Science is Fun Summer Reading Program

We are on Summer break from our regular school routine. While my children would love to play all day long and not touch a book, outside of a comic book all summer, I have other plans. One thing that seems to happen on our summer breaks - too much free time and then squabbling or "I'm bored". This year I decided that I could provide a diversion once a week for some of the children in our neighborhood and a couple of our dear friends. We are meeting once a week for an hour and reading about a famous scientist and then doing an experiment or two that replicates a discovery of the scientist. I made up manilla folders for each of the children, with log sheets for them to keep track of their reading each day and to record books in certain categories. I wanted to encourage the children to widen their horizons and so I am giving extra points for their trying books outside of what they might normally read - such as a biography, a nature book, a history book etc. They get a sticker and a piece of candy bringing their folder each week and I am keeping track of their points and then will give prizes at our half way point and then again at our last meeting. We will also have a banana split party at our last meeting. We had 17 children, 1st - 10th grade the first week and 12 the second. The children seem to enjoy it and are reading away! This was a great way to motivate my boys to try some different kinds of books on their own and keep reading.