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'Choice' Translates to 'Creativity' in 7th and 8th Grade Summer Reading
Aug 26, 2012 3:58 PM
By Liz Overberg - FF/S
Last May, we asked each rising 7th and 8th grade student to choose one of their own books for summer reading. The students were given twelve choices, which included a variety of genres, and each book was recommended and "sponsored" by a middle school teacher. Most of the books were contemporary young adult novels that had already proven to be popular with teenagers, so I was very excited to see what our students would think.
We also gave the students choices in the assignments they would complete. They were each required to complete one writing assignment and one multimedia project based on their books, but they were given several options (nine writing and six multimedia options) to choose from. For the multimedia assignments, the students could use any technology that they preferred, as long as they fulfilled all of the assignment objectives.
What was the final result of all these choices, you ask? Well, after a lot of reading, questions, reassurance ("Yes, you can really use whatever website you want to make your project"), and above all, hard work, the students submitted some of the most thoughtful and creative projects that I have ever seen.
Many students went way above and beyond the assignment criteria in both their writing and their multimedia projects. They showed that they were excited about what they had read, and they really had something to say about it!
So far, I have graded projects for twenty-four students and have been lucky enough to have a sneak peak at several others. I have seen book reviews, book commercials, multimedia timelines... oh my! I've read essays about how students connected with the books and explanations of how the books relate to current events. I've listened to book soundtracks and read about exactly why the songs on them are the perfect songs to fit with the books. I've seen some amazingly creative digital storytelling techniques.
Despite all of the variety in these projects, these three things held true across the board:
1. These students LIKED THEIR BOOKS. (Probably because they got to choose them!) Many students went so far as to write that, while they usually don't enjoy reading, they really loved these summer books. All of the book reviews I read gave the books 4 or 5 stars! Wow!
2. These projects were THOUGHTFUL. The commentary, questions, and conclusions that I read (and saw) blew my mind. Not once did I grade a project and have to wonder whether the students actually read the book.
3. The students wanted to READ MORE. I'm not joking! I graded projects based on Heat by Mike Lupica and Matched by Ally Condie. The students who read Heat all wished that it had gone on longer, (so they could see if Michael made it to the major leagues), and the students who read Matched couldn't wait to read its sequel, Crossed.
What can we learn from this?
When given lots of choices, students have the opportunity to engage with their learning on a meaningful level. They can discover their interests, connect with the material, and take ownership of their own education.
In the case of this year's summer reading, many students discovered that they might really like reading after all, and they might actually have something to say about a book. I'd call that a success!
Thank you to all the students and teachers who made this summer reading experiment possible!
We also gave the students choices in the assignments they would complete. They were each required to complete one writing assignment and one multimedia project based on their books, but they were given several options (nine writing and six multimedia options) to choose from. For the multimedia assignments, the students could use any technology that they preferred, as long as they fulfilled all of the assignment objectives.
What was the final result of all these choices, you ask? Well, after a lot of reading, questions, reassurance ("Yes, you can really use whatever website you want to make your project"), and above all, hard work, the students submitted some of the most thoughtful and creative projects that I have ever seen.
Many students went way above and beyond the assignment criteria in both their writing and their multimedia projects. They showed that they were excited about what they had read, and they really had something to say about it!
So far, I have graded projects for twenty-four students and have been lucky enough to have a sneak peak at several others. I have seen book reviews, book commercials, multimedia timelines... oh my! I've read essays about how students connected with the books and explanations of how the books relate to current events. I've listened to book soundtracks and read about exactly why the songs on them are the perfect songs to fit with the books. I've seen some amazingly creative digital storytelling techniques.
Despite all of the variety in these projects, these three things held true across the board:
1. These students LIKED THEIR BOOKS. (Probably because they got to choose them!) Many students went so far as to write that, while they usually don't enjoy reading, they really loved these summer books. All of the book reviews I read gave the books 4 or 5 stars! Wow!
2. These projects were THOUGHTFUL. The commentary, questions, and conclusions that I read (and saw) blew my mind. Not once did I grade a project and have to wonder whether the students actually read the book.
3. The students wanted to READ MORE. I'm not joking! I graded projects based on Heat by Mike Lupica and Matched by Ally Condie. The students who read Heat all wished that it had gone on longer, (so they could see if Michael made it to the major leagues), and the students who read Matched couldn't wait to read its sequel, Crossed.
What can we learn from this?
When given lots of choices, students have the opportunity to engage with their learning on a meaningful level. They can discover their interests, connect with the material, and take ownership of their own education.
In the case of this year's summer reading, many students discovered that they might really like reading after all, and they might actually have something to say about a book. I'd call that a success!
Thank you to all the students and teachers who made this summer reading experiment possible!
