The document describes the 1000 Book Club program started at Plymouth River Elementary School in Hingham, MA. The program aims to have preschool and kindergarten children read 1000 books over two years with their families. It provides book bags containing 10 books that families check out every two weeks. Families earn incentives for reading milestones. The program was started through book drives, grants, and donations. It features annual kick-off events, story times, and a dedicated reading area in the school.
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Starting A 1000 Book Club
1. 1000 Book Club Program
Plymouth River Elementary School
Hingham, MA
Elizabeth Danis ~ Reading Specialist
Laura Donovan ~ Kindergarten Teacher
Sue McHugh ~ Kindergarten Teacher
2. Starting a 1000 Book Club
• The following slides represent how the Plymouth
River Elementary School in Hingham,
Massachusetts started a 1000 Book Club.
• If you would like additional information please
contact Laura Donovan:
ldonovan@hinghamschools.org
• Or visit our website:
http://hpswebs.hinghamschools.com/prs/thous
3. What is the 1000 Book Club?
The 1000 Book Club Program is a reading program designed for
preschoolers, kindergartners and their families.
The program’s goals are:
• To have quality literature readily available so that each
child will have a two-year period to hear 1000 stories.
• To help children develop a lifetime bond with reading and
books.
• To provide incentives for families to read with their
children.
• To foster a positive connection between home and school.
• To ease the transition from preschool to kindergarten by
frequent visits to the “big school” for book bag selections
and story times.
4. Overview of the program
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Each spring, eligible preschool children and their
parents attend a “Kick Off” event at our school. They
hear details of how the program works and then select
their first bag (of 10 books) to bring home.
They will return that bag within two weeks and then
select another bag. They will continue to do this until
they have read 100 bags (1000 books) or “graduate”
from the program at the end of kindergarten.
When a child completes one of the “milestones” of 25,
50, 75, or 100 bags he/she will receive a certificate,
ribbon, t-shirt or trophy, respectively.
These preschoolers are invited to attend Story Times
at our school.
5. Initial Funding
• The committee applied for and was awarded several
grants.
• It is possible to ask for some financial assistance
from your PTO. We did not use PTO funds as we
preferred to keep this program a staff-run program
rather then a PTO-run program.
6. Getting the books
• A book drive was held that collected nearly two
thousand “gently-used” books.
• Additional books were “purchased” through
Scholastic Book Club bonus points.
• Books were entered into a computer-based
database, sorted by genre, bundled into groups of
ten, and labeled with a 1000 Book Club sticker.
• A total of 2,400 books (all unique titles) are being
used in this program. (Our yearly kindergarten
population is around 100 students per year.)
8. The Book Bags
• A local graphic printer/designer sponsored our
program and significantly reduced the price of the
bags.
• Committee members and volunteers helped to
resize 240 bags from a shoulder strap to a hand
strap (30 extra replacement bags were done also.)
• Each bag was labeled with a number 1-240. We
have 240 bags from which members choose just
100.
9. In order to get highquality bags, we needed
to get tote bags that had
shoulder straps and
resize them.
Book Bags
Original bag
before our
logo and
resizing.
Our bag after
our logo and
resizing.
10. The Book Racks
• Two parent volunteers built the racks, put a
protective finish on them and delivered
them to school.
• The lumber, hardware and time was all
donated.
11. The Book Racks
One PRS family
donated all the lumber
and two other families
built the racks.
12. The Bag Stuffing Event
• Volunteers from the school community, as well as
from one of our sponsors (Talbots) stuffed book
bags.
• Each volunteer was given a box that contained 10
stacks of 10 books, 10 book bags, 100 clear labels,
10 book lists, 10 sign-out cards and a set of
directions for stuffing each bag.
• Each bag was assembled and then hung on its
numbered hook on a book rack.
20. The Story Time Corner
• A corner of the cafeteria was designated as the 1000
Book Club Corner.
• Talbots agreed to sponsor the corner by donating
the funds for the rugs and fabric for the walls.
• Committee members redesigned an inviting corner
with fabric and story book characters that were
created by a parent/graphic artist.
• This corner is home to the book racks and the Story
Times for preschoolers.
21. Story Time Corner
The book racks are
on wheels and are
easily rolled out to
create this cozy
Story Time Corner.
22. Annual Kick-Off now do
• Local preschools passed out invitations. (We
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this mostly through email and e-newsletters.)
Parents register online. We use Google Forms to
create a registration page for the kick-off.
Another parent donated gift certificates for the
Munchkins that would be served at the kick-off.
High school students earned community service
points by helping out at the kick-off.
42 families attended the Inaugural kick-off.
These families were shown a PowerPoint presentation
that outlined the program.
The children heard a story read by a committee
member.
Families checked out their first book bag.
26. This wonderful
scene is repeated
over and over again
as preschoolers
continue to select
new bags!
27. Story Times
• Occasionally, the children in the 1000 Book Club
are invited to visit the “Big School” to hear stories
and sing songs.
• A book bag exchange takes place after the Story
Time.
• Guest readers such as our principal, some of our
sponsors, the head of the English department, and
former teachers have volunteered to read.
31. Additional Program Income
• To keep money coming into the program for
expenses such as incentives, replacement books,
yearly kick-offs, and miscellaneous supplies we
offer families an opportunity to donate a bag in
honor of (or in recognition of or in memory of)
someone special.
• Adults whose children have reached 75 bags (750
books) may purchase a t-shirt for themselves.
32. Donation Tags
Bags can be donated
in honor of someone
special.
Tags are hung from the straps of
the book bags. They may be
purchased for $25 per bag.
33. Our Bumper Sticker!
Our graphic designer gave us a
discounted price on these in exchange
for a link to his site. Our bumper
sticker is on his site along with several
other non-profit organizations.
34. We created a website
where families can
register online and get
important information.
38. Elizabeth Danis ~ Reading Specialist
Laura Donovan ~ Kindergarten Teacher
Sue McHugh ~ Kindergarten Teacher
Plymouth River School ~ Hingham, MA
Program Model ~ Birchwood Elementary ~ Niskayuna, NY
