An easy, engaging plan to help students make reading choices to build summer literacy.

1. Teaching Guide
Are you looking for a low-stress way to promote summer
literacy? This summer literacy plan is a way to guide
students and families toward purposeful summer reading.
Students choose as many goals as they would like from the
areas of literature, informational text, writing, and fluency.
In the Classroom
Your first step is to discuss thesummer reading plan with your
students. The plan begins by
having studentsreflect on their
growth as readers. Thisis a time
to celebrateprogressand help
studentsto see how your carefully
planned instructionhasguided
them!
Then, studentsselect goals in each
section. The four sectionsare
literature, informationaltext,
writing, and fluency. The goals are
fairly open-ended and have lots of
room for interpretation. Thisisto
help readersof all abilitylevels to
find success. Don’t worry—thereis
a spacefor teacher signature, so
you can always work with students
to fine tune their goals.
Students taketheir plans home to sharewith their parents. A parent
letter helps to explainthe program and itsgoals. Parentscanadd
their words of encouragement and support inthe provided box.
Summer Literacy Plan

2. When studentsreturntheir summer literacyplans, make a photocopy
for your records and returnthe originalto students. A good way to do
thisis to place it in the end of year report card envelope.
In the Fall
Depending on your school, you cancelebratestudents’summer
literacyaccomplishmentsina varietyof ways. A menu of possibilities
is included. Your local librarysystem may also offer incentivesfor
summer reading.
The value of these activitiesisin the accomplishment, not in a prize
or incentiveat the end. Even if plans changeand you cannot formally
recognizewhat studentshave done, they will have learned and grown
through valuableliteracyactivities.
Fun Summer Literacy Blog
Support for parentsand studentsis provided at thesummer literacy
blog:
http://funsummerliteracy.blogspot.com
Thisblog includes links to book lists, author blogs, and fun activities.
As a parent myself, my goalis to makesure that everything is
appropriatefor readersin grades3-6. However, please checkthe blog
before you share with studentsto makesure that it is a good fit for
your school community.
The blog will be updated throughout thesummer. Feel free to
comment and share!

3. Name
Reflect on your growth as a reader this year.
This year, I have grown as a reader by:
This summer, you can keep your skills sharp and have fun at
the same time! Choose goals in the areas listed below. You
may choose as many goals as you like, but you should choose
at least one goal from each section.
Literature
Reading literature helps us to learn about stories, characters,
and deep themes.
Summer Literacy Plan
o I will read _____ poems.
o I will read ______ chapter books.
o Author study: I will read ______ books by
____________________________________________
o Book to movie: I will compare a book to its movie
o With a family member, I will listen to _______ books on CD
o Reading chapter books
o Using close reading
strategies to find text
evidence
o Trying harder and more
sophisticated books
o Creating a research report
o Reading multiple texts on a
topic
o Participating in readers
theater activities
o Writing extended responses
to reading

4. Informational Text
Reading informational text helps us to build background
knowledge and learn new skills.
Writing
Writing helps us to share ideas, communicate effectively, and
connect with the wider world.
o I will read _____ informational books.
o I will research and take notes on the following topic:
_____________________________________________
o Developing skills: I will use print and digital resources to learn
how to
_____________________________________________
o Location research: I will use pamphlets, maps, and other
sources to learn about this location:
______________________________________________
o I will keep a journal through the summer and write at least
_____ journal entries
o I will write a paragraph or more about a place that I visit
o I will write _____ poems over the summer
o With parent permission, I will start a blog and create _____
posts.
o I will write _____ original stories
o I will create a report on the topic of
__________________________________
o I will write ________ thank-you letters

5. Fluency
Fluent readers are comfortable with reading aloud and read
with accuracy and expression.
Do you have other ideas? Discuss them with your teacher!
Parent Signature and Statement of Support
Parents, show that you support your child’s summer literacy
plan in the space below. Feel free to write encouragement,
ideas, and suggested resources.
Student signature
Teacher signature
o I will read _______ book(s) aloud to a younger family member per
week
o I will read _______ book(s) aloud to a pet
o I will record myself reading aloud _______ times and rate my
expression
o I will read aloud ______ poem(s) per week
Signature

6. Use this chart to keep track of your amazingwork over the summer.
Week of Activities Completed
May 31-
June 6
June 7-13
June 14-20
June 21-27
June 28-
July 4
July 5- 11
July 12-18
Literacy Plan Record

7. July 19-25
July 26-
August 1
August 2-8
August 9-15
August 16-22
Reflection: Think about what you have learned and how
you have developed your literacy skills.
Literacy Plan Record

8. Dear Parents and Families,
Summer isa great timefor studentsto develop their literacyskills!
Studieshave shown that, when studentschoose what to read over the
summer, they can improve as readers.
Thisplan is designed to give studentsengaging, fun choicesof ways to
build their literacyskills over the summer. Somegoals, like reading
chapter books, are probablyfamiliar. Others, likereading pamphlets
and maps, aredesigned to makethe most of ordinarysummer
activities. Thereis learning everywhere—and it can be relevant, fun,
and engaging for studentsand their families.
As you and your child discuss the Summer LiteracyPlan, discusswhat
else will be happening over the summer. Perhapsyou canjoin a
summer reading program at a nearbylibrary. Maybeyou have plans
to visit family or travel. These experiences canbecomepart of the
literacyactivities. After all, learning is all around us.
Resources, information, and activities willbe posted on the Fun
Summer Literacyblog. You can find the blog here:
funsummerliteracy.blogspot.com
Your support is important for building your child’s literacy. Thank
you for all that you do!
Summer Literacy

9. Here are some ideas for low-cost recognition of students who
complete their summer literacy goals. Reading incentives
that are linked to more reading have been shown to be the
most successful for students.
Summer Literacy Wall of Fame
Create a wall of fame for students who have completed three
or more of their summer literacy goals. Include student
pictures and weekly records. Highlight the books that
students have read and the writing they have created.
Recognition Lunch
Kids love a break from the school cafeteria. Choose a room in
the school that will accommodate students who have
completed their summer literacy plans. At lunch, have these
students gather for a special recognition time. Guide the
conversation toward books and the reading that students
accomplished over the summer. If you have a bit of a budget,
you can buy a special treat for students as well.
Outdoor Reading Time
Time to read outdoors is always appreciated by students!
You can set different levels of performance (one goal
completed, two goals, and so forth) to be worth different
amounts of outdoor reading time. Spread a blanket on the
ground or encourage students to bring in their own beach
towels for an afternoon of reading and sharing.
Recognition Ideas

10. A note from the author
I am a teacher and writer. I love asking questions about what
happens when readers read, combing the research journals for
interesting articles, and writing resources that will help all readers
to succeed and grow. I am the author of two published books:
Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling: Skills for Reading,
Writing, and Test-Taking, and The Forest AND the Trees: Helping
Readers to Understanding Details in Texts and Tests.
Be assured that items that you purchase from me are based on
research-based strategies and classroom techniques. The articles I
write are exhaustively researched and edited. I use multiple
leveling techniques to level my texts, keeping in mind that no one
leveling system is perfect.
I hope that you enjoy these activities and resources. If you
have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me
directly at elkissn@gmail.com. Also, stop by my blog for more
teaching ideas.
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