Southern Fried Teachin'

  • Southern Fried Teachin'
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Subscriber Library
  • Contact

Fun & Creative Alternatives to Reading Logs

August 3, 2017

We as teachers know that reading at home is crucial to becoming a better reader.If you’re like me, you have used one of these.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

I used a reading log like this for years and didn’t think twice about it. However, I did think it was interesting that most of my students read exactly 30 minutes every night. Who reads exactly 30 minutes?

Instead of using the tired, boring reading log, here are some alternatives you can use.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

Have you ever heard of Choice Boards? What’s the big deal with them? Why should you use them in the classroom? Click HERE to read my post on the top ten reasons for using Choice Boards.Basically each choice board has 9 activities or projects to choose from. You can have the students do as little or as many as you want, and you enforce that students do one or two activities in particular if you choose. You can have the Choice Boards be independent projects or partner projects.

Included are Choice Boards for fiction, nonfiction, and mixed.

Students LOVE them because they get to CHOOSE which project to do. When students get to choose something in their learning, then they get excited about their learning.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

Here are a couple of choice board activities that my students have done.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

Choice Boards are great alternatives to reading logs because they are so versatile. They provide choice and differentiation for students, and you can diversify them for your classroom’s needs. You can also assign a certain number of projects to students to complete in a certain amount of time, and you can also cut down the number of options for students with special needs, maybe giving them three options for them to choose from.I also have monthly choice Choice Boards with reading stems where students can choose a stem to respond to.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

Weekly Reading Homework Charts are a simple way to have students do reading homework!

Each weekly reading homework chart has 5 days for homework, including:
~ Space for recording minutes read
~ Higher level open-ended question
~ Space for recording answer to the question

There are 4 weekly reading homework charts for each month:
~ Two charts for fiction
~ Two charts for nonfiction

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

Mrs. Whalen’s Classroom has a great anchor chart for students to use when writing about reading. This would be great to hang in the classroom for students to use during independent reading or reading stations. It could also be great to reproduce this chart for students to glue into their notebooks so they could use it at home as well.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!
My third graders loved Stop and Jot. I think it was because they got to use post-it notes! You can give students post-it notes…if you want them to stop and jot four times, then give each student four sticky notes. Each time they come to a spot where they have a thought, question, feeling, etc they STOP and JOT down their thought. I had my students put their post-it notes in the spot where they stopped. They loved to share them with their partner, which was great because it often encouraged the partner to read the book.
Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

 

I LOVE Say Something! It’s one of my favorites.As you’re reading the book, stop every now and then and “say something”. You can write down thoughts, feelings, questions, predictions, connections, etc. One box = one say something.

Click HERE if you would like to download a FREEBIE Say Something bookmark I created for my students.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

This one is very simple. All you have to do is have the students divide each page in half (you can have them do the whole journal in the beginning…put some fun music on and let them jam out). Each day students write the date and write about what they read. You can have them write a summary or have them write their thoughts on what they read. Easy peasy!
Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

Reading Response Choices are great for student choice, creativity, and differentiation. You can use them with ANY book, even the textbook. They are great for whole class, small groups, literacy stations, and especially homework. There are 14 different responses, all of which require critical thinking and students to explain their thinking.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

A choice board is included, which includes all 14 reading responses to choose from and a “free choice” one as well. You can have the students do as little or as many as you want, and you enforce that students do one or two activities in particular if you choose. You can have the choice board be independent projects or partner projects.

You can have your students work on their reading responses during Daily 5, small group reading instruction, or assign them for homework.

This is a super simple reading response strategy that can be used during reading or after reading. It can be used in any subject and with any book. I’ve used it in reading, science, and social studies and with picture books, chapter books, articles, and textbooks.

It makes for a great homework activity because it’s simple, and students have to think about what they read and connect with the book.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

Click HERE to download the freebie. I included two different options for students to glue in their notebooks.

I wish I was one of those awesome teachers who used Google Docs on a regular basis. I would be the hip teacher. But alas….I am not. I am hip in other ways. Incorporating Google Docs is one of my teaching goals, and I found a fabulous post shared on The Elementary Entourage from Hannah at The Friendly Teacher on using Google Docs for reading responses. She shares exactly how to get started and set them all up. Hannah, you rock! I totally want to implement this!

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

 

Kids love index cards, and they are cheap…that’s a win-win in my book! I have the students get one index card (you can do two index cards if you want them to hang them up for display). After reading a part of the book or the whole book, they write about what they read on one side and draw a picture on the other side. These are great for using them for book talks or having students share about their book with their partners or groups.

Looking a list of alternatives to reading logs? Here is a list of 10 fun and creative activities for your reading classroom instead of the old, boring reading log. Teacher tested...student approved!

How do you hold your students accountable in their reading?

Visit Southern Fried Teachin”s profile on Pinterest.
SaveSave

SaveSave

signature
«
»

Filed Under: reading, Uncategorized

Don’t Miss A Thing

Search

Categories

Popular Posts

Holiday Linky Party!

May Currently

The new Math TEKS in Texas….oh my!

Christmas in Korea and January currently

Latest on Pinterest

  • Your students will L
  • Looking for some fun
  • Let your students ch
  • Let your students ch
  • Are you looking for
  • Get your students up
  • Looking for some fun
  • Get your students up
  • Hands-On History: Am
Follow Me on Pinterest

Latest on Facebook

Southern Fried Teachin'

4 days ago

Southern Fried Teachin'

What do you think about this? In my last district we weren’t able to give out zeros either, only 50’s. When I was in school we got zeros for not turning work on, points off for it being late, and we learned natural consequences. What’s happening with our kids today? What are they learning? ... See MoreSee Less

Florida Teacher Fired for Giving Zeros to Students Who Don't Turn in Their Work

wimp.com

A Florida teacher has been fired for giving her students zeros for missing assignments. Diane Tirado has been a teacher for years. Most recently, she was an eighth-grade history teacher at Westgate K-8 School in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Diane recently gave her students two weeks to complete an Explo...
View on Facebook
·Share

Southern Fried Teachin' shared Trauma-Sensitive Teachers's post.

1 month ago

Southern Fried Teachin'

What a wonderful reminder"I keep this Post It on my school computer as a daily reminder that a misbehaving kid is a discouraged kid, or a disempowered kid, or a kid missing the skills to deal with a challenge they were given. There’s always a reason for a behavior. And building strong relationships will help me find the reason more often than not." -Dr. Ross Greene

Cr: Balanced Teachers
... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
·Share

Southern Fried Teachin' shared Gerry Brooks's post.

2 months ago

Southern Fried Teachin'

Thinking of all my teacher friends heading back to school. This is an excellent reminder.This helps me as I grumble around the house counting the hours down. Hope it helps you too!

Instagram: gerrybrooksprin
... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
·Share

Southern Fried Teachin'

2 months ago

Southern Fried Teachin'

Some of these are hilarious! In all seriousness though, why is it ok in today’s society to talk to teachers this way? ... See MoreSee Less

List: If People Talked to Other Professionals the Way They Talk to Teachers

mcsweeneys.net

“Ah, a zookeeper. So, you just babysit the animals all day?” - - - “My colon never acts this way at home. Are you sure you’re reading the colonosco...
View on Facebook
·Share

Southern Fried Teachin' shared Lake Highlands Elementary's post.

2 months ago

Southern Fried Teachin'

What an amazing man!This is Curtis Jenkins, a bus driver for our school. He asked every kid on the bus what they wanted for Christmas and then BOUGHT IT FOR THEM! There was even a bike on that bus!!! This reminds us how much good there is in the world and how we should all strive to be a little more like Curtis. ❤️❤️❤️ #LHE #RISDgreatness ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
·Share

View on Facebook

Latest on Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2019 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs