We did read across america (where minutes equaled miles) and the children watched there progress on the big map in the quad. It finished on Dr. Seuss' birthday and we had a big birthday, pajama party and everyone brought their favorite Dr Seuss books. You can read more about it at www.nea.org/readacross/
Have you checked with the TV Turnoff committee at your school district. On our committee, we are planning district wide events that will be happening throughout the week. You may not have to do any work at all but just hop on into the district events. This link www.washoe.k12.nv.us/wellness/tamethetv/moreinfo.shtml is from last year's program (we are still working on this years) but perhaps you can get some ideas from it! Good luck!

[ 12-24-2003, 03:40 AM: Message edited by: Michelle B ]

Not a stupid question at all [img]smile.gif[/img] Accelerated Reader is a program the school purchased. It consists of CD-Roms that are loaded into the computer that have simple tests the kids take after reading a book. Each book we have a test for is gauged for certain reading levels, so children read books that are on their particular level. Generally, they are 10 question tests. The kids get points for the test based on how many questions they answer correctly. These tests gauge how well the book was understood. They are also a way to gauge whether or not the child is progressing in their reading or needs additional help. For something similar you can do at home( or on the computers at school for free) go to: www.bookadventure.org There are points the kids accumulate on these tests also, but they can turn them in for prizes--an added plus is that a lot of the books are also AR, so they could take the test and get the AR points at school.
For the sleepover, I think there were about 50 kids out of a school population of 650. For the other incentives we had more than 100 who qualified for the in school dance and about 10 who got the limo ride to lunch at a restaurant. One thing we did to keep interest going was to make posters that hung in the lunchroom listing names of those who had the current highest points( top 10 in each)--kids loved looking for thier names to move up or to appear on a list.
Nice thing too was that the principal ran the whole thing with the assistance of the computer lab teacher. They took care of all the details as far as permission slips etc. There's a standard permission slip she has with blanks in it to fill in the info for whatever the activity is. It is pretty basic--child's name/teacher, what the activity is, when it will take place, a section for parent info such as contact phone numbers and signature and a listing of the child's Dr./phone#.
You could do a family thing with the bookadventure site--parents have a separate section--maybe have the family read together and then take the tests together.Our local theatre is willing to donate huge bags of already popped popcorn, so yours might too and McDonald's will donate their orange drink fountain( including the orange drink and cups too)--there you go--free snacks.Sonic and CiCi's pizza partner with schools--Sonic will generally donate paper goods, t-shirts, coupons for free food etc. and CiCi's will do pizzas for $5 each.You could even raffle off the pizzas if money is really tight or just sell it by the slice.
Good luck in getting a reading night together!!!

I'm going out on a limb here and risking sounding stupid but what are Acc. Reading Points? We are looking to do a more family event also someithing the PTO can run but it has to not cost much we are bad off financially this year!

This sounds so neat! How many kids are usually involved? Our kids get excited about eating lunch with the principal for birthdays, I can't imagine how much excitement staying all night with her would bring. Do you make you own permission slip or do you have to go through a long process to get this approved through you board etc.?

Our principal does the sleep over at the school. Invitation to this event is based on accumulated Accelerated Reader points. I believe that the necessary points are determined for each grade level--something high enough to gauge a lofty goal, but one that is attainable. The evening begins with a family gathering with a reading theme, then the parents are dismissed and the rest of the evening is just the kids and the principal reading together.
Perhaps you can speak to your principal about taking up where the gym teacher left off.
Maybe use a different night of the week to spotlight a certain grade level and a book that the kids are interested in--hmmm, maybe a puppet show recreation of the book's story line? For older kids--maybe assign a particular book in the week prior and then have a discussion of the book a la Oprah.
Good luck--be sure to post back here how your event goes.

our gym teacher used to run a read a thon sleep over for the kids in second grade every year and it was great but do to personal reasons she can no longer do this. we were sad and want to run some kind of reading event for tv turn off week has anyone done something school wide in the evening that they would be willing to share?