ideas for a whole school 'Reading Week' please???

[mumnosbest]

Ok, this is my chance to impress so need lots of fresh ideas please. I'd like to get an author in but no idea where to start yet. We could have a dress-up day (book characters) but hardly original. What's worked well for you? All suggestions greatly appreciated TIA

Thinking a book paper chain might be good. Children add a link with titles of every book read in the week.

We did a whole school book once. Took a couple of weeks, but one class started a book with the first chapter, then it went to the second class, who wrote the second chapter, and so on. It was a lot of fun, and the kids had a great time doing it. Students also drew posters as illustrations, and how they would see the cover art. At the end of the fortnight, we had a Friday afternoon assembly, and the hall was decorated in all the artwork the students had made. We invited all the parents, and the whole book was then read by a local celebrity (actor from a show popular with kids). We broke up the reading with a few of classes putting on performances of songs they made up to go with the book, or acted out a scene. We got the book printed after it was finished, illustrated it with artwork and photos from the event, and sold it to parents, so it was also a great fundraiser for the school. I still get comments about it, and have been asked to organise it again next year. I've been talking to an author about being 'author in residence' for the duration of the project and working with the students to develop the book, then do the reading at the end for us. I really think this would add to the experience.

Takes a lot of organising, but a friend's school does 'shuffle story'. Every afternoon, the teachers all go to a different class and read the children a story- teachers completely free to choose. Both children and teachers love seeing new faces and sharing favourite books.

Of course it works best in a fairly large school- not so exciting when there's only 2 teachers to choose from.

our school do one, not really sure how it works as new to it but seems to include a visiting theatre group and a dressing up day.

the paper chain thing or something like that sounds a good idea - show the kids how many books have been read in school in a week or something. you could use it as a fundraising activity and do a sponsored read (for younger ones could be based on how many times read with a grown up or older, how many books read or something) then put the money from that towards new books for the school. visiting book sellers.

I think with getting an author to visit you would have to find websites for a few and then contact them and see what their fees are. Don't rule out getting an illustrator as well or instead of as illustrations play an enormous part in so many books. might be worth asking if parents have any contacts (may even have a kids author or illustrator among them and you don't know) If you got an illustrator in then you could get the kids to do art classes based on how they would illustrate a story and then maybe get the illustrator to pick a winner.

Also it doesn't need to be a really well known author. you may find local ones who may have self published and be suitable. where are you based?

A small thing our school did in book week, was the bell/siren thing went about 5 times a day, and everyone dropped what they were doing and starting reading (their own book)... even teachers, admin etc. Kids took their books out to PE etc. Kids all were super quiet and reading for about 10mins, bell sounds again and it's back to where you were... kids found it really fun.

We also had a Dad's reading day, where dads, grandads etc came into the class to read with the children, I think they had about 4 in each class, so they made little groups to be read to by the dad.... just a change from the mums who are usually the face of school volunteering etc.

Thanks, forgot all about this post. Looks like we have some great ideas so I'll read through later. Thanks again!

Design a book mark competition with a small prize for the winner in each class.

Book swap. Each child who wants to participate brings in a book they no longer want (best to be one at the right level for the class) and they swap with another child. Also a good time to ask parents for any outgrown children's books for the classroom or library.

Our school had Jeremy Strong into school for a day, the kids absolutely loved it and talked about it for a very longtime afterwards. He really inspired the kids.

At DD's school, the older children go to the younger children's classes, and read to them. They also get put into pairs within their own class, choose the same book as each other and read aloud to each other, a page at a time.

Your local children's librarian may be prepared to come to the school and talk to the children about the things they do at the library, bringing some enrolment forms with him/her, and end with a story session.

Could do a sponsored read.