Read A Thon Tools

NO GAMEBOYS ALLOWED

Read-a-Thon
Subjects
• Language Arts
• Math
• Community Service
Grades
• 3-5
• 6-8
• 9-12
Brief Description Hold an event during which students read books to raise money for grassroots development and literacy.
Objectives Students gain appreciation for books. Students track and calculate amounts of money collected in a classroom or school-wide read-a-thon.
Keywords books, read-a-thon, money, fund-raising, library, literature, reading, development, humanitarian work
Materials Needed books, articles, teacher or student created pledge sheets, pen or pencils. Computer up with Dreamtrapper.com web page up with video and photos of that week for discussion.
Lesson Plan This classroom activity could easily expand to include an entire school or community. Your read-a-thon might take place during the school day, as this one does, or it can take place at home. Students and parents might document the amount of time students read at home.
Classroom activity directions:
• Discuss the meaning of the word telethon. Ask students whether they have ever seen a telethon on television. Ask students about the purpose of the telethon.
• Tell students that they are going to participate in an activity similar to a telethon; this activity, called a read-a-thon, will raise money for grassroots development. Show video or visuals from dreamtrapper.com to show the activities people are involved in their communities. The read a thon is to read ___ a book, a page or a chapter for every kilometer traveled by Juana Rodriguez as she travels south offering services to communities between Virginia and Argentina. You can choose a specific part of the trip, for example North Mexico to Guatemala. The length of the Read A Thon is dependent on whether you have it for a day at school or you have it for a specific time period of a week or two during any part of the travel.
• Students create a pledge sheet explaining the purpose of the read-a-thon and ask family, friends, and school personnel to pledge an amount of money for each page, chapter, or book read.
• Tell students that during the read-a-thon, they will spend their time reading their favorite books to themselves, to one another, or to other classes. Ask students to bring in pillows or other favorite things for the read-a-thon day. Solicit ideas for decorating the room and making the room comfortable for that day.
• After the read-a-thon, tally and collect the pledges and present the money to the school library.
Assessment
Link the reading to the activities in Social Studies, Geography or Current Events and use material from dreamtrapper.com to strengthen the discussions.

Reading Guidelines:
This table will help you to decide how many pages equal one book if you read newspapers or magazines during the Read-a-thon.
Try to read books on or above your grade level.
Ask a parent or teacher to help you select books that are right

Grades Pages
1 15
2 30
3 45
4 60
5 75
6 100
7 120
8 140
9 160

Name of Reader: _____________________
Date of Read-a-thon: From _______ to _______.

My goal for the number of books I will read for the Read-a-thon is: _______ for _____ kilometer’s of Tia Juana’s Trek.
Here is a list of the books I plan to read during the Read-a-thon. Books may be added during the Read-a-thon. My parent or teacher will initial after I complete each book.

Book Title (or newspaper or magazine) Number of Parent’s
pages Initials

1
2
3
4
5

Sample Lesson Plan Below
IBMYP LEARN Planning Template.doc

Sample Sponsor Sheet below
readathon411_letter.ppt