We held another Book Club for intermediate students – Safe As Houses by Eric Walters.  We are trying to expose our students to other genres of books (most of our students read fiction), increase the number of students who are talking about books and involving adults in these discussions, and to increase our number of participants.  We also talked about making connections to text and world.

• Providing students with a more authentic way to explore a book, coupled with discussion, as many of our staff still relay on the traditional “novel study” approach (read and answer questions)
• To have students read more chapter books rather than a graphic novel
• Involve more students in reading for recreation / pleasure, rather than having to read a book

Participation was voluntary and open to all students in Grades 4 – 7

Quantitative data:

• Our number of participants increased from 25 students and 5 staff to 38 students and 5 staff
• 100% of the participants read the book
• 100% of students attended the Book Club meeting
• 100% of the students shared out with the group
• 95% said they would return to Book Club in the fall

Some observations – students tended to sit with their friends so feeling safe in a group remains important

• Our kids were surprised that a hurricane could hit Canada – something that helped hook them to the book
• Kids were able to make connections to either another text (I Survived Hurricane Katrina by Lauren Tarhis) or a moment in their life, when they felt like they were in imminent danger
• Kids enjoyed seeing news footage of the real event (and Hurricane Katrina footage)
• Kids made many suggestions for possible future books to read