Read Out of Your Box Assignment

I'm currently challenging some of my seventh grade readers with an assignment I call, "Read Out of Your Box".  Simply put, I know these kiddos well enough as readers to pick out a book they'd love, so I can pick out a book they'd never choose for themselves.  The students have two weeks to read the book and write me a letter in response.  The challenge is that they have to finish the book they are currently reading before beginning the book I choose for them.  For many of them, they'll be taking their library books home for the very first time this year.  (I'm wearing my Cheshire Cat smile today.)  I prepared them well, giving them a good introduction to the assignment, answering all of their questions, providing an example of a faux student letter...but you should have seen their faces when they received their new books.  They'll be surprised when they realize that I've given them excellent books...just not ones they'd pick up for themselves.   I'm attempting several goals here with this assignment.  First, I want them to read something other than the genre they enjoy the most.  Then, I'd like for them to read this book with the purpose of identifying the intended audience.  Of course, I want them to identify author's purpose.  Letter writing is a skill they should already have.  This will give them the opportunity to publish another writing piece to be placed in their cumulative writing folder.  And finally, this gives them the opportunity to communicate in writing with me, their library media specialist.

I'll never forget the look on their face when they learned the assignment would be graded....you mean the librarian can assign work?!  So funny!

Happy Reading (and writing 7th graders!)
RC