Back to school can mean a lot of things. It means a fresh start, a new set of students and the start of something special.
It also means a chance to get a new crew of students excited about reading. One of my favorite ways to do this is through First Chapter Friday.
What is First Chapter Friday?
Every Friday, I pick a new book. Then, I read the first chapter aloud to my class. After I read it aloud, I write down all of the names of students interested in the book and then raffle off who gets to read it first.
Why do I love First Chapter Friday?
This is an automatic way to build excitement in my classroom around reading. I’ve done this for three years and every year, they look forward to the routine. They remind me if I ever forget.
This is a starting place for students to expose them to a variety of genres and styles of books. It helps them find books that interest and engage them.
How do I organize First Chapter Friday?
Every Friday, I pick a different book. I try to alternate genres so that there is something for everyone. I also start to learn what interests my students and what doesn’t.
I post a virtual library on our Google Classroom where I keep track of all of the books we’ve read so students can access this whenever they want. This way, if they are ever looking for a new read, they can start there.
A Few Favorites
Any book will work for this. I try to use a variety of genres. But a few of my tried and true favorite are:
- Restart by Gordon Korman
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
- Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
- StarFish by Lisa Fipps
- Blended by Sharon M. Draper
- Because of Mr. Terupt
Do you use First Chapter Friday in your classroom? What is your favorite?
