading (such as giving candy for reading a certain number of pages) increases reading but not necessarily motivation to read for pleasure in the future.
- Model reading for pleasure. Let your children see you reading for pleasure and tell them about the books you are reading. If you read on your phone or a tablet, make sure they know when you are reading.
- Read to your children to encourage a love of books. Even after your children learn to read independently, continue to read to them to foster a love of books.
Join us this summer with OverDrive’s annual reading program. Sora Sweet Reads is designed for schools in the United States and Canada to encourage students to keep reading all year long.
Sora is offering a collection of free, simultaneous-use ebooks (and select audiobooks) that spans grades K-12. These titles will be available to participating schools and prominently displayed in Sora so it’s easy for students to find their next sweet read.
Remember, the elementary, middle, and high school with the most registrants will receive a $500 check from the DCL Foundation. Have a high-flying summer!
Summer Reading Bingo card
Collaboration between schools and public libraries encourages independent reading over the summer. Themed lists for summer reading programs like CSLP and iRead are available to save, edit, and share.
Titles to Diversify Teens' Summer Reading - School Library Journal
Association for Library Service to Children Summer Reading List, 2024 - ALSC
Summer Stuff - Reading Rockets
This program is designed for kids in grades K-6 and offers rewards for reading and completing activities. With fun reading challenges and prizes, this program is a great way to keep kids entertained all summer long.
FREE PIZZA from Pizza Hut!
Let our Books and Bundts Youth Reading Program encourage your pre-K and elementary-aged children to read! Research shows that childhood reading is an important indicator for success, and we’ve made it easy.
Partner with your school, log minutes reading with our easy-to-use tracker, and receive a Free Bundlet in our bakery to celebrate reaching the goal!
Ready to get started? Contact us today to get all of the details! Contact your local bakery here.
Let Them Eat Cake!
Use the following digital resources to explore high interest topics such as new places, different cultures, interesting people, space, science, music, art, sports, games, volcanoes, dinosaurs, and so much more.
These databases allow students to read in-depth articles, watch videos, see pictures and illustrations, and play educational games. Students can use features such as audio, translations, highlighting, the ability to change the font and/or back ground, and adjust the lexile level.
Douglas County Libraries
DCL Reading Buddies pairs an enthusiastic teen mentor with a young reader for weekly reading and literacy games. It is a great volunteer opportunity for teens who love to read, and a powerful program for struggling readers who need a little extra motivation. Available in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, and Parker.
The application period runs from April 15 - May 10, and twice-weekly sessions run from June 3 through June 28. Learn more here! dcl.org/reading-buddies.
The Dumb Friends League
DFL’s one-hour program provides kids in 1st through 12th grades an educational, interactive experience reading to equines at the Harmony Equine Center, cats at the Leslie A. Malone Center, and dogs at the Buddy Center. Each session includes lessons on animal safety, a tour, and time to practice their reading skills.
More information here!
Our brains do not care what we are reading or how we accessed it. Every word we make sense of counts. Those words can come from printed books, digital texts, audiobooks, online articles, or environmental print. They can be new books, old books, glossy magazines, video game manuals, movie captions, and everything in between. It all counts.
The only way children become readers is by reading. No matter where or how or why those words are available to understand, they all count, even if they are accompanied by pictures, searched for on the internet, listened to, or found in the most unexpected places, like the back of a cereal box.
In the end, the only kind of reading that will support students’ development is the reading they actually do. It does not matter if they read a graphic novel or the back of a shampoo bottle or listen to a book as they eat a snack.
As long as they read.
Email: dlmc-questions@dcsdk12.org
Website
Location: 985 S. Plum Creek Blvd., Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: 303-387-0600
Twitter: @dcsdDLMC and Instagram: dcsddlmc