Books In Kindergarten Book Bags

[jennythiem]

I have always had my kinder students keep the books that we have read in group and then taken home in their book bags. As the year progresses, I add leveled readers to the area and they can add a few of those as well. We call Read To Self reading from our Book Bags, so I know that they are working with books that they can read.

When they Read to Someone (and can read to themselves) in the classroom library, they use the books in our library. They love going to this station and enjoy reading the books any way that they can - by reading the words, pictures, retelling etc.

What do other teachers do? Are students allowed to choose any books that they want for the bags, is it a mixture? Do you allow them to put anything that they want (after many lessons on picking the right books of course) in their bags?

I want the students to get the full benefit from the Daily Five while also using the guided reading program and books that I am required to use!

Thanks - Jenny

[Jpoloni]

I have them put the decodable readers from our reading program in their book bins. We have read these in class. They read 2 of those books at Read to Self and then can choose other books from their book bins for the remainder of the time. I also have leveled readers for them to choose. They also choose a couple of books where they can "read the pictures". I send the decodable books from the book bins home every couple of weeks.

[Joan_Moser]

Sounds like you have a good system that is working for your students. What I really love is that you are tailoring this to the varied needs of your students. My K's have a variety of books in their book boxes-everything from their leveled readers to books from our library the choose themselves. The trick for me is always spending a lot of time during Daily 5 with individual conferring so I can match kids to books they love, can engage with and keeping the books fresh and moving.