Reading Challenge: Engage Your Readers Through Technology Engaging students in meaningful independent reading is often a daunting task. This session will share a reading challenge that uses technology to motivate students to read and respond to their reading. Discussion boards, digital book talks, and multimedia projects are utilized to enhance, inspire, and empower students in this challenge. Presenter: Erica Preswood - University School - Johnson City, TN

1. Reading Challenge:
Engage Your Readers
Through Technology
Presented By: Erica Preswood
English Instructor University School, East Tennessee State University
http://goo.gl/X9LNMG
Presentation Can Be Accessed @

5. Background

6. –SREB Literacy
“The notion that the development of reading skills does not
extend into the middle grades and high school years is simply
false. Much of what students learn in the earlier grades is lost
if it is not reinforced in the middle grades and high school.
Students must continue to develop skills to comprehend,
analyze and apply what they read.”

7. The Inspiration

8. The Inspiration

9. –2002 Middle Grades Assessment
“The downside is that 43 percent of middle
grades students said they read five or fewer
books each year; 25 percent said they did no
reading outside school and 39 percent reported
reading only half an hour or less per day.”

10. The Challenge
8th Grade

11. The Challenge
7th Grade

12. 1st Nine Weeks
Summaries and Discussions
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https://www.myhaikuclass.com/Zepp2/7thela/discussion

13. Student Examples

16. Laura Ingalls Wilder Eulogy
Second Term Reading Challenge
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Friends and family of Laura Ingalls Wilder, we have gathered here today to remember a
wonderful, hard working, intelligent, and talented woman. As you all know, I was a great friend of
Laura and a big fan of her books. We all can agree that she was a very gifted writer and really
captured pioneer life in her texts. I recall her telling me about how her daughter gave her a great
idea. She could write about her exciting childhood in the Midwest. Her first book was such a
success, she wrote more and more.Her novels were filled with valuable lessons and taught about
the importance of family. Unlike other books, her literary works are true classics. Instead of being
quickly forgotten, they have lasted. They are passed down through generations as a result of a
combination of a great story and important messages.Her death is not just a loss for those who
knew her. She will be greatly missed by anyone who loves great literature. She has taught me many
life lessons and was a terrific friend. She is gone but never will be forgotten, and her stories will last
forever.

17. Roll-ups
www.kbumreading.com

18. Student Work Sample
Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games, takes
place in the future in a country called Panem. Panem is a
country that was once a continent called North America,
where we live today. In The Hunger Games, it was said that
“Panem rose up from the ashes”. In the dark days, or the time
when the 13 Districts rebelled against the Capitol, District 13
was destroyed. This left only 12 Districts. Most of the story
takes place in District 12, the Capitol, and the Arena. When
the Districts rebelled against the Capitol, the dark days, the
Capitol won. To remember what they did, the Capitol forces
one male and one female from each district to fight to the
death in The Hunger Games.

21. 3rd Nine Weeks
Project Responses

23. 4th Nine Weeks
Literacy Skills Review &
Podcasts/Garage Band Creations

26. –T. Knight, University School Media Specialist
“I have seen the kids read this
year. They have discovered new
areas of the library.”

27. –Matthew L.
“It has made me a better reader
and writer. I didn’t think I could
like it or do it.”

28. The Impact
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Discovery Data

29. Reflections
Changes For Next School Year
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-Students will create a Wiki in Haiku to store and present their Reading Challenge
https://www.myhaikuclass.com/Zepp2/8thela/wk/2918605/wiki/view/10293469
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-Texts will be better aligned to curriculum/pacing in other content areas