Activities
Schools participating in “If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything” sponsor and plan reading activities for their students throughout the school year. Here are some examples of these activities. To start with, print off “If I Can Read” membership cards for your students. You can download membership cards here.
Kick-Off
- An open house is organized for parents, teachers, and children.
- Door prizes and gifts may be given. Parents and children read together.
- New books are available for circulation.
- Refreshments may be served!
Giveaways
- Stickers, posters, bags, bookmarks, buttons and other little prizes are given to every student throughout the school year.
End of Year
- Distribute certificates of reading achievement to students at the end of the school year.
Celebration
- Distribute the certificates during end of year awards ceremonies. Download copies of these certificates here.
National Library Events
- Celebrate national events such as National Library Week, Teen Read Week, Teen Tech Week, or Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros. Find out more about these events on the American Library Association website.
Other Activities
Here are some ideas for other school activities organized by “If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything” sites:- Sponsor an "Open Mic" night featuring students reading their favorite story, including scary stories
- Schedule a lunchtime book discussion group for teachers and other adults in the school; children can be invited on special occasions
- Organize a scary story contest with entries judged on idea development, organization and appearance; prizes are awarded for the scariest, most original and best illustrated stories
- Create a Reading Tree in your library with a leaf added for each book a student reads
- Host author/storyteller visits
- Offer a career day events with local colleges
- Identify a "Reader of the Week" and invite this student to publish a short piece on his or her favorite book on your website