Printed envelopes were sent home with each child. In the envelope, there was an instruction sheet, 4 weekly recording sheets, and 1 sheet with 9 receipts to be given to donors.
Goals were set for each grade level. If the school met its goal, the principal agreed to do something fun. Each student had 4 recording sheets (one for each week.) These were turned in on Mondays. Fridays, the winners of the lottery were announced, as well as the biggest reader. If you turned in your sheet, you were automatically entered in the lottery. These students received prizes. A goal chart was also posted outside every classroom and the cafeteria. Students could see how their class was doing, as well as the school in general.
Students were asked to get pledges for their reading. They were allowed to set their own goals. Pledges could be by the minute, hour, or just a flat donation. For instance, my mom pledged .05 a minute, my son read 1210 minutes, so she donated $60.00. She was all too happy to have a 3rd grader read that much in 4 weeks and said it was worth every penny. My sister in law gave him $1.00 an hour- so $20. Pledges were recorded on the envelope given out. They also recorded their weekly totals on the envelope, so at the end, they would know how much to collect.
Our book fair was held the 2nd week of the read-a-thon, which gave a lot of kids incentive to read.
The envelopes with the pledges were collected the week after it ended.
We had 3 people who collected the sheets, updated the goal sheets, and then collected the money at the end.
The principal came to school in her jammies, as did all the kids as their big reward. The classrooms with the highest minutes per grade had popcorn parties on this day. Many of the other rooms did fun things also.
Goals were set low, so students could achieve them and be proud of how far they exceeded them.
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