Summer Reading Bingo

Last year I started a tradition with my students. Well, I tried a new thing, and since it worked, I brought it back again this year. So I think we can safely call it a tradition.

I don’t assign any required summer reading, but I do give the kids an optional summer reading bingo sheet. Last year I created my own; this year I borrowed the one pictured below from the internet. It’s much prettier than the one I made. 🙂 You can find all sorts of variations of reading bingo – some focus on different reading experiences, locations, times, etc. For my students, I like the ones that focus on genres.

My goal is to get kids to maybe pick up titles that they wouldn’t necessarily grab on their own, try different styles, and all in all, add a little exploration into their normal summer reading. I give out the bingo sheets on the last regular class day of the year. We talk through the different genres and possibilities, share recommendations, and go over the rules.

Rules:

1. One square per book. While some books may fit more than one category on the bingo sheet, each square must have a different book to earn a bingo. I do allow some flexibility in the genres. For instance, I said that instead of a foreign language book, they could do something multicultural. And “Love Story” could be interpreted loosely – family love, pets, etc.
2. Audiobooks count!
3. Honor system – I’m not going make kids record dates, parent signatures, etc. If you read a book, write it down. Could they cheat the system? Easily. But it’s not for a grade, so who cares? Keep it light! Keep it fun!
4. There are prizes! Last year I purchased DIY scratch-off tickets from Amazon, and they were a total hit. Any bingo earned a scratch-off ticket. The tickets scratched off to reveal something from the prize bucket (stress balls, fidgets, fun pens, etc.), full size candy bars, and -occasionally- a free homework pass.

On the first day back to school, I redistribute bingo sheets to those who lost theirs over the summer. Then I give them a few days to fill them out before I tally results. Later I present the scratch off tickets to everyone who earned a bingo.

It’s not a perfect system. I’m still playing with what works and what doesn’t. It is a fun way to encourage reading over the summer, though. It’s not just for the students, either!

I make it a goal to get at least one bingo myself, which influences what I pick up to read. I’m not sure what row I’ll get yet. So far I’ve read (in a combination of audio and physical books) The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (historical fiction, friend’s recommendation), The Left-Handed Book Sellers of London by Garth Nix (adventure), and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (memoir, multicultural). I’m currently re-listening to Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (adventure), and my professional development read for the summer is Project-Based Learning Anywhere by Dr. Lori Elliot. While wandering the library I picked up The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (adventure, Newbery Winner), The Element by Ken Robinson (nonfiction bestseller), and How to Book a Murder by Cynthia Kuhn (mystery, first in a series). (Note that I’m not including my read-alouds to my kids in this list, but I totally could if I wanted to. Maybe I will if it helps me get to a bingo.)

I naturally would not have picked up at least two of those books on my own, which is precisely the point of the bingo system. Explore! Sample new genres! Maybe you’ll find something new that you’ll love. Even if you don’t, having a good understanding of what you don’t like can be effective in helping you pick out books that you do like.

Which leads me to an important point – you have my full permission to give up on a book without finishing it. Students, you have to finish a book to put it on a square, but don’t keep slogging through a book you hate. Forget it and find another.

So what do you think? What is your reading life like over the summer? Do you want to play some Bingo?